Les Robots: a robotics camp in the Marais Poitevin

Workshop time is given to robotics. Campers start with the basics of soldering and build an electronic object of their own to take home - an eight-day stay covers one soldering kit. They then choose one of the five forms of the Lego Mindstorms Robot Inventor set, assemble its 949 pieces and program it through the Scratch-based Robot Inventor app. Coding continues with the micro:bit nano-computer and its built-in sensors, extended with components and driven by a Makey Makey kit used as a controller. A discovery workshop is built around Loona, an AI-driven robot dog the campers talk to and set tasks for.

The stay price covers accommodation, meals, all activities and the included excursions. Travel to and from the centre is the only supplement the operator prices separately: campers may be brought directly to the centre at no charge, or join a supervised group departure by coach or train from a listed city.

The Coulon holiday centre stands in the village of La Garette, in the Marais Poitevin marshland on the bank of the Sevre. Campers sleep in rooms of five beds, each with its own shower and toilet.

Meals are provided at the centre and are covered by the stay price.

Beyond the workshops: a full day at the Futuroscope theme park, where a humanoid robot greets visitors at the entrance and giant robot arms carry riders through one of the attractions; a bowling outing; and multi-activities, team sports and wide games at the centre.

This is a small site, and the camp uses all of it: activity rooms for the workshops, a common lounge and outdoor space for games. A riding centre, La Maison du Cheval, stands a minute's walk away and is used by Telligo's equestrian stays, not by this one. The marshland and its waterways start at the door.

Supervision is one adult for every five children. Leaders are recruited with a scientific background - teachers or students in physics and technology - with solid knowledge of computing and electronics and a personal interest in robotics. The team runs a photo blog on a secure site so families can follow the stay day by day, as far as the connection at the centre allows.