Camping Le Mas Fleuri

Roaming along the Riviera is a splendid way to spend the day. The beaches and marinas at Menton (35 minutes' drive) and Monaco (45 minutes) host a well-heeled crowd through the summer months (if you fancy a pop at outspending them, try raising some cash at one of the local casinos). Èze (45 minutes) has a rather different vibe, with medieval architecture and a pretty pebble beach. Mountaineering more your thing? Head out into the Mercantour National Park. Horse trekking is particularly easy to sort – there's a top equestrian centre a couple of hundred metres from the site gates. There's also the chance to hire mountain bikes (five minutes' drive) and to try gliding or canyoning (head to Sospel tourist office for more info). These hills are also full of history: Sospel's Fort Saint Roch (five minutes) is one of the best-preserved bits of the WWII Maginot Line, while the remains of Piène's medieval château are worth climbing up to as well. For something a little different, head 45 minutes down the road to the Nativity museum (Musée de la Crèche) – as you'll find out, this area really goes in for elaborate Christmas decor…