Camping du Lac de Saint-Cyr

Tech types will already have sussed out this is the area of Parc du Futuroscope, the famed French theme park delving into the techniques of audio-visual, multimedia and cinematography in over 20 attractions including 3D and 4D cinemas. If you have the kids all fired up about the local history and heritage (hmmm), take them along to fab and ancient Poitiers, the Vienne's capital and filled with Romanesque and religious architecture, and to the 11th-century Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe with its many ancient murals. If they say non to that, get along to the famed primate park of the Vallée des Singes or the Planète des Crocodiles, two popular family picks in the region, or to Les Géants du Ciel in the medieval town of Chauvigny, where the old old art of falconry is performed. Food and drink is also – of course – much famed in the area: top picks of local produce include tourteau fromagé, Macarons de Montmorillon, bûche du Poitou and Haut-Poitou wines.