Les Tipis du Bonheur de Vivre

Should you feel the need to briefly return to reality during your stay at Les Tipis du Bonheur de Vivre, it’s 15 minutes’ walk into sleepy Brûlon, with a medieval church and 16th-century priory to explore, and a handful of terrace bars for your morning café au lait. When you’ve had your caffeine kick, there’s some seriously spectacular religious architecture to see at Solesmes Abbey (15 minutes’ drive), perched over the river Sarthe and open for tours of its church and gardens. Fine porcelain dinner services and flamboyant glazed animals are on display at the Musée de la faïence et de la céramique à Malicorne (25 minutes), where you can join ceramic workshops and pick up quality pottery souvenirs. If the kids object to too much culture, treat them to the wallabies, lemurs and chattering parrots at Spaycific Zoo (35 minutes). If that’s not enough animal magic for them, the Zoo de La Flèche (50 minutes) should satisfy with sea lion shows, raptor flying displays and lions, tigers, grizzly bears and elephants in spacious enclosures.