Center Parcs Le Lac d’Ailette: Things to do & nearby attractions

Thinking about visiting Center Parcs Le Lac d’Ailette with kids? This family-friendly park in northern France offers a mix of nature, water fun, and adventure. In this post, we’ll cover the highlights of the park and the best things to do in Le Lac d’Ailette. We also offer ideas for what to do near Le Lac d’Ailette if you want to explore beyond the park. If you’re planning a stay at this Center Parcs in France, read on to learn more about our experiences.

About Center Parcs Le Lac d’Ailette in France

Le Lac d’Ailette was the first Center Parcs we visited in France, and right away we noticed some differences with other parks that we visited before. Instead of the typical Center Parcs bungalows, you’ll find colorful, cheerful cottages with porches, reminiscent of charming American coastal towns. The whole park is beautifully landscaped, right by the lake. There’s a small beach with a beach club (though it was closed during our stay). The central area, known as the Market Dome, is large and styled like a quaint harbor town. It’s complete with a promenade, lighthouse, and little terraces: especially charming from the outside.

Shopping and dining in the Park

Inside, the Market Dome felt quite different from what we’re used to at other Center Parcs locations. It doesn’t have the usual jungle theme, and it felt a bit empty. As if several shops and restaurants had left. It just lacked that usual cozy vibe.

That said, there are several places to eat: an Italian restaurant, a buffet (standard at every Center Parcs), an à la carte bistro, a crêperie, and even a McDonald’s. We only ate at the Italian and McDonald’s; the rest of the time we ventured out to nearby French towns. The Italian restaurant was fine: not bad, but nothing too special either.

Le Lac d’Ailette things to do: swimming

The greatest thing to do at Le Lac d’Ailette? Going to the Aqua Mundo swimming paradise. Like in all Center Parcs, the indoor pool area is central to the experience. And we have to say: this one is fantastic. It’s spacious, with lots of shallow pools and splash zones for younger kids, plus thrilling slides and a wild water rapid for older ones. Outside, there’s a large pool with a long lazy river. The wave pool is located by a small beach, and if you get there early, you might even snag one of the loungers.

During our visit, some maintenance was happening, so a few slides were out of order. Still, it was one of the better Aqua Mundos we’ve experienced.

Things to do at Le Lac d’Ailette

Le Lac d’Ailette offers plenty of things to do, although many come at an extra cost. You can rent bikes, go bowling, play mini-golf or tennis, try archery or paintball, or relax at the spa. For kids, there’s a treetop adventure course, a Kids Club, a Kids Safari, and an indoor playground. There’s also a small petting zoo, (though it’s quite modest), and a few playground (but not enough for the size of the park). If you’re lucky, your cottage might be close to one. For added convenience, there’s a laundromat on-site too.

Getting around the park

Like many other Center Parcs locations, this park is car-free. However, it’s a large park, and walking from the Market Dome to your cottage can take a while. In our case it took around 15 to 20 minutes, and we weren’t even at the far end. Keep that in mind, especially if you plan to bring groceries from a supermarket outside the park. Everything has to be carried from the central parking area.

An alternative is to rent an electric golf cart, which many people do. It does take away a bit of the ‘car-free’ feeling though: you end up watching out for golf carts instead of cars. Also, because there are no fixed arrival and departure days at this park, cars were coming and going daily.

Despite all the electric golf carts, there were no charging stations for electric cars when we visited in 2023. Thankfully, we always found places to charge up at supermarkets and in the towns we visited nearby.

Cottages Center Parcs Le Lac d’Ailette

The cottages themselves are fairly basic inside, but have a more modern look and feel compared to our previous Center Parcs experiences. Just like the outside, the interior was colorful and bright. We stayed in a two-story, 4-person cottage. The bedrooms were spacious, and the living room was perfectly fine for a family of four. Every cottage has either a porch by the water or a terrace. Ours backed onto a grassy area with trees: great for letting the kids play outside.

The kitchen, however, was small and sparsely equipped. We didn’t cook much since we often ate out, so it worked for us. But if you plan to prepare meals regularly, it might be worth bringing a few extra cooking essentials from home.

We had read online beforehand that cleanliness could be hit or miss at Le Lac d’Ailette. Fortunately, we didn’t have any issues with that. However, our cottage did show signs of wear and tear. For example, the bathroom sink leaked if the tap was left running for more than 10 seconds.

What to do near Center Parcs Le Lac d’Ailette in France

It would be a shame to not explore the surrounding area of Center Parcs Le Lac d’Ailette, especially because this region in France has so much to offer! Here are some things to do near Le Lac d’Ailette we enjoyed with children:

Laon
Visit Laon, the regional capital and a beautiful medieval city perched on a hill. It’s compact enough for a half-day trip. The old town has well-preserved city walls, gates, and a stunning cathedral worth seeing inside and out. It’s also just a pleasant place to wander, shop, and snap some photos.

Soissons
Another town near Center Parcs Le Lac d’Ailette is Soissons. It isn’t as striking as Laon, but still has its charms. The highlight is the ruins of its ancient cathedral. You can still see the remarkable architecture, and the grounds feel like an archaeological site. The local tourism office offers a walking route that takes you past the main sights: easy to do even with young children or a stroller.

Cycling around Le Lac d’Ailette
The area around the lake is ideal for cycling. There are paths that run along the water and even one that leads to the ruins of Abbaye de Vauclair, an abbey deep in the forest that was heavily damaged during World War I. Some parts of the structure are still standing.

Champagne Region
While not directly near Le Lac d’Ailette, the Champagne region is definitely worth a visit. Le Lac d’Ailette is only a 45-minute drive from Reims, the heart of Champagne country. Reims has beautiful architecture, lovely French bistros, and an awe-inspiring cathedral where a sound and light show is projected on Saturday evenings. Be sure to explore the scenic vineyards between Reims and Épernay.

Chemin des Dames
History lovers will want to drive the Chemin des Dames, a ridge road with major significance in both the Napoleonic era and World War I. Along the route, you’ll find a war museum, the ruins of an old fort, a German cemetery, and various monuments.

Related blogs