Center Parcs Le Lac d'Ailette

The car situation made the village feel unsafe for children on bikes. By Thursday, cars had crowded guest areas and were parked on the grass, despite the car-free policy. We couldn't park near our Zone 3 cottage to load up, and had to use Zone 4 instead. Management needs to enforce the rules. The park itself was clean and pleasant, and the bowling alley staff and bar staff were fantastic, though the bowling area badly needs air conditioning. Our cottage felt old, with a peeling shower ceiling and single beds that sagged. The VIP fridge was a good size. Food shopping was frustrating: the Carrefour shelves were mostly empty, and fresh bread and croissants at the bakery were gone by 9am, so bring your own fresh food. McDonald's was a mess, with many machines out of order and staff who were rude and wouldn't take orders at the counter. The village stock levels need improving too.

The staff were amazing, and the house was in an excellent spot by the lake. We had a good family stay overall, though we still prefer the Belgium Center Parcs. The park itself is nice, the water park has plenty to choose from despite some shorter slides, and the facilities were good. Mcdonalds seemed much improved compared with other reviews I'd read, and meals at the other restaurants were excellent. We were two adults and three kids in a premium lakeside house. The kitchen and bathrooms felt tired, with limited space and facilities that made cooking difficult. The worktop was cracked in several places and some base units had exposed chipboard. The dishwasher worked poorly, so we ended up washing everything by hand. The showers were scaled up, and the toilet flush was weak. Two toilet drains blocked, but the Center Parcs team cleared them quickly.

The pool was nicer this visit, and every slide was working on our first day, though one broke the next day. We also enjoyed Aqua Speed, High Ropes, Archery, Kids Safari and Pony Rides. Meals were good at Suzette Creperie, Il Giardino, Cote Lac and McDonalds, but La Marche was disappointing. I wouldn't spend money on the buffet. This was our second stay, after visiting in April 2024, and we were a group of eight. Since Le Lac has no 8-person VIP cottages, we booked Premium cottage 444. It didn't feel premium. The kitchen was small and dated, with damaged surfaces and cupboards missing hinges and shelves. The deck planks were rotten and sinking in places, and the sun lounger had a large tear. Bathrooms were cramped, and the small showers over the whirlpool baths made them awful to use. The upstairs kids' bedroom window opened all the way, which seemed dangerous, but CP sent maintenance to fix it. There was no curtain, and they said none were in stock, so we had to hang a towel over the window. We booked a golf buggy but didn't really need it, since scooters or bikes were fine for the children getting to Aquamundo and elsewhere. When we tried to return it Thursday evening, WhatsApp said the buggy Center closed at 7pm, but we arrived at 18:15 and found it shut with a sign saying 18:00. Reception seemed confused when we left the key there. A keycard drop box would help. We wouldn't come back to this park because of the accommodation. The cottages need a major refurbishment.

The pool was our favourite part, and we went every day. We also did lots of activities and ate out twice. Our four-bedroom lodge worked perfectly for two families, with room for everyone and a bathroom for each family. This was our second visit, and we loved it just as much as the first. We'll definitely return. We travelled from Norfolk.