Center Parcs le Bois Aux Daims

Stayed here for a week with our 1 and 5 year olds. Both had a wonderful time and enjoyed their stay, particularly the swimming pool. My wife and I also had a good time. Cost - Expensive, though compared to the UK the upfront cost was significantly better value for money than was being offered at home. We had the full board (where everyone has a certain number of meal vouchers for the duration of the stay) which was probably more than we needed but removed the stress element somewhat, and it cost the same as basic accommodation at a UK park. Yes there’s the travel cost on top of that but still better bang for your buck. Activities - The variety of activities is very good, particularly for children the age of our two. Aqua Mundo was a favourite for both with the five year old enjoying the water slides and our toddler enjoining a good splash. The five year old also had a go at pony riding (which she adored) and both enjoyed the petting zoo. Dining - What was less good is the variety of food. The buffet food was above average quality but surprisingly limited in variety and seemed to be materially the same every day. The kids buffet was chicken nuggets and chips (plus peas / green beans) for lunch and dinner every day bar one where the nuggets were replaced by frankfurters. Picture Flunch but with less choice, and I would like to have seen a bit more variety. Having stayed in an all inclusive before I quite enjoy when they have different themes each night. Away from there there’s Quick (a better quality McDonalds) and a decent pizzeria, plus a créperie and a fancier cafe (which we didn’t try as the kids wouldn’t eat anything on either menu.) And of course there’s the on site supermarket, and we cooked a couple of times. Accommodation - The accommodation is basic Center Parcs fare - though with a slightly more rustic feel to make it blend in with the surroundings. We had a premium cottage which showed its age in places but was perfectly acceptable for our needs. Bewarned though, if you don’t buy the towel package then “no towels” means NO towels. This includes tea towels and bath mats! I would say also not being able to move into the cottages before 4pm is a bit annoying. While you can drop the bags off and go and enjoy the park there’s no secure outside storage for bags etc, so if you may end up with a long walk to and from the car park if you do choose to use the facilities before your cottage is ready. Some kind of large lock box to store bags would not go amiss :-) Staff - Finally, all the staff were very helpful and between us we were able to communicate (my GCSE French got a long overdue workout but generally the quality of English was good for more complicated requests). We are very grateful to them. Score - I’ve scored it 4* good - the variety of activities trumps the adult grumbles. The kids had a fantastic time which in the end was the primary reason we chose CP. I felt “Average” was a little too harsh. Would we go back? Yes, thou

Ovrrall, wonderful for a family with young children. The pools are unrivalled and well watched. Our second time there, and i wouldn't rule out a third visit. We do like to combine a werk here with a week travelling around France, because there isn't the place to absorb culture. The exception to my above point was the market all you can eat French style buffet. This is pricey but absolutely worth it, so much so, we went twice. I'm a vegetarian, but no matter...loads of salads, gorgeous cheeses, breads, wonderful polenta cake, and the desserts! The most delicious you can imagine, and the kids' dessert area is a heaven for them. Obviously loads of meat dishes too - the husband said they were delicious. They could move away from dull chicken nuggets and chips and offer something more interesting for children, although of course kids can eat the other stuff. We ate in Cocoon once, but we're all disappointed. It was only ok. Crepe Suzette was amazing food. They're not overly sensitive to a kid who drops their icecream though.... you're buying another, they'd never replace it out of kind customer service or good reputation like I've known other places to do. On that note, if you want icecream, get a triple boules, not a sundae...they cost more but are mainly cream. Not worth it. The chalets are great, very clean and sensitive to children. The park is well designed and as a runner i often was out in the mornings, so I saw how the staff went round cleaning, spraying, and generally prepping. It's very well managed. On that note, if you want to run, you can make up any distance of runs. The Orry character is unnecessary entirely. It's not even a clear mascot. The children don't care, it's not entertaining, and it's just a bit irritating. Again, i always say thus, but why is your poor English better than my poor French. I really do try to use my French, all you have to do is be patient and speak slowly. You don't have to default to poor English. If someone clearly can't speak French that's one thing, but let people try if they're initiating in French. Please. Drivers are more prolific that one expects for CP and I wouldn't assume my children are safe to cycle unwatched. Also, no one goes at the 30 / 15 km speed limit, including the staff. Its disappointing. Also adults are not immune from ABIs so I can't understand why they're not encouraged to wear helmets when they cycle.