16 Free Center Parcs Activities at Villages Nature & The Aqualagon

16 Free Center Parcs Activities at Villages Nature & The Aqualagon. When we visited Villages Nature near Paris on a child friendly short break. I was completely surprised by just how much there is to do there without additional cost. Including the amazing water park – Aqualagon. I always have the perception that Center Parcs is expensive but actually, this is so much cheaper than the Centre Parcs UK we have visited. Such as Sherwood Forest, Longleat Forest and Elveden Forest. However, the question is could you visit Village Nature and not spend any more additional money on activities and still have happy kids?

And the answer is most definitely which makes this Centre Parcs the best value. Especially handy if you are planning a trip to Disneyland Paris France and the Disney parks while you are there. I really think this stands Village Nature apart from other Center Parcs villages in France. So much so that I felt it deserved its own blog post. So here it is.

AD – We were gifted a stay at Les Village Nature Paris Center Parcs France Disneyland Paris Hotel, in return for this review. All words and opinions are my own.

16 Free Center Parcs Activities at Villages Nature

When you visit make sure you take some time and try and fit in all these amazing free Center Parcs Activities at the eco-friendly resort. We stayed for four nights and had one day at Disneyland Paris. And it was a struggle to get all of these new activities around the paid activities we also did as part of our review trip. You can read the full review:

READ MORE – Les Villages Nature Paris

The huge site is split into five immersive worlds each with its own focus. I have tried to group the activities into different worlds so that it is easier to navigate. All of these make this particular Centre Parcs great value for money as there is so much family fun to have on this child-friendly break.

Aqualagon Area – Centre Parcs Activities 

Water Park 

The equivalent of the subtropical swimming paradise in the UK and powered by geothermal energy the Aqualagon is one of the biggest water parks in the chain. The Aqualagon is probably the biggest single activity which is included with your accommodation and unsparingly the biggest draw for many a child. Including the boys when we visited. There is so much available at the unlimited access water park it is difficult to know what to pick first. When we visited not all the different parts were open all of the time. This was mainly because they do not consider May half term high season as it is outside their school holidays. This meant that some of the outdoor pool areas at the Aqualagon were not open as it was not hot enough. You can easily see what is on at the entrance as they have boards up telling you what is unavailable. 

This did not detract from the fun we had. As there was still a lot of the Aqualagon outdoor pool area the was open. The other thing I really liked about is that there is something for every age. Ranging from babies and toddlers in the shallow toddler area. That comes with a small slide and ball pit. Through to a splashdown area which was perfect for Harry and then a whole range of different water slides. Which Charlie really enjoyed. Although he wasn’t quite brave enough to have a go on the one where the floor drops out below you. There is a map in the complex which shows you all the different slides which I have added below. Some of which you can use single and double rings with. 

Aqualagon Swimming Pool

As well as the water slides there is a large wave pool which was a lot of fun. And this pool also ran into the outside via a lazy river and outdoor lagoon. We were big fans of the lazy river. There is also a water assault course made up of yellow floating platforms and a cargo net which was also a big hit. 

Another thing to note is that when we visited there were plenty of little life vests available just like the Center Parcs in the UK. The water park is open until 8.30 in the evening when we visited. You can find opening hours on the Villages Nature app and book the Aqua Sana Spa (paid for). However, the snack bar included in the inside area shuts mid-afternoon. So this is something you need to bear in mind. 

Watch the sunset

Because of the Centre Parcs, the sunsets are stunning and with all the water surrounding the area they reflect beautifully. We were really lucky as we had a cottage with a lake view. However, if you don’t then there is a great place to watch the sunset which is from the top of the Aqualagon. The wooden walkway will take you all the way to the top of the glass-covered roof of the Aqualagon. Which was designed by Jacques Ferrier architecture. There is nowhere to sit but that doesn’t detract from the views over the outside swimming area of the Aqualagon and the large lake in front. 

Lakeside Promenade – Center Parcs Activities

Action Factory

This is where Let’s Dance is located and it is completely free. You stand in front of a giant TV screen either alone or in a group and follow the choreography onscreen. The better you do the more points you score. If when you make you book your holiday you may also get some ‘credits’ allocated to your wrist bands. These can be used to pay for activities but are essentially free as included with your booking. We had 15 credits and used them in the Action Factory to do some wall climbing. It costs 3 credits for 45 minutes. If you do not have credits then you can pay 3€ instead. Shoes are provided and the children can either just try out the different climbs. Or if they are competitive then they can compete for points to try and get to the top of the leader board. 

Enjoy the nature

Les Village Nature is a unique holiday experience which focuses on the heart of nature, which is visible across the whole site. It really helps little ones balance the excitement of Disneyland Paris. Walking around the lakeside you will see a variety of different bird and insect life. When we visited in May there were still a lot of baby birds on the lakes including, geese, moorhens, ducks and coots. We also spotted lots of dragonflies much to the boy’s delight. In the later evenings, it is likely you will hear the bullfrogs just as it starts to get dark. Venturing out in the morning when the grass is still damp then you will see these same frogs by the lake edges. As it warms up expect to come across slow worms basking in the sun in the undisturbed grass.

