Vodatent at Camping Les Bouleaux

Where to start? Stay close to home or venture further afield from here, potter around France or drive to Germany… and have hikes, vineyard visits and châteaux tours along the way. The site is just outside the southern tip of the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park, a haven for wildlife watchers (look out for deer, lynxes and many types of bird) and for hiking and cycling; the park is home to over 1,500 kilometres of signposted trails. Château de La Petite-Pierre, the park’s headquarters, is 20 minutes’ drive away; for a more medieval castle, Château de Hohbarr is 25 minutes. Wine? But of course. The Alsace Wine Route is reachable within about 45 minutes from the site: start off at Marlenheim, Marmoutier or Mutzig for a look around the cellars, vineyards and old piles including the former fort of Wilhelm II. If you’re up for a longer drive, Lorraine capital Metz – home to the spectacular Cathedral Saint-Étienne de Metz – is an hour and 15 minutes away and Colmar is an hour and a half. The closest big German city is Stuttgart, two hours and 20 minutes to the east; Switzerland’s Basel is the same distance south.