Camping Les Saules

Châteaux, châteaux, châteaux… even if you don’t want to take on the challenge of visiting all 15 of the owners’ fave locals you’d be mad to leave this area without visiting at least one. The nearest is Château de Cheverny, which you can reach in half an hour on foot – it’s a rather fab 17th-century pile with some gorgeous gardens to wander in and a lovely orangerie garden for refreshments. Or maybe you’d prefer to head to Château de Chambord, a 25-minute drive away, to walk in its formal gardens and explore the 16th-century moated castle. Or taking the 45-minute drive to Château de Chenonceau, built on a bridge across the river. Or… well, have a chat with the site owners and staff to find out all the options. A good way to get out and about is by bike – the site is close to several of the Châteaux a Vélo circular cycle routes, which take you through forests and past lakes to reach some of the area’s finest edifices, with the odd stop at a village or vineyard along the way. Hire bikes on site if you’ve not brought your own, and ask for some route suggestions from staff. Need a break from all the château-chasing? Head into Blois, 20 minutes’ drive away, to peruse the modern art collection at the Fondation du Doute museum and wander through the city’s historic streets, keeping an eye out for the steps painted to resemble clouds. Just outside the city, you can hire canoes to paddle your way along the Loire river with a choice of itineraries that take from a couple of hours to a whole day. Other options nearby include a rather regal round of golf at the Château de Cheverny course (five minutes’ drive from the site) or a family fun day out at Beauval's zoo, 40 minute’s drive away. The zoo has around 10,000 animals across its 30-hectare site, so there’s plenty to see, including gorillas, hippos, manatees and a famed family of giant pandas.