Camping Le Pessac

Whatever the time of year, bring some sensible footwear – Camping Le Pessac is roughly a quarter of an hour's drive from the hiking trails of the spectacular Sidobre Massif, one of the prettiest parts of the Haut-Languedoc regional park. More adventure is in store at the Montagne Noire (an hour), on the high-altitude Passerelle de Mazamet footbridge (35 minutes) and at Lac des Montagnès (40 minutes), where watersports galore are up for grabs. Time for some towns? Castres is the Tarn's top spot for arts, culture and history, with museums dedicated to famed French political leader Jean-Jaurès and 19th-century Spanish painter Goya. Albi (40 minutes) is also likely to impress with its grand cathedral, Toulouse-Lautrec gallery, covered market and handsome historical watermills. When you want to get to the big city, catch the train from Vielmur-sur-Agout station and you’ll be walking the pink stone streets of Toulouse in just over an hour (driving takes a similar amount of time; about an hour and ten minutes in light traffic). Here, there's all you need for a successful day trip, from live music to botanic gardens and relaxed river cruises along the Garonne.