Take me there: extreme camping in Bavaria
Just when it seemed as though the trend for glamping, with its four-poster beds and ensuite bathrooms, had sucked every last frisson of adventure out of sleeping in the wild, an activity centre in Bavaria is taking camping to new heights – literally. Using equipment developed by climbers for overnighting on sheer rock faces, the Waldseilgarten adventure resort near Munich (waldseilgarten-hoellschlucht.de) is offering the chance to bed down on a "portaledge": a fabric-covered platform suspended from a tree branch several metres above the ground, or – if that's not terrifying enough – from a 1,000m cliff face. Sweet dreams. From €250 per person.
Travel clinic: cheap and chic Paris
The dilemma We have three teenage children and would love to explore Paris with them. Could you recommend a self-catering apartment or a cheap and chic hotel? Martin, London
Paris has some great budget hotels, but the rooms tend to be tiny – as a family you'll find it far more relaxing (and cheaper) having somewhere you can come back to for downtime and where you can prepare the occasional meal. Combining the space and privacy of a flat with the friendly service of a B&B, the Folie-Méricourt Guest Apartment (appartement-hotes-folie-mericourt.com) offers incredible value (from €160 per night based on five sharing) in an appealing neighbourhood close to the Bastille, Marais and trendy Canal St Martin. On the fifth floor of a traditional Haussmann building (no lift), it features a balcony and a quirky and colourful decor. Attentive owner Pascal stocks up the kitchen with breakfast provisions, while the free Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV and DVDs should offset any teen boredom.
Good sightseeing options include the entertaining Fat Tire Bike Tours (fattirebiketours.com); a spooky underground tour of the catacombs (catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm), and of course the Pompidou Centre (centrepompidou.fr).
If you have a travel dilemma, email Joanne O'Connor at magazine@observer.co.uk
Three of the best: UK holiday camps
Forget Bluecoats and bingo and noisy crowds. Five-star facilities and low-key entertainment are on offer at these three sites which are more high-class than Hi-de-Hi!
1. Silverdale, Lancashire Family-run woodland site with comfy caravans and smart pool in gorgeous countryside near Morecambe Bay (holgates.co.uk)
2. Trevella Park, Cornwall Fishing and nature trails instead of talent shows and slot machines at this peaceful site close to Crantock Beach (trevella.co.uk)
3. Waterside, Dorset Lively –but in a tasteful way – five-star park with top-notch spa and leisure facilities near Weymouth beach (watersideholidays.co.uk)
