Camping Lou Cabasson

Look towards Le Lavandou (10 minutes' drive) if you fancy day trips to Port-Cros and Porquerolles islands, two of the best in the spectacular Hyères archipelago. Once back on the mainland, the town has beaches, a miniature golf course and lots of seafood spots to explore. For history nearby, there's the Fort de Brégançon (10 minutes), an old fort with impressive views that's also a handily short distance from the Château de Brégançon winery (10 minutes). Elsewhere, away from the coast, there are natural havens like the old salt flats at Vieux Salins d'Hyères nature reserve (20 minutes) and the gorgeous Plaine des Maures (an hour), both of which deserve a full-length visit. The latter is home to wild tortoises, trails for hikers, horses and mountain bikes and has some of the finest olives, almonds and grapes around, all of which can be picked up at local markets. Rural life fully sampled, you might like to set off to bigger cities like the old military town of Toulon (40 minutes) or the metropolis of Marseille (an hour and 20 minutes). Families will find plenty to do in both: the Tour Royale tower and old arsenal in the former and the Château d'If, land train and cake shops in the latter.