Vodatent at Camping Dun-le-Palestel

The tourist office in the village is a mine of information on the Valley of the Painters and the various changing exhibitions where you can see the artists' work: make this your first stop if you're in any way artistically inclined. There's no substitute of course for seeing what made the likes of Monet, Detroy and Guillaumin pitch their easels here: as rich as it ever was, the view of the river confluence topped by thick forests and the white ruin at Crozant (15 minutes' drive) is a must-see. A must-paint too, so bring your brushes... This is a popular area to visit, but you won't get stuck in a tourist trap: the surrounding valley is full of walking trails where you can lose yourself in nature, or you could take a kayak trip or a boat cruise on the Creuse. Riding centres are in Dun if you want to see it all from the saddle. Once connected with your wild side, go and meet the wolves at Les Loups de Chabrières (40 minutes), an encounter so stuffed with wolf-based facts and furry charm that you’ll want to take the pack home with you...