Villatent at Camping Le Nauzan Plage

The beach at Vaux-sur-Mer (10 minutes' walk) has plenty of potential to become your holiday hub. If you're in the business of more than simply lounging by the waves, there's also a watersports centre where you can take sailing lessons or hire kayaks, paddleboards and jetskis. Along the coast at Royan (10 minutes’ drive), Plage de la Grande Conche beach is another visit-worthy stretch of sand to discover. Royan marina is also the starting point for brilliant boat trips out to Fort Boyard, an off-shore Napoleonic castle. Further family-friendly times are up for grabs at Palmyre Zoo (20 minutes), where you can wander through three hectares of green grounds on the hunt for exotic creatures (the daily sea lion show is particularly popular). Luna Park (20 minutes), meanwhile, has a range of exhilarating rides to experience and old-school fairground games to try your luck at. Finally, if you're taken by the idea of roaming over an off-shore wildlife haven, get yourself to Île d'Oléron island (40 minutes) for bike rides, beaches and birdwatching.