Center Parcs
review of Center Parcs Les Bois Francs
Reasons to Visit:
- domed tropical pool/village
- fine cuisine & kids meals too
- many activities for kids
- large outdoors setting
- location near Paris
Center Parcs: Les Bois-Franc |
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Bottom Line: affordable getaways for families, popular in Europe, with a great concept: huge tropical domes area with indoor water park, spa, restaurants.
Center Parcs: general |
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| • | Center Parcs is a chain of "holiday villages" in northern Europe that offer getaways for families |
| • | Les Bois-Francs, near Paris, has 310 hectares, a lake, horseback riding, nine holes of golf, and a chateau. |
| • | The centerpiece is a beautifully landscaped tropical dome, with indoor waterpark (with slide, kiddie pool, waves), attractive restaurants, grocery store, etc. |
| • | Activities, free or at modest cost: horseback riding, trampolines, archery, wall climbing, kids programs during holidays, minigolf, golf, theme bowling... |
Review: Center Parcs Les Bois Francs
Note to North American: sure, what draws us to Europe are Great Sights and Cities. But there's much to be said for also visiting a place with kid-fun-- where European families head for their own holidays.
Center Parcs has "holiday villages" in France, Germany, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands. My three boys and I visited Les Bois Francs, 120 km west of Paris, and found that every aspect surpassed our expectations.
Center Parcs: overview
Though it's possible to arrive by train from Paris and be met by a special shuttle, we rented a car and arrived late in the evening. Hungrily seeking a restaurant, we hurried to the dome that's the center-piece of every Center Parcs. There we found the lush bamboo of a jungle-themed restaurant; my boys played in a pirate-boat while we waited for dinner. Voila: they had kids' meals with plastic parrots in their ice cream; I dined on moules a la creme.
Center Parcs: cottages
Our cottage had three large bedrooms, a good-sized kitchen (-the resort had a well-stocked grocery store), dining area, large living room with fireplace, and split bathrooms. Many of Center Parcs' visitors are three-generation families: grandmama and grandpapa come along too.
Center Parcs: prices
All this fun and comfort came with a good price-tag for a weekend that included three nights, from Friday afternoon until Monday morning, and that included a cottage for four plus access to the pool and kids' play areas. Check Center Parcs for current rates.
A note about price: "Kids Stay Free" pricing, common in North America, is rare in Europe; often you'll pay for a bed for each person, even a six-year-old. So Center Parcs has bargain-pricing built into its cottage rates.
Center Parcs: meals
The Buffet meal plan at the family-friendly Market Restaurant offered salads, grills, pasta, rice, fruit, and desserts for a reasonable price for a three-night weekend. Kids can eat from the kids' menus at the restaurants; or you can buy delicious snacks at the bakery. Some Center Parcs locations have a Fine Dining plan.
My three-word summary, about Les Bois-Francs: Vive Center Parcs: great concept, executed with style.
| More Center Parcs |
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| Center Parcs: domed pool | Center Parcs: kiddie pool | meal-time |
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| Center Parc: grocery | Center Parcs: tropics under the dome | play area |
