Camping Rochecondrie

Viviers, in a pretty position on the right bank of the Rhône, is a five-minute drive from Camping Rochecondrie. The cathedral’s worth a look while you’re here and athletic types can go rowing on the river with the help of the Aviron Viviers Montélimar Châteauneuf club. Llamas not exotic enough for you? Try the Crocodile Farm in Allée de Beauplan, a 20-minute journey from the park, to see more than 400 of these reptiles (not to mention giant tortoises) inside a tropical greenhouse. Montélimar, a town known for its nougat, is also reachable in 20 minutes if you’re a fan of the sweet stuff; the Arnaud Soubeyran museum and factory will school you on its history during a tour round the machinery. On your jollies in July? Try not to miss Alba-la-Romaine's circus festival, made up of acrobatics, clown performances and more, which you can reach within 15 minutes from the site. For a glimpse of how the other half lived, head on a half-hour journey to see the art collection at Renaissance-era Château de Grignan. It sits on a rocky outcrop with views out over green valleys, so it’s worth the trip for the pics alone. To go further back in time, the Paleolithic paintings at Chauvet cave are a 50-minute drive away.