Broye fribourgeoise

Estavayer-le-Lac is on the railway line from Yverdon to Payerne and Fribourg, so you can arrive without a car from either end of French-speaking Switzerland. By car, the A1 motorway between Lausanne and Bern runs alongside the region, with exits at Estavayer-le-Lac and Payerne, then a few kilometres of country road down to the beaches. In season, lake boats link Neuchâtel, Estavayer-le-Lac and Portalban, a far more memorable arrival than a car park.

Worth knowing: Portalban, Gletterens and Cheyres fill early on hot Sundays. Arrive before 10am, or aim for late afternoon when the wind drops and the beach empties.

This is the region's strongest card. The sand at Cheyres, Portalban and Gletterens is fine, the entry into the water is long and gradual, and you can wade a long way with water only knee deep. In Estavayer-le-Lac, the beach playground backs straight onto the sand, so the youngest alternate between slide and swim without anyone having to move. Bring shade: these beaches are open and the south shore sun is fierce by late morning.

In Estavayer-le-Lac, the château de Chenaux is visible from far off with its medieval keep, and the old town takes twenty minutes to cross down to the harbour. That is where the pedalos are hired, the outing that goes down best between six and twelve. Right next door, the Rose minigolf lines up eighteen holes by the water, ideal at the end of the day. For a change of pace, the Grande Cariçaie trails follow the reed beds between the beaches, entirely flat, and children spot birds there without even trying.