Center Parcs Les Trois Forêts

Center Parcs Les Trois Forêts | Hotels in Worldwide

Nestled in a sylvan swathe of eastern France just by the German border, Les Trois Forets is a blissfully serene spot that’s been custom-designed for decompression. The relaxation starts in the eco-friendly villas, studded throughout the huge grounds, each with its own private patch of lawn fringed by towering ancient trees. Trois Forêts’ accommodation has been well considered and immaculately constructed, with large terraces where parents can nurse chilled glasses of rosé and flick through their holiday potboilers while kids explore the surrounding greenery. The homes are equipped with smart modern kitchens, big open living spaces, real fires and – in the more luxurious models – saunas, where you can steam away the exertions of the day. Transport to the central hub that’s common to all Center Parcs resorts comes courtesy of rental bikes, a gentle stroll through rolling woodland – or a golf cart, which you can hire for a modest sum and which is guaranteed to blow the minds of all but the most jaded pre-teen. Puttering along at 10mph with the sun on your face, the scent of pine in the air and an over-excited kid begging for a turn at the wheel is a pleasant starting point to the day, which only gets better when you park up and dive into the myriad activities on offer. After the first couple of days, guests work out that the smart move is to be queuing up outside the giant aquatic complex ten minutes before it opens in the morning, so they can experience that wonderful feeling of having the entire lushly-decorated and lofty space almost to themselves for a while before it fills up. Any number of watery delights are on offer, including lazy rivers, distinctly non-lazy rapids, heated pools with regular wave machine sessions and death-defying flooms that drop you and your kid down a near-vertical tube in virtual darkness on a tandem rubber ring in a flurry of delighted screams. On a sunny day, you can luxuriate in the large outdoor pool (on a cloudy day, make for the series of hot tubs) while your offspring amuse themselves standing under a vast bucket of water that empties itself on their heads at semi-regular intervals. Over the course of even a short break, you can get involved in pony-trekking, Go Ape-style treetop walks (there are two levels of these, so even hardy three-year-olds can don a helmet and get involved), Clip ‘n’ Climb-style indoor rock-climbing, pedalo rides, laser tag, paintball and a particularly fiendish escape room. Just a short drive from the resort is an extraordinary Parc Animalier de Sainte Croix, where you can see wolves, bears, aurochs and any number of charming monkeys in reassuringly gigantic enclosures. In the evenings back home at Les Trois Forêts there is music and kids’ entertainment in the main plaza, as well as a spread of decent restaurants. If you fancy a real dinnertime treat, however, make for the Forest Lodge, in the outer reaches of the resort, where they serve gourmet dishes created by a Michelin-starred chef. The real trump card here, though, is that this ritzy spot is attached to a huge soft play area where kids can let off steam between courses, in a charming combination of highbrow and crowd-pleaser. - Timeout