Country Camp at Domaine des Messires

You’ll want to get out for a walk, a hike or a bike ride, of course – these mountainous surroundings have so many options for scenic outings. A couple of popular places to aim for nearby are the trail to Grande Cascade de Tendon (15 minutes’ drive) and Lac de Gérardmer (25 minutes), which has a couple of observation towers and the Acro-Sphère adventure park. Keeping it simple, you may like to stroll among the flowers at Garden Berchigranges (15 minutes) or watch the scampering monkeys at La Montagne des Singes (an hour and five minutes) – they're a friendly bunch who'll happily eat out of your hand. A good day out is to Colmar (an hour and 15 minutes), where you can wander among half-timbered buildings and explore the art collection at the Unterlinden Museum, housed in a spectacular medieval monastery.