Villatent at Camping La Bretonnière

Once you’ve warmed up with a swim and some fishing on site, head out locally for more water-based days at Lac du Jaunay (five minutes’ drive) or over at the coast. Saint Gilles Croix de Vie and Les Sables d’Olonne are both about 25 minutes away, and both are excellent options for beaches, activities like surfing and family attractions like the Zoo des Sables d’Olonne. If you’re bringing bikes along, it’s recommended that you take them up to Noirmoutier (50 minutes’ drive). Many kilometres of bike path await on this pretty island – and the journey there is quite something too, if you time it so that you can drive across the sandy Passage du Gois which only opens up at low tide. Turning back inland, a lovely way to spend a few hours is to take a boat trip through the maze of marshes in the Marais Poitevin Regional Natural Park (half an hour). Alternatively, explore closer to home by saddling up for a horseback outing at a riding centre two kilometres from the site.