The Haute-Ville is the oldest part of Fianarantsoa, perched along the ridges above the modern lower town. The streets here are narrow, cobbled in places, and lined with the wooden balconies and shuttered windows of late-19th-century houses. Many are crumbling — Madagascar is not a wealthy country — but the area is being slowly restored under a heritage programme.
Walk up from the market or the lower town and let yourself get lost; the views across the valley to the surrounding hills are spectacular. Several small churches and chapels are dotted along the route. Late afternoon, when the light is low and warm, is the best time.