4 Best Sights in Toulouse and the Languedoc, France

This 19th-century water tower at the far end of the Pont Neuf, originally used to store water and build water pressure, is now the oldest public institution in France dedicated to photographic exhibits. It was built in 1822, the same year Nicéphore Nièpce created the first permanent photographic images.

The small museum has relics from the town's medieval past, plus items uncovered during excavations of the 372-foot-deep Cordes Well.

This museum is worthwhile for the building itself as much as for its collection of Toulouse memorabilia, paintings, sculptures, and documents. Be sure to note the ground-floor fireplace and wooden ceiling.

The city's archaeological museum, next to the Basilica of St-Sernin, has an extensive collection of imperial Roman busts, as well as ancient coins, vases, and jewelry. It's second only to the Louvre in the richness of its sculptures and Gallo-Roman vestiges.