For families and groups of friends who want to go away for a weekend or several days to relax and have a good time, there's nothing like a getaway with Center Parcs. After settling into a cottage in a natural environment, you have access to a multitude of activities on site: water games and sports, archery, bike rides, cooking workshops and other contacts with animals. In addition, you can take advantage of the opportunity to discover all the riches of a region. In Île-de-France, the Centre-Val de Loire region or New Aquitaine, a stay at Center Parcs is a great opportunity to combine the pleasures of the activities and setting offered by an estate with those of the heritage, the gastronomic wealth and the regional natural areas. Here are 6 destinations to visit as soon as possible to recharge your batteries.
1- Le Bois aux Daims in the Vienne
Go to the Vienne region near Poitiers to stay in a cottage or in a tree house at the Bois aux Daims estate. You will experience a stay as close as possible to the animals, by putting yourself in the shoes of a caretaker. Fallow deer, foxes, birds, the stay is an opportunity to feed them, to take care of their living spaces and to live moments of complicity, including during shows. At another time, you can also go to the spa area to relax, before accompanying the little ones to let off steam in the indoor play areas. And don't forget the Aqua Mundo, with its water courses and dizzying slides - thrills guaranteed! In the region, several structures await visitors, such as Futuroscope and its image-based attractions, as well as the Zooparc de Doué-la-Fontaine and its 1,400 animals in a unique troglodytic space. Not forgetting Fontevraud Abbey, an architectural jewel from the 12th century
2- Les Bois Francs in the Eure
What if a stay at Center Parcs led to the heart of the beautiful Normandy countryside? To do this, you need to go to the Bois Francs estate, which offers a choice of cottage, VIP pagoda or hotel accommodation. Here, waking up can start with a yoga or zumba session. Then, you can take the children to the mini-farm to see the animals, before letting them enjoy a pony ride on the estate's paths. The Aqua Mundo and the 9-hole golf course await those who want to let off steam! And since we are in Normandy, we don't fail to escape for a few moments to conquer a territory that has so much to offer. The Bois Francs greenway, the Normandy villages circuit, bike rides are a must. And what about Claude Monet's superb house and gardens, a world apart! Children also love the Chocolatrium of the Manufacture de Cluizel, a space dedicated to chocolate. Gourmet food is indeed second nature in Normandy.
3- Les Trois Forêts in Moselle
By joining the domain of the Three Forests in Moselle, we stop for a few days in the heart of a majestic forest, close to the Vosges. An area that can be explored by mountain bike, on horseback, in a canoe, and where you can enjoy the silence during a fishing trip. Dance and musical activities, sessions in the water playgrounds, there is plenty of choice to keep the children amused and to have fun together. Not forgetting the spa area with its steam rooms, panoramic sauna and salt cabin. Around the estate, there are many experiences to be had, particularly with the proximity of Nancy and its beautiful heritage. And for a return to nature before joining Center Parcs, a short trip on the Abreschviller train allows you to cross the forest in a real period train! Culture is not forgotten, with the remarkable Centre Pompidou-Metz nearby. The Sainte-Croix Animal Park allows you to meet no less than 1,500 animals, including wolves.
4- Les Hauts de Bruyères in the Loir-et-Cher
Head for the Centre-Val de Loire, a region where nature is king, with a stop at the Hauts de Bruyères estate. Settled in a charming cottage in the middle of nature, you can then take advantage of the various activities offered by the site. Tennis ball, archery, petanque, fishing or paintball, here the key words are relaxation and leisure. While the teenagers are having fun at the Aqua Mundo, the parents can reshape their figure by taking part in a few fitness sessions, as well as relaxing or practicing Tai Chi. Horse-drawn carriage rides, a children's farm and animals are also part of the experience, to the delight of all. Around the structure, it is the Sologne, with its forests, its ponds and its vineyards which await the nature lovers. And the opportunity is too good not to go and see some of the most beautiful castles of the Loire, Chambord and Cheverny at the top of the list. Unless you want to fly over them in a hot air balloon to enjoy breathtaking panoramas!
5- Le Lac d'Ailette in the Aisne
Life is beautiful on the edge of a lake, and this is what the domain Le Lac d'Ailette in Picardie offers you. In fact, it is on this large body of water that you can practice paddle boarding or take a dip, while the children enjoy making sandcastles on the beach. After a play session in the Aqua Mundo water park, children can also enjoy a trip around the estate in their little car with the Kids Safari activity. For the older ones, the tennis court and the yoga lessons by the lake allow them to alternate between sessions to let off steam and to recharge their batteries. There are also dance, singing and quiz activities in the evenings for fun and laughter. Around the estate, a trip to Laon allows you to observe its rich heritage before going to taste the champagne in the cellars of the famous Château Pommery. Finally, we cross the years to find ourselves in the heart of the First World War by discovering the museum space of the Caverne du Dragon, a historical site located 15 m deep
6- Village Nature® Paris in Seine-et-Marne
At the gateway to Paris, a stay at Village Nature® Paris is a great opportunity to break away from everyday life and get closer to nature and animals. You can enjoy breakfast in the sun in a cottage or apartment with a balcony, before hiring an electric boat to enjoy the lake or the Aqualagon pools. Parents who want to run around in nature will have space, and later they will accompany the children to the BelleVie farm to get to know the animals and take part in a pony or donkey ride. At another time, the gourmets also appreciate the workshops around chocolate before leaving for the Forest of Legends and its surprising playground. Not forgetting the extraordinary gardens, so beautiful and which make you forget the tumult of the city. In the surrounding area, the experiences on offer are varied, with a choice of a stroll through the streets of Paris or the more medieval streets of Provins. The castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte is also in the area, as is La Vallée Village, a shopping and bargain paradise. And to put a smile on the faces of the little ones, but not only, you can also go to Disneyland Paris, with its magical world and its dizzying attractions.
7- Aqua Mundo, the tropical aquatic universe that cannot be ignored
Whether you come to the Bois aux Daims, Hauts de Bruyères or Bois Francs estates, theAqua Mundo is one of Center Parcs' must-see facilities. There are wave pools, wild rivers, swimming areas near tropical fish and whirlpools. The multitude of slides is also a promise of moments of laughter with friends and family and of thrills! Open to the whole family, Aqua Mundo also organises Aqua Workouts for adults and other moments such as exercises with babies to encourage their physical development
