Camping de Vallorbe

No need to go too far… take a tour around the iron and railway museum at Musée du Fer et du Chemin de Fer (five minutes’ walk), which has forges for kids to play in and a miniature train. Juraparc (five minutes’ drive) is also close by. This large animal park is home to wolves, bears and bison or softer animals such as goats and alpacas that the kids can interact with. Mountains galore… the area is full of huge bumps and ridges in the land, several of which are great for hiking, climbing or mountain biking. Dent de Vaulion (15 minutes) is the closest mountain to the site, while the peaks at Le Suchet (half an hour), Aiguilles de Baulmes (35 minutes) and Mont Tendre (45 minutes) are also within reach. Feel rather like you’re defending the mountain pass at the Pré-Giroud Military Fort (10 minutes’ drive), now a heritage building you can walk around. If you’re looking for more great hiking trails, La Tine de Conflens (20 minutes) has a path to a rocky waterfall. When you feel like a more leisurely stroll, the lakeside town of Yverdon-les-Bains (25 minutes) has beaches and the medieval Grandson Castle (half an hour).