European Center Parcs provide unique experience

Here's a new idea for travel in Europe: The European Center Parcs resort chain has completed 13 vacation villages that it hopes to fill with Americans.

Each of these Center Parcs combines a villa complex with entertainment, sports, dining and shopping, and each is located near major cities and attractions in France, England, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

In past years, up to 99 percent of Center Parcs' more than 3 million guests were from western Europe with the remainder from Israel and other Middle Eastern countries.

Last year for the first time 100 U.S. families joined them and they hope for even more this year.

Since many European cities are not geared to children, these activity-rich properties make ideal bases from which to tour with kids.

They are places where children can swim, visit the "Action Factory," go wall-climbing or play golf in the morning, then visit a castle or museum in the afternoon.

Some of the villages also provide a sports marina and sailing school; one features year-round indoor skiing and another a "Big Swing" free-fall attraction.

De Eemhof Parc in the Netherlands near Amsterdam appears to combine elements of Club Med and family cabins in the Catskills.

Their state-of-the-art entertainment center features the "Flow Rider," one of Europe's first indoor wave pools, "Aqua Mundo," which combines an indoor water attraction with a Balinese tropical paradise, and an "Action Factory" with the sporting activities mentioned above. Then there is "Market Square" with dining and shopping areas where outdoor palm trees are individually heated to survive European winters.

A short walk or bicycle ride from these attractions are the villas. These are two- or three-bedroom cottages priced and equipped for American tastes.

Each villa features a living-dining area with an open fireplace, cable television, and there is central heating, a full bath and a private garden patio.

Kitchens are complete with appliances but there are also delivered meal plans available for guests who are vacationing from cooking.

Several levels of decor are available, from "VIP" to "Style" at ascending levels of pricing and three, four or seven night stays are available.

For travelers wishing to take their children to Europe but dreading the confinement of big-city European hotels, these villas should be an ideal solution that meets both objectives.

They are represented in the United States by Image Tours.

Your travel agent can provide you with more information and make reservations for your family's next adventure in Europe.

(Linda and Dr. Don Overend are principals in The Travel Group, a full-service travel agency formed by the merger of Ozark World Travel, Con-sulting Travel and Thomas Travel.)