When planning your Center Parcs holiday, how you’re going to get there will probably influence which villages make the short-list. If you live in the south of England, and low travel cost is high on your list of priorities, it would be wise to choose one of the more northern villages in France such as Le Lac d’Ailette Village or Les Bois Francs Village. These are the closest villages to Calais and most of the other French ports. Families living close to one of the ports on the East Coast might prefer to visit a village in Netherlands such as De Eemhof Village or De Kempervennen Village. If you’re travelling to one of the furthest villages, consider stopping overnight to break the journey up. Check out the table at the bottom of the page to find out which is your closest village.
Most families travel to Center Parcs by car, although there are other options. Roads are generally better maintained in France than in the UK. The best routes often include a toll road, but these usually cost just a few Euros. Worth bearing in mind is that you can spend your arrival and departures days at your chosen village. This includes use of the pool and other facilities, so you might like to plan an overnight stop on the way there or back to make the most of these days.
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Rue du Pré des Merlans, Bailly-Romainvilliers, Torcy, Seine-et-Marne, Ile-de-France, Metropolitan France, 77700, France
Center Parcs Laon Picardie – Domaine Le Lac d’Ailette, Voie Verte de l’Ailette, Chamouille, Laon, Aisne, Hauts-de-France, Metropolitan France, 02860, France
1-418, Slingerweg, Zeewolde, Flevoland, Netherlands, 3896 LD, Netherlands
So, you’ve picked a village that looks fabulous and the dates work. Now, how are you going to get there? 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: Get ready for driving on the continent with a European Car Travel Kit.
Eurotunnel to France
For many families, taking their car on the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais, and then driving to the Center Parcs village will be the best option. This can involve a long journey, but has the benefit of costing the same regardless of the number of people going. Families can also take as much luggage as they can fit in their car/roofbox/trailer plus bikes.
Pros of Taking the Eurotunnel
- Pay for Eurotunnel with Tesco Clubcard points
- Cost is per car rather than per person
- No limit on luggage
- Least hassle option with small children
- Take your own bikes
Cons of Taking the Eurotunnel
- Cost of fuel
- Cost of international breakdown cover
- Cost of road tolls
- Cost of overnight accommodation in Folkestone or France before and/or after your holiday if you want to arrive early or leave late
- Cost of meals if staying overnight before/after holiday
- Eurotunnel can be unreliable with loading cars onto their booked train in UK and France
Ferry to France or Netherlands
Families wanting to drive also have the option of taking a ferry, and then driving to the Center Parcs village. Although the Eurotunnel is the faster choice, taking a ferry gives you the advantage of being able to travel to France from eight locations in England and Ireland, and to Netherlands from three locations.
Pros of Taking the Ferry
- Multiple departure ports in UK and Ireland
- No limit on luggage
- Take your own bikes
- Option to take an overnight ferry
Cons of Taking the Ferry
- Cost of fuel
- Cost of international breakdown cover
- Cost of road tolls
- Cost of overnight accommodation near ferry port or in France before and/or after your holiday if you want to arrive early or leave late
- Cost of meals if staying overnight before/after holiday
- Ferries may be cancelled in extreme weather
Eurostar to France, Belgium or Netherlands
If driving isn’t an option for your family, taking the Eurostar from London is a good alternative. The Eurostar goes straight from London to Paris, Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. From the Eurostar terminal, hop on a train or bus, then take a taxi for the final leg of the journey. If Eurostar have a Flash Sale, this is one of the cheapest ways of getting to France, Belgium or Netherlands. Book the tickets as soon as possible as prices start to go up before the Flash Sale has finished.
Pros of Taking the Eurostar
- Quick journey time from London
- Three levels of class on the train depending on your budget and requirements
- Breakfast or a light meal included with certain class tickets
- Food and drink available to buy on the train
- Luggage included in the ticket price
Cons of Taking the Eurostar
- Expensive for big families
- Cost of travel to and from London
- Cost of overnight accommodation in London before and/or after your holiday if you want to travel early or return late
- Cost of meals in London if staying overnight
- Cost of onward travel to Center Parcs village
Fly to France, Belgium, Germany or Netherlands
Flying is another option for travelling to Center Parcs in Europe, and is the most convenient way of getting there for those living far from London or the south coast. Several airlines sell relatively cheap flights from many airports in the UK and Ireland to various airports in France, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands. From the airport, catch a train or bus, then taxi to the village.
Pros of Flying
- Most convenient if living far from London or south coast of England
- Short journey depending on onward transfers in France
Cons of Flying to France
- Expensive for big families
- Cost of travel to and from UK or Irish airport
- Cost of overnight accommodation near airport before and/or after your holiday if you want to travel early or return late
- Cost of meals if staying overnight before/after holiday
- Cost of luggage if taking more than hand luggage
- Cost on onward travel to Center Parcs village
Which is My Closest Center Parcs Village in Europe?
This all depends on where you live in the UK, and which ferry port – or Eurotunnel terminal – you want to leave from. Find your departure location in the table below to see which Center Parcs village in Europe is the closest to you.
| Departure Point in UK | Closest Center Parcs Village |
| Cork – ferry to Roscoff | Le Bois aux Daims Village, France |
| Dover – ferry to Calais or Dunkirk | Le Lac d’Ailette Village, France |
| Folkestone – ferry or Eurotunnel to Calais | Le Lac d’Ailette Village, France |
| Harwich – ferry to Hook of Holland | De Eemhof Village, Netherlands |
| Hull – ferry to Rotterdam | De Kempervennen Village, Netherlands |
| Newcastle – ferry to Amsterdam | De Eemhof Village, Netherlands |
| Newhaven – ferry to Dieppe | Les Bois-Francs Village, France |
| Poole – ferry to Cherbourg | Les Bois-Francs Village, France |
| Portsmouth – ferry to Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre or St. Malo | Les Bois-Francs Village, France |
| Rosslare – ferry to Cherbourg | Les Bois-Francs Village, France |
Find out the best way to get to Center Parcs in Belgium from where you live.
