Camping Les Échasses

Start out by ambling down to the shimmering shores of Lac de Biscarrosse et de Parentis (20 minutes' walk), a sizeable lake where there's a boat hire centre, pleasure port and well-kept beach with showers. Also on the lake is Biscarrosse (20 minutes' drive), a bustling small town close to a giant inflatable waterpark (30 minutes) and an intriguing seaplane museum (25 minutes). For some folk, though, these freshwater haunts will be but a warm-up for the open sea. Nearby coastal options include the golden sands of Mimizan-Plage (25 minutes), a hub for surfers and bathers who come here to make the most of its 10 interrupted kilometres of beach. If heading to the Dune du Pilat (45 minutes), Europe's biggest sand dune, perhaps leave the bucket and spade at home – there's 60,000,000 m³ of the stuff here, making this a spot best admired from afar (or swooshed over while paragliding). The larger resort town Arcachon (50 minutes) is a few kilometres north of the dune. Head here for classic 19th-century seaside architecture, a top aquarium (likely to prove popular with the kids) and some of France's best oysters (potentially somewhat less popular).