Ô Tipi Lodge

Ô Tipi Lodge is close to a good long list of things to see – there's the pretty village of Le Bessat (40 minutes) deep in the hills of the Pilat Natural Regional Park, the vineyards and cellars that line the banks of the river Rhône (40 minutes), the spectacular landscapes and panoramas of the Gorges de la Loire (40 minutes)… And that's before you start bearing in mind all the family-friendly days out available in the area for groups travelling with kids. Wild animals await at Parc zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine (25 minutes), while for exercising your brood there are adventure activities on land and water at Forez Aventures (35 minutes). There's also a number of castles likely to capture young imaginations, from the dramatic high-altitude Château d'Essalois (50 minutes) to the photogenic Château de Chamousset (50 minutes). You could also saunter through the streets of Saint-Étienne (25 minutes), France's first UNESCO-listed city of design where you'll come across world-class architecture, lots of green space and top-rated attractions like the Musée d'Art et d'Industrie. Looking for more urban days out? Lyon's central arrondissements and all of their sightseeing opportunities are an hour away by road.