Camping Aquarev

Spectacular Loudéac forest is a vast shaded space of over 2,500 hectares, once part of the Brocéliande forest spanning Brittany. It's now a national forest with almost 50 kilometres of marked paths for hiking, hacking and cycling, and also has a fishing centre, plenty of ponds, and play and picnic areas. A horse riding centre is nearby. Loudéac town is well worth a day or two too – not least if you're a horsey type as this is a full-on equestrian town, with five famed race meets every Easter at the Calouët Hippodrome, and the La Fête du Cheval horse festival in each August. A big water centre with pool, waterslide, geysers, fountains, a Jacuzzi and a spa bath can be splashed or slid around in at Les Aquatides swimming centre. Day trip destinations include the medieval village of Moncontour, half an hour's drive to the north; the 19th-century Trappist abbey of Timadeuc, splendidly set 20 minutes away in green surroundings on the Nantes-Brest Canal, and the medieval fortress town, castle and doll museum of Josselin, still home to the Rohan family descendants.