Center Parcs Village in Belgium
If you want to visit a Center Parcs village in Belgium, your best option is De Vossemeren village. There are others, but De Vossemeren has the best pool and activities plus a fantastic indoor play area called Discovery Bay. Travelling to Center Parcs in Belgium is easy, particularly if you’re coming from the east or south-east of the UK.
Add a Couple of Nights at Efteling!
Efteling is one of the most popular theme parks in Europe, and is about an hour’s drive from De Vossemeren Village. Commonly believed to be the inspiration behind Disneyland Paris, this theme park offers plenty of fun for thrill seekers and younger guests. We tagged a couple of nights at one of the Efteling hotels onto the end of our stay at Center Parcs De Kempervennen recently, and loved it. Tickets to the Park are included with every stay. Hotel rooms sleep up to 6 people, and include breakfast, while self-catering houses can sleep up to 24 people.
A little disclosure: there are affiliate links on this page! That just means if you click on a link, find something you like and buy it, I’ll make some cash. You won’t pay any extra, though.
So, you’ve decided that De Vossemeren is the one for you. But which route to take? You have four options:
- Eurotunnel with your car, then drive to the village
- Ferry with your car, then drive to the village
- Eurostar passenger train from London, then train/bus and taxi to the village
- Fly from UK to the nearest airport to the village, then train/bus and taxi to the village. You could hire a car at the airport, but it will probably sit in the village car park for most of your holiday, so might not be the best budget option.
Top Tip: Struggling to fit everything in? Check out the different types of soft and hard roofboxes available for your car.
Travelling to Center Parcs by Eurotunnel from Folkestone
| Route | Crossing Time | Onward Distance to Village | Onward Journey Time to Village |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folkestone – Calais | 35 minutes | 177 miles | 3½ hours |
Taking Your Car on the Ferry from a UK Port
| Route | Crossing Time | Onward Distance to Village | Onward Journey Time to Village |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover – Calais | 1½ hours | 174 miles | 3 hours |
| Dover – Dunkirk | 2 hours | 159 miles | 3 hours |
| Folkestone to Calais | 1½ hours | 174 miles | 3 hours |
| Harwich – Hook of Holland | from 6½ hour day or night crossing | 105 miles | 2 hours |
| Hull – Rotterdam | 11½ hour night crossing | 86 miles | 1½ hours |
| Newcastle – Amsterdam Ijmuiden | 15¾ hour night crossing | 109 miles | 2 hours |
| Newhaven – Dieppe | 4 hours | 246 miles – if choosing Google Maps route that avoids Lille ULEZ zone | 5 hours |
| Poole – Cherbourg | 4½ hours | 441 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 7½ hours |
| Portsmouth – Caen | 5¾ hours | 359 miles – if choosing Google Maps route that avoids Lille ULEZ zone | 6¼ hours |
| Portsmouth – Cherbourg | from 4¾ hours | 441 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 7½ hours |
| Portsmouth – Le Havre | from 6 hours | 309 miles if choosing Google Maps route that avoids Lille ULEZ zone | 6¼ hours |
| Portsmouth – St. Malo | from 10 hours | 468 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 7¾ hours |
Travelling to Center Parcs by Eurostar from London St. Pancras International Station
- To Brussels – 2¼ hours on Eurostar. From Eurostar Brussels Terminal, walk to Brussels South/Midi Train Station (1 minute) then train to Hasselt (1¼ hours). Walk to Station perron 10 (1 minute) then train to Lommel Soeverein (1½ hours) followed by taxi to the village (5 minutes)
Flying to Center Parcs from a UK Airport
- To Eindhoven Airport – flight time varies depending on departure airport. This is the nearest airport to De Vossemeren Village, although there are no easy routes between the two using public transport. Taking a taxi straight to the village is the best option, and takes half an hour.
Find out why we love De Vossemeren Village in Netherlands!
Useful Resources When Driving in France, Belgium and Netherlands
All distances have been taken from Google Maps. Journey times will vary depending on the time/day you travel and any unforeseen events such as accidents or roadworks. Whether you opt for planes, trains or ferries, remember to allow 1-2 hours for check-in and boarding each way.
ULEZ Zones
Many countries are bringing in more and more ULEZ zones, which can make journeys difficult if your big old family car is non-compliant. Even cars that are compliant have to be registered to be allowed in these zones. This all gets pretty complicated, so it’s best to just avoid the relevant areas. Google Maps will often take you straight through a ULEZ zone without offering an alternative route, so make adjustments to your route before you set off if necessary. Visit drive2.city for up-to-date information on ULEZ zones in the UK and the rest of Europe.
If you’re travelling to Center Parcs in Belgium by train, I highly recommend visiting seat61. There’s not much this guy doesn’t know about train travel in Europe.
