Camping La Rochelambert

Start your sojourn with a stroll up to your local castle, Château de la Rochelambert, a splendid Renaissance number with fairytale turrets and lots of stone carvings to seek out. If that’s given you a hunger for more history, aim also for the medieval village of Allègre and the spectacular clifftop fortress of Polignac (both 15 minutes' drive). The big sight around here is Le Puy-en-Velay (20 minutes), the place where pilgrims across the centuries have started their epic expedition to Santiago de Compostela on the St James's Way. The cathedral and pink Madonna statue are worth seeking out, as is the 10th-century version of a skyscraper – a church built in an improbable location atop a rock. Outdoorsy types should find plenty of fresh-air frolics around here, too – there’s an adventure park a few minutes’ walk from the site and a karting centre and waterpark five minutes’ drive away in Saint-Paulien. Hikers should make the half-hour drive to the Beaume waterfall or the Gorges d’Allier; there’s also a little tourist train here for those who’d rather give their legs a rest.