Chapel St-Michel d'Aiguilhe, Le Puy-en-Velay, France

Chapel on the rock. Chapel on the rock

Pace yourselves! You’ll need to climb 268 stone steps to reach the entrance of Chapel St-Michel d’Aiguilhe (Chapel of St Michael of the Needle). This historic church, near Le Puy-en-Velay in France, is a Unesco World Heritage Site which was constructed in 969 by a local bishop and dedicated to Archangel Michael. It had spiritual significance even before that, as it was home to prehistoric dolmen (stone tombs) built by the Romans to honour their god, Mercury. The huge rock it sits on is actually a volcanic plug, created when magma hardens inside a volcano’s vent. The region’s volcanic soil is also thought to contribute to the peppery flavour of its famous Le Puy green lentils.

At this time of year, you don’t necessarily have to climb the stairs to get a good view. If you’re lucky, you can hitch a ride from the many hot air balloon pilots that take to the skies in early November. These enthusiasts gather in Le Puy-en-Velay each year for a festival that commemorates the anniversary of the first manned hot air balloon flight, which took place in France on 21 November 1783.