Camping Vauban

After taking a spin around Bergues and its many sights, head north to Dunkirk (15 minutes' drive or a 10-minute train ride) to stroll over several kilometres of sand dunes, get up to watersports in the North Sea, explore wartime history and Operation Dynamo heritage at Dunkirk War Museum or experience the town's three-month carnival (mid-January to mid-April). For another great city on the French side of the border, there's Lille, which is roughly an hour away by train or car (if you're arriving by road, consider parking outside the city centre and getting around by subway or bus). The city’s star-shaped citadel, top-rated zoo, modern-style Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral and gorgeous Renaissance Vieille Bourse building are all must-sees to tick off. On top of that, shopping, a thriving food scene and lots of museums and art galleries give the place a cosmopolitan feel. You could also take advantage of your proximity to Belgium to explore famed seaside towns like Ostend (50 minutes) or Knokke-Heist (an hour and 15 minutes) or inland highlights like historic Bruges (an hour) and Ghent (an hour and 15 minutes).