Camping Le Vallagnon

Camping Le Vallagnon may be a haven for walkers, mountain bikers and skiers up at Super Lioran (15 minutes’ drive), but there are oodles of other things to do in the Auvergne. Keeping with the outdoor theme, you can fly high with the birds when paragliding in Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne (10 minutes) or go canyoning along the Gorges de la Jordanne (40 minutes). For less energetic days out, keep your feet firmly on the ground with strolls around ancient Aurillac village (45 minutes) and pop into its Volcano Museum to learn about the geography of the area. Take a guided tour of weaponry and frescoes in Tournemire’s Château d’Anjony (an hour), and pop into Saint-Flour’s (30 minutes) Cathedral of St Peter to peek at a famous 12th-century statue of Christ, carved from walnut. If the kids deserve a break from all that cultural stuff, let them loose on the Alpine Coaster toboggan, scooting downhill through mountain meadows from Lioran Aventure (10 minutes).