The beach

As you walk around from the lakeside towards the farm you will spot a beach. A white sandy beach is located right on the shore of the lake. It was empty during our visit in May. It is not that big and I can imagine it is popular. Especially in the peak times over the warmer months, sun loungers are available. There is enough sand to build sandcastles and you can access the lake easily here for swimming. The lake is filtered naturally by plant life so if you have always fancied trying wild swimming then this could be a great opportunity. There are also beach games such as volleyball.

Petanque Court

Also in the Lakeside area is the Petanque court. Pentaque is similar to boules. You often find sets available in beach shops on the English coast. It consists of a small white marker ball and then six larger balls. Normally the side of a tennis ball and reasonably heavy. Adult sets tend to have metal balls while th children’s ones are plastic. You take it, in turns, to throw the larger balls as the smaller ones. The one closest at the end of the game wins. It is a simple game that can get very competitive and the boys love it. 

The Kid’s Disco

At high season there is a kids club (paid for) and an extension of this is the free entertainment programme. Part of this is the kid’s disco which is aimed at children between the ages of three and seven. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. 

Ball Courts – Outdoor leisure facilities

Center Parcs also has a couple of ball courts which are also free to access. This includes a basketball court and also a football pitch.

Extraordinary Gardens at Centre Parcs

Gardens

This is one area which we did not get to explore in great depth when we visited Village Nature. The vertical gardens are located around the outside of the Lakeside promenade. There are four different gardens each with a different theme. These are Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Designed for you to wander and relax in. They also have a great trail for kids which includes games for each garden theme. 

Games

As well as the included in the gardens themselves we did spot some other family games. Such as a giant chess set which is located opposite the Centre Parcs Welcome Centre. 

Bellevie Farm – Center Parcs Activities 

Laits play indoor play area and outdoor playgrounds

This is a wonderful themed play area and can cope with a lot of children. There is a coffee bar and seating area for the parents, although this is quite small so get there early if you want a seat. The play area itself is made up of a maze of wooden buildings connected by metal climbing tunnels, wooden bridges and ladders. There are lots of slides, a small ball pit, trampolines and other things to generally keep the kids entertained. Even Charlie at nine enjoyed playing in the area. It also goes into the outside space with a giant wooden tractor and further climbing areas and giant metal slides. 

BellevieFarm

Right next to the play area is the farm. Which is free to explore every day. Although there are a number of paid activities that take place in and around the farm itself. You can still walk through the goat enclosure. If you do want to feed the goats it is recommended that this is done from outside and you can get food from a wall dispenser for 2€. In the barns, there are sheep, pigs and ponies. Some of the ponies are used for pony rides and pony club. So if you want to see them all I would suggest getting there early. There is also a large barn with cows in it. There are several different information boards around the farm explaining things such as cheese making. The signs are in both French and English and designed with kids in mind. 

Grow your own vegetable garden

Around the back of the farm, there is a grow your own garden. Much of the produce that is grown there is being used in the restaurant on site. There is a greenhouse where pad for activities take place. But the gardens are free to wander around. And a great learning environment for kids if you do not grow your own at home. 

The farm show, Tales & Legends

In the main courtyard, there is an undercover stage and seating area. Completely in the shade, which is good as the courtyard is a bit of a sun trap. Here there is a farm show which takes place and also Tales & Legends which is story time. Both have set days and times and normally take place in the late afternoon. 

Forest of Legends – Outdoor activities

Outdoor play area

Another fantastic play area is the one located in the Forest of Legends. Under a canopy of trees with bark chipped flooring the boy’s first words were WOW when they saw it. There is a series of tall wooden structures which are linked by different rope bridges. There are brightly coloured metal slides. Plus a huge rope climbing area with spider webs and a large pyramid. The boys really enjoyed the zip line which is both long and had a great kick at the end. Just like everything else at Villages Nature it is designed for lots of children so it is on a big scale. It is also very brightly coloured with ropes hanging everywhere. 

The Forest Show

One not to be missed is this interactive show that introduces children to the history of the Forest of Legends and the characters that live there. Keep an eye on the schedule for dates and times via the Center Parcs free app. It is suitable for the whole family and children must be accompanied by an adult. The app can be used to book activities and with free wifi across the Center Parcs resorts, it is easy to do.

Don’t forget your bike or scooter..

The only thing that I have not mentioned in the above list is bike rides. If you can bring your own from home then this would be better value. Alternatively, you can hire bikes when you make your booking online (at a cost). The site is very large so I do think you need something to help little legs navigate it. Plus there are some specific bike trails in the woodland setting to enjoy or even just cycling around the woodland lodges and resort. We had a wonderful time visiting this eco-friendly holiday village. It is the best Centre Parcs we have visited and the Aqualagon is amazing. And there is so many free Center Parcs Activities.

If you would like to book last minute breaks or your Summer holiday then have a look at the Centerparcs official website.

Have you visited Villages Nature? Or a been on a Centre Parcs break? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below. 

If you are considering visiting Center Parcs France then you may also find the below post interesting:

READ MORE – Center Parcs France – Restaurants

Related Blog Posts

If you’re considering visiting central Paris during your family holiday then you may be interested in the following:

• 2 Days in Paris with kids

• 9 nights in the Paris Region

• Effiel Tower at sunset

• The Paris Pantheon

• Top of the Arc du Triomphe

• Hotel Marine

• Tips for a day trip to Versailles

• 13 Tips for holidaying in Paris with kids

 

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