Camping Le Grand Cerf

For folk who like a somewhat unusual attraction, Facteur Cheval’s Ideal Palace (10 minutes away by car) has to be on a list of local visits. Built singlehandedly by a rural postman over the course of 33 years from 1879, it’s a fab place for a wander, keeping eyes peeled for fairies, elephants and other beings that lurk within the design. Animal antics await for visitors to Les Chèvres qui Dansent goat farm 20 minutes’ walk from the site, with wilder ones to see as you drive through Safari de Peaugres, 45 minutes away by car. Meanwhile, any budding pirates you’ve brought along can join in all sorts of swashbuckling fun at Miripili, l’île aux Pirates theme park, half an hour away. If you’d like a more grownup day out, take your tastebuds on a tour to the Jean Gauthier alambic distillery, the Valrhona Cité du Chocolat and the wineries around Valence. All are within a 45-minute drive.