Camping Saint-Clair

Hot-foot it down to Solokart go-karting course (10 minutes' drive) if your need for speed isn't quite fulfilled by the Nantes-Brest canal – lovely though it is, life on the water often moves at a pretty relaxed pace. That's not always the case, though, as the enthusiastic instructors at Plessé watersports centre (10 minutes) will tell you – here you can get active on the lake, or bring things down a gear and head for a nap on the next-door beach. Though lakeside beaches are a very fine thing, there's something special about the sea. For that, the coast at La Baule is within easy reach (45 minutes) – head to this swish resort for nine kilometres of sandy beach, classy hotels and boardwalks along the Atlantic coast. For a seaside spot with a very different vibe, head to Saint-Nazaire (45 minutes) – the main draw here is the town's naval history, which can be explored in several top-rated museums. Seeking landscapes that'll soothe your soul? Brière Regional Natural Park has oodles of footpaths and mountain biking trails to get stuck into (30 minutes). Handily, bikes can be hired in Guenrouet.