Camping Le Fontaulié Sud

For family hikes from the site, try the Labyrinthe Vert (20 minutes’ walk), with its way-marked trail through woodland leading to mountain views, or take the kids for a play on the inflatable climbing course at Parc de Loisirs “Saint Bertrand” (15 minutes’ drive). For more demanding exercise, get the mountain bikes out and head for the Pyrenean high peaks. Impressive Cathar castles to explore in the region include Puivert (five minutes) and Château de Montségur (35 minutes), and there’s even more history to be discovered at the UNESCO-listed castle and ramparts in Carcassonne (an hour and five minutes), which also warrants a day trip for its stunning old town, packed with lots of interesting shops and even more bistros for leisurely lunches. Have a look in the rather niche Museum of Millinery in Espéraza (25 minutes), itself a pretty, Aude-side town with an ornate 13th-century church that was once on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. And if the kids are getting restless with all this culture, treat them to Dinosauria (20 minutes), where they can see life-size T-rex skeletons and watch researchers working in the laboratory.