Camping Les Gorges du Chambon

Staying active on your holiday will be easy around here: you can hire bikes on site, head out for walks in the natural park or try riding on old railway lines at Vélorail de Charente-Limousine (35 minutes’ drive). Water lovers can swim from the beach at Étang de Saint-Estèphe (15 minutes) or try sailing at Lac de Lavaud (half an hour), while those who’d like a view from above tackle the treetop courses at Aventure Parc Lacs de Haute Charente (20 minutes). For a history-themed day out, pay a visit to Château La Rochefoucauld (20 minutes), an 11th-century castle with classic turrets and a Gothic chapel. Brantôme (45 minutes) should also be on the must-visit list for its riverside Benedictine Abbey and its collection of medieval and Renaissance buildings. There are more old buildings and museums to explore in Angoulême (45 minutes) and Limoges (an hour), where it’s particularly worth visiting the Fine Arts Museum to see displays of the town’s famed porcelain.