Camping Le Moulin de Gournier

If you’re looking for a way to get the kids into nature and walks and all that, the Païolive Wood (20 minutes’ drive) is a good place to start – the petrified rocks in the forest here have been hewn into all sorts of weird and wonderful shapes. Can you spot the elephant, the lion, the bear? The rock towers and arches are pretty stunning too, and there’s some great wildlife to spot along the way. For other ways to see some of the scenery, head to Les Vans (15 minutes) for canoe trips on the Chassezac, to Vallon-Pont-d'Arc (40 minutes) for more canoe outings to the mighty Pont d’Arc stone arch, or to Lake Villefort (45 minutes) to have a go at windsurfing. The Gorges de l’Ardèche (45 minutes) must be on the to-see list too, whether you kayak between the towering cliffs, take a hike or simply settle for a scenic drive. There’s more to see underground too: spot stalactites and stalagmites at Cocalière Cave (20 minutes) or see rock formations lit up in all colours at Grotte de la Salamandre (50 minutes). Meanwhile, at Grotte Chauvet 2 (45 minutes) you can see an excellent reconstruction of a cave with prehistoric paintings.