Camping La Colombiere

The handsome little town of Pesmes on the banks of the Ognan has scenic sights aplenty including 16th-century houses, a medieval castle and the 12th-century Church of Saint-Hilaire with bell tower. Cross the bridge from town to the other side of the river to look back for the best views, of the 16th-century houses and the castle on Pesmes' hill. A hugely famed old site is within easy reach of Camping la Colombière: the French Town of Art and History settlement of Besançon (45 minutes' drive), home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 17th-century fortress the Citadel of Besançon. This is a splendid spot for all ages and a must-do for a day trip: the citadel has several museums telling the heady tale of the human and animal habitation of the region, as well as a zoo, an insectarium, an aquarium and a farm to keep kids content. If you're now up for some more energetic activity, it's about 20 minutes' drive from the site to Marnay, to get stuck into mountain biking and archery, and 40 minutes to the Acro'Mania adventure park for roaming around the forest of Chevigny-Saint-Sauveur.