VILLAGES PEOPLE
SIPPING a coffee as I sit on my apartment balcony and take in views of tree tops and a tranquil lake stretching before me, it’s hard to believe I’m just miles from the bustling city of Paris.
Les Villages Nature, an eco-friendly park which opened in September 2017 and located just 6 kilometres from Disneyland Paris, is my home for the next few days and its clean, green vibe and zen-like atmosphere is in stark contrast to the smoky French capital.
Built on 120 hectares in Marne-la-Vallée, the site was once unused farmland until Center Parcs Europe joined forces with Disney and ‘imagineered’ Les Villages Nature into being.
The site, 32km from Paris, consists of five immersive worlds – the Extraordinary Gardens, where my accommodation is located – BelleVie Farm, Forest of Legends, Lakeside Promenade and the Aqualagon.
Villages Nature is heaven for families – it’s quiet, safe, has an on-site crèche, and is brimming with activities to keep little ones occupied, including a kids’ club, pony rides, storytelling sessions, and arts and crafts. Some 70 per cent of the guests that stay here are couples with young children, and we spot plenty of contented looking tots toddling about during our stay.
Upon arrival, guests are given an electronic wristband, which gives access to your apartment and all park amenities, so there’s no fumbling in your handbag for keys or swipe cards.
THREE different categories of self-catering accommodation are available, depending on how much cash you are willing to part with. I’m staying at a Country Premium apartment, mid-priced accommodation complete with dishwasher, microwave, flat screen TV and balcony overlooking the stunning Extraordinary Gardens – where I sit to watch the sun go down on both nights of my stay.
For those wishing to splash out, a Cocoon VIP apartment features a Jacuzzi bath, Nespresso machine and floor-to- ceiling windows.
Speaking of splashing out, the pièce de résistance of the park is its enormous pool, the Aqualagon. One of the largest aqua parks in Europe, the water is heated all year round by geothermal energy to a balmy 30 degrees.
I’m no water baby, so I stick to the shallower depths but thrillseekers can get their kicks from seven different slides, including The Rocket – which is sure to get your adrenaline pumping. You stand on a trap door in a plastic booth and after a lifeguard prepares you with an ‘Un, deux, trois’, the floor drops from under your feet as you whoosh through a tube to the waters below.
And if it all gets too much, pop in to the Deep Nature Spa next door for a rejuvenating massage – though treatments do not come cheap.
A stay at Villages Nature can be as relaxing or as active as you like. If the Aqualagon doesn’t float your boat, there are dozens of other activities to choose from.
Organisation is key, as workshops are timetabled and must be booked in advance, either at the resort’s Welcome House or on the downloadable app. Be warned – some classes charge an extra fee (starting from 6 euro) and many have age restrictions.
My friend and I were left two very disappointed 30-somethings when a stern-faced employee turned us away from a ‘Farmhand for the Day’ workshop with a firm ‘Non’ we were over the cut-off age of 11.
So we tried our hand at breadmaking, which was surprisingly therapeutic, and also built a vertical garden, followed by a refresh- ing pedalboat spin on the resort’s lake.
There is also a bowling alley, Escape Room, mini-golf, Tree Trail obstacle course, basketball court… and if you have any energy left after all of that, a regular bus takes visitors on a 15-minute trip from the resort to Disneyland Paris.
Fitness fanatics don’t have to let their workouts slide during their stay, as a range of classes are on offer including a morning stretch class (a yoga/pilates mix), aqua aerobics, aqua bike and a morning group run. Or hire a bike for the duration of your stay to zip around the resort.
All this running about is bound to make you and your family hungry. If you want to keep costs down, the well-stocked Franprix supermarket provides everything you need to whip up a quick meal.
But France is known for its cuisine and there are several restaurants on site if you want to dine out. The first night, we try pizza in Vapiano, an Italian-style restaurant, but the queues are long and the service somewhat haphazard.
The next day, café Pur etc. makes up for it – salads are served up in glass hipster jars, at reasonable prices.
CÉPAGES wine bar and restaurant is by far the best dining experience at Les Villages Nature – on our last night, we tuck into steak followed by crème brulée as we sit at a lakeside terrace enjoying the evening sunshine.
For an extra cost, you can have a continental breakfast delivered to your apartment each morning and wake up to freshly baked bread on your doorstep. The Chez Meunier Bakery where I indulge in a pain au chocolat, is another on-site treat.
This is not a holiday for party animals – with so much to do during the day, most guests are tucked
up in bed at a sensible hour. But there is some evening entertainment – karaoke, dancing and a DJ on a Saturday. We take part in a table quiz, with interactive buzzers to select our answers and an enthusiastic quizmaster who delivers every question in English and French, the night is cheesy but great fun.
And the eco bit – the resort has applied an ambitious Sustainable Action Plan, with geothermal energy covering 100% of the heating requirements at Villages Nature, while more than a third of the water is purified naturally and used to water the plants and fill the lake.
A couple of caveats – while the staff are friendly and relaxed, with the majority hailing from the local region, some have little English, so my few words of Leaving Cert French came in useful on this trip. And there is no pharmacy on-site, so bring any medication you need for upset tummies or insect bites.
But if you are looking for a family friendly, activity-filled break away, or a chilled-out destination as an add-on to a Disneyland holiday, then Les Villages Nature ticks all