Puy de Fou - Within 30 mins drive, Puy de Fou is an amazing day out at a typically French medieval extravaganza, where many of the world's finest circus performers work for the summer. Voted France's favourite theme park, Puy du Fou is so much more than just an amusement park or theme park. It's an incredible place where art, nature, history and its legends intertwine to enchant visitors of all ages. Shows include Vikings arriving on their ship rising out of a lake and ransacking a French village, gladiators fighting with lions and chariot racing in a replica coliseum, and birds of all species flying right over your head including bald eagles, vultures, marabou storks fighting snakes and sika falcons being released from a balloon 800 feet above you with a finale including 100 crested caraways which are released amongst you so you can feed them.

Mervent - Mervent leisure base, 40 mins south, is great for canoeing, mountain biking, electric boating and paddleboarding. The Forest of Mervent is 5,000 hectares of beautiful woodland, with a 22m high 19th century bridge and marked trails for walking, mountain biking and running. There's also a "Natur'Zoo" animal park.

Donjon de Bazoges-en-Pareds - The Donjon in the local village, which you can see from the mill windows is 10 min walk. It's a great place to re-live the daily life of the middle Ages. The donjon offers an exceptional view of the Vendeen Bocage from the ramparts round the top. Walk through the medieval garden with wonderful colours and scents of medicinal and culinary herbs and also smartly structured squares of vegetables and flowers.

Vouvant - Listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, Vouvant is 15 mins away and possesses a magnificent Romanesque church with a richly carved portal. The ramparts, the postern, the ancient bridge spanning the river and the Mélusine tower - the remains of an old castle that, according to legend, was built in one night by the fairy Mélusine - contribute to the charm of this small town. From the top of the Mélusine tower, walkers can appreciate a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside, in particular of Mervent-Vouvant forest. The story of the Mélusine fairy is told at Maison Mélusine.

Musée National Clemenceau-De Lattre - museum about Clemenceau.

Château de Sigournais - chateau and lake. Sigournais Lake is a large lake a few miles on the other side of Bazoges. It's lovely to walk around and there's a fabulous restaurant at one end called La Morliere.

Beach - The beaches are all about an hour's drive. We used to go to Plage Des Conches but they're all huge, long sandy beaches with great surf.

O'Gliss Water Park is an amazing place. Serious water chutes.