Despite now being a long-established destination for low-cost flights from the UK, the French town of Carcassonne remains something of a hidden gem among European travellers.

While it may be general ignorance of the town's charms which keeps the tourist hordes away these days, Carcassonne's fame is based largely on the fact that its fortified walls and turrets have been successfully repelling would-be invaders for centuries.

Indeed, the image of the old town across the rolling hills of the region of Languedoc has now become one of the iconic images of historic France, with UNESCO granting it World Heritage status more than a decade ago.

Despite the rich history of the town, with the Romans, the Visigoths and the Saracens of Barcelona having all called it their home at some point in time, the modern-day town greeting visitors is essentially the work of Viollet-le-Duc, who undertook a full restoration of the fortifications in 1853, while also adding several of his own touches.

Though the pointed cones on the top of the towers and the slated roofs of the houses within the walls were criticised by his contemporaries due to their lack of local influence, le-Duc's Carcassonne is widely considered to be a work of genius.

As too is the Basilica of St Nazaire and St Celsus, which towers above the town and serves as one of France's national monuments.

The town, however, is not simply a museum of French architecture.

Most visitors to the region make a point of heading outside of the town walls and into the surrounding countryside, which serves as the centre to one of the world's finest wine industries.

In addition to the numerous wine tours offering sampling, the modern lower town of Carcassonne, linked to its walled neighbour by the iconic Pont Vieux over the Aude River, is home to dozens of typically French late-night bars and bistros all boasting considerably better value than those firmly on the tourist path.

Slightly downstream, the Pont Marengo crosses the Canal du Midi, upon which barge trips for tourists take place throughout the day and night, while the Lac de la Cavayere just five minutes away from the town by boat has been created as a recreational lake, allowing tourists to take a picnic of local cheese and wine out into the French countryside.

Though Carcassone welcomes visitors year-round and is particularly appealing when the snow falls and settles on the old fortifications - and travel insurance to cover against icy slips is a must here - the majority of tourists understandably visit during the summer months, with the recent addition of a Tour de France leg here an added bonus.