To get a glimpse of how the other half live, sort yourself a space in the grounds of a rather romantic château at Camping du Besset, a stately home edging a forest in the mountainous Ardéche region; the castle surrounded by two and a half hectares of park-like greenery and terraces was originally built in the 12th to the 13th centuries then reconstructed in the 1600s.
But it’s not just a whole heap of history and greenery that this site less than a 10-minute drive from the pretty village of St Prix has: fantastic facilities are also here, from an outdoor swimming pool and kids’ pool in an orchard full of sunbeds and parasols to a volleyball court, football field and playground with a trampoline, climbing frame, seesaw, slide, swings and a sandpit.
More attractions for the younger members of your travel troupe include a games room in one of the castle cellars with table tennis, billiards, pool and foosball; mums and dads could easily drop the kids off here for hours of entertainment before escaping to the serenity of the subterranean wellness area's sauna, spa, steam bath and massage room...
If these indulgences have you wanting to continue along a fancy vein, follow up with a posh meal from the table d'hôtes menu in the grand on-site restaurant (food’s available for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a reservation) accompanied by a bottle from the château’s selection of fine regional wines; in the morning, you can sign up for the fresh bread delivery if you’d rather start your day with a light baked snack.
The setting of this establishment is just as snazzy as the gastronomic options: it’s a 20-minute drive to the lovely Ardéchoise town of Lamastre (where supermarkets are available) and a few kilometres from the Doux river and its beaches. Activities like mountain biking, cycling, horse riding, survival trips, golf and canoeing can be organised in the local area too.