Centre Parcs is a popular British holiday institution that fills the gap between uncomfortable camping on soggy groundsheets and the enforced fun of holiday parks like Butlins.
With five UK holiday villages to choose from, the all-weather resorts let visitors swim in an aquatic paradise housed in a giant dome, cyclic endless miles on neat paths that cut through picture-perfect forests and sleep in luxury lodges with well-equipped interiors and the occasional hot tub.
While guests fill their time playing golf, trying their hand at archery, keeping fit, relaxing with a spa treatment, kayaking, karting, swimming, trekking, paddling on a pedalo, dining, disco dancing and so much more, holidaymakers can choose to do as much or as little as they want to during their stay.
READ MORE: Seven holiday villages in the UK that cost less than Center Parcs
But if Center Parcs has so much to offer, why would Brits need to look anywhere else for their annual family frolics? The truth of the matter is that all that forest-based fun isn't cheap with seven-night breaks starting on July 31 this year costing anywhere between £2,200 and £2,700 depending on location.
If the thought of spending that much to stay in a cabin a few short hours away from home sticks in your craw, there are some incredible holiday parks to discover just across the Channel.
Eurocamp has been offering camping holidays across Europe since the seventies and with water parks, lakes, beaches, a ton of outdoor activities and glorious French food and wine to enjoy, their parks are a very viable alternative to British-based holiday villages.
While the cost of ferry or air travel will need to be factored in, we still think that these five Eurocamp holiday resorts offer great value for money for a week in the French sunshine this summer.
Château de Galaure, The Alps
Situated two and half hours away from Lyon in the rolling countryside of southeast France, the Château de Galaure Parc is enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year, and with a fantastic pool complex, it's easy to see why.
Three traditional pools including one that is perfect for toddlers and the littlest of swimmers, a lagoon-style pool with its own sandy beach, plenty of water slides for high-octane smiles and a lazy river to float around on make this an excellent choice for water lovers of all ages.
With the average temperatures in August reaching average highs of 82°F (28°C), there are lots of outdoor activities to enjoy including football, fishing, cycling and horse riding, and the park offers a popular kids club, live entertainment, concerts, parties and an on-site restaurant that serves up local cuisine. What more could you want?
The accommodation comes in the form of a range of chalet-style holiday homes, and the best value we found is a three-bed Comfort cabin with a decked terrace for the wallet-friendly price of £969.40 for seven nights arriving on July 31, 2023.
Pomport Beach, Bergerac
Located on the shores of a private lake in the heart of the Dordogne, Pomport Beach is an authentic French retreat with plenty of water-based activities for the kids, and its very own vineyard which is a big hit with the grown-ups.
Although this particular park is relatively small, it offers direct access to the lake where guests can fish, swim or hire pedalos, and there is an additional heated bathing area with waterslides, a paddling pool, a covered swimming pool and whirlpool baths. There is also an onsite cafe and lively bar, that also offers takeaway food.
Close to the town of Bergerac with its narrow streets and flower-filled square, this little holiday resort is a great base from which to explore this southwest corner of France that enjoys highs of up to 85°F (29°C) in August.
For the price of £1,262, a family of four can stay in a Classic chalet with a double bedroom and a second bedroom with bunk beds, close to the lake that sits near the vineyards of Monbazillac, less than 30 minutes from Bergerac airport.
Les Ecureuils, Vendee
With its sandy beaches, extensive pool complex and regular family discos, Les Ecureuils has a family-run, old-school atmosphere that makes for a truly memorable holiday.
On-site, guests can make use of the indoor, outdoor and kids' swimming pools, as well as the water slides, lazy river, fountain and jacuzzi. The owners, who like to make visitors feel at home, also lay on a raft of activities and entertainment through the high season and there is even a small spa and wellness centre where worn-out parents can relax and unwind.
The onsite bar was recently extended offering a larger area of dining and discos, and serving up French wine, beers and a selection of cocktails this is a popular spot when the sun goes down.
Located in the Pays de la Loire region of western France, the park is about an hour and a half drive from Nantes airport. For a family of four, seven nights staying in a well-appointed Classic chalet starts from £1,309 on July, 31.
Domaine des Tours, Aveyron
Easy-going and relaxed, Domaine des Tours is set in idyllic rural surroundings and offers the usual family-friendly aquatic goodness that Eurocamp is so famous for.
The lakeside park offers a main outdoor pool and children’s pool complete with slides, but it is an inflatable water park with slides and bouncy obstacles, pillows and trampolines that is undoubtedly its biggest draw.
Then there is, of course, the lake where guests can try their hands at sailing, kayaking, fishing or stand-up paddle boarding, or head back on to dry land for some tennis or beach volleyball. Guests also have access to the onsite restaurant and bar and a pizzeria.
Set in the Aveyron region in the south of France, guests can expect balmy days with temperatures comfortably reaching the mid-70's, with very little rain and low humidity. The park is less than an hour away from Rodex Airport.
The cheapest of all of our choices by far, a family of four can stay in a two-bedroom Comfort Vista chalet for £858 for seven nights on July 31, 2023.
Château La Forêt Campsite, Vendee
Small but perfectly formed, the Château La Forêt Campsite is an award-winning, green park set in the town of Saint-Julien-des-Landes, 12km from the sea.
With a traditional French chateau towering over the pool and the park, guests can enjoy everything the 50-hectare estate has to offer, including an outdoor pool, waterslides and tennis, or a spot of windsurfing or dinghy sailing on the nearby lake.
The park is also home to a treetop adventure course that will have the kids swinging through the trees with ease, and the comfortable, family-friendly resort is well located for a trip to the nearby Puy du Fou theme park. Occasional evening entertainment is provided throughout July and August and there is a French restaurant and takeaway onsite too.
The smallest park on our list, it offers a mixture of chalet-style accommodation and camping pitches. A seven-night stay for a family of four in a Comfort Vista lodge will cost £1,126 on July 31, 2023, and the park is about an hour and a half drive from La Rochelle airport.
All of the above parks had availability at the time of writing. The prices quoted are per party, and some parks may charge additional fees for certain activities.
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