FAMILY FRIENDLY

Whether your kids want to swim, build sandcastles or learn a new watersport, the fine sandy beaches of Poitou-Charentes are the perfect destination. Several resorts also run supervised beach clubs where they can meet other children and maybe try out their school French.

But there are lots of other ways to have family fun in, on, and around the water, and not just by the sea. Everyone likes playing admiral and young imaginations can run riot on a cruisin holiday down the Charente river. No previous experience or licence is needed to hire your own family-sized cruiser and you’ll find rental companies all along the Charente river.

Enjoy the teamwork of navigating through locks; watch out for waterbirds and wildlife; and have fun exploring the picturesque villages and shopping at markets en route. Children love sleeping in cosy cabins and eating meals on the deck of their floating home, and if they need to let off steam, the towpath is only a step away.

For a very different kind of boating experience, take a punt through the green canals of the Marais Poitevin or let them paddle their own canoes to discover the marshes at close quarters. And if they fancy a taste of the open sea, a short cruise excursion is a fun way to see the islands, fortresses and lighthouses of Charente-Maritime.

East of Angoulême, the two vast lakes of Lavaud and Mas-Chaban are surrounded by peaceful, wooded hills – the perfect spot for an outdoor family holiday. There’s no chance for children to get bored here, given the choice of walking and mountain-biking trails; pony trekking facilities; water sports and forest adventure parks. And with accommodation ranging from gîtes and campsites to motorhome parks and hotels, it’s a destination to suit every holiday budget.

Children across the ages have always loved climbing trees, but today’s youngsters can test their nerve and perfect their skills in complete safety at supervised forest adventure trails all over Poitou-Charentes. After initial instruction in how to move safely round the graded circuits, they will tackle giant swings and zip slides, monkey bridges and rope walls under the eagle eyes of an instructor.

Less than 20 minutes from Poitiers, the Domaine de Dienné includes an adventure park with zip lines, a riding centre, and hiking trails, plus a wide range of accommodation including Mongolian yurts and gypsy caravans, tree houses and cosy cottages. There’s something magical about a train ride, whether you’re 7 or 70, and Poitou-Charentes has some great choices for rail buffs. The P’tit Train de Saint Trojan on the Ile d’Oléron follows a 12-km route past beauty spots that are inaccessible by road, trundling gently through the forest, along the shores of Gatseau Bay and on to the beach at Maumusson.

Over on the Charente-Maritime mainland, the Seagull Train links La Tremblade and Saujon, passing through the beautiful village of Mornac-sur-Seudre, as well as through the distinctive landscape of oyster beds and salt marshes. Just sit back and enjoy the commentary and the views.

Fancy something a little more active? Then try the rail bikes or vélo-rails at Chauvigny and on the Charente-Limousine railway in northern Charente. Each “bike” has two seats fitted with pedals and adjustable saddles (suitable for children from 8 upwards) and three additional seats for passengers.

All those classroom history lessons come zinging vividly to life when children can step back in time and experience historic locations first-hand. And they certainly don’t have to know the finer points of French history to be impressed by the dramatic maritime history of Charente-Maritime.

Stand on the ramparts of the citadel at Le Château d’Oléron for instance and it’s easy to imagine yourself watching for enemy ships. Try making rope at Rochefort’s Corderie Royale, go inside the hull in the Hermione boatyard, and read the graffiti left by long-dead prisoners inside the Lantern Tower at La Rochelle.

Few children can resist the chance to climb a lighthouse and see the coastline spread below them like a 3-dimensional map, but they can also come away with a greater understanding of both science and the natural world.

At the Phare des Baleines, for instance, on Ile de Ré, there’s a fascinating and fun exhibition at ground level on the history of lighthouses. And over on Ile d’Oléron, the gardens surrounding the Phare de Chassiron are full of interactive displays about wind, weather and shipping. There’s more educational fun at castles and country mansions too. Discover life in the Middle Ages at the 14th century Château de Saint-Mesmin at Saint-André-sur-Sèvre with its towering keep, medieval kitchens, and imposing battlements. Every summer, displays and demonstrations follow a different theme, vividly portrayed by an atmospheric cast of costumed characters.

With towers and turrets representing every architectural style from Romanesque to the 18th century, the Château de Rochefoucauld looks like a fairy tale castle, perched on a rock above the Tardoire Valley. Children are encouraged to tour the castle in period dress, choosing from more than 80 fabulous costumes and accessories – living history at its most interactive.