Wherever you are in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, download the free Tèrra Aventura app and get treasure-hunting! With 400 trails to explore, answer questions along the way to find badges hidden in secret caches (containers). How many can you collect? Trails are labelled with theme, time and distance, difficulty and area, so you can choose the one that best suits you.

Explore a cognac vineyard on four wheels. At Vignoble Bourgoin, Frédéric Bourgoin will introduce you to the winemaking process and the family business as you cruise among the vines in a vintage Peugeot camionette, before enjoying a tasting. Or tour the Combe de Bussac vineyard in a 1940s jeep, on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the summer months.

In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, markets aren’t only for the daytime. Night markets pop up in fields, squares and streets all over France and are much more about eating, drinking and socialising than shopping. Choose from one of many food stalls, select a bottle of artisanal beer or local wine and take your place at a trestle table with the locals, perhaps enjoying some accordion music and later, maybe, listening to a DJ.

Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Pau and the Pyrenees from a hot-air balloon. Travelling at only five or six miles an hour, you’ll have ample opportunity to savour spectacular views of the landscape below.

The “miroir d’eau” (water mirror) in Bordeaux, which opened in 2006, is the ideal place to cool off on a hot summer’s day for people of all ages. A shallow pool of water sits on a huge granite slab, reflecting the beautiful buildings around it. The largest water mirror in the world, it alternates between the mirror effect and atmospheric artificial misting.

As well as being home to world-famous wine producers, the Unesco-listed medieval town of Saint-Emilion, just one hour from Bordeaux, is a beautiful and immaculately preserved gem. Explore historic monuments, visit chateaux, learn about wine or simply wander and take in the beauty and atmosphere.

Launched in 2012, La Vélodyssée is an 870-mile (1,300km) cycle route along the Atlantic coast, stretching from Roscoff to Hendaye, mainly on traffic-free paths. With a section covering around 400 miles (650km) in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, enjoy pedalling through pine forests, alongside sandy beaches and through fishing villages. Children’s bikes, ‘tag-alongs’ and trailers are available from most cycle hire shops, so all the family can get involved.

Explore the Marais Poitevin nature reserve – also known as ‘Green Venice’ – by boat. A guide can help you find the most picturesque villages, bridges and nooks, or alternatively, simply rent a boat and explore at leisure, alone, as a couple, as family, or with friends.

Get out and about in the great outdoors in the city of Limoges, which sits on the banks of the Vienne River. Walk in the footsteps of painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot in Saint-Junien, marvel at the ancient megaliths of the Monts de Blond area, stroll in national parks or visit some of the chateaux and fortresses associated with Crusader king, Richard the Lionheart.

Travel with Brittany Ferries on your journey to Nouvelle-Aquitaine and you’ll have a shorter drive – in the region of four-plus hours – once you arrive at the port in France. Renowned for its award-winning onboard service, especially its food which is prepared by a team of French chefs, you can relax as your holiday begins. Taking your own car lets you explore the region at your own pace, and have space for local treats and gifts to take home.