View source for Center Parcs Europe

{{Short description|European network of holiday villages that was founded in the Netherlands in 1968}}
{{About|the holiday company based in continental Europe|the holiday company based in the UK and Ireland|Center Parcs UK and Ireland}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Center Parcs Europe N.V.
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = <!-- Use ISO 639-1 code, e.g. "fr" for French. For multiple names in different languages, use {{lang|[code]|[name]}}. -->
| romanized_name = 
| trading_name = 
| logo = [[File:CenterparcsEUlogo.svg|190px]]
| logo_alt = Green initials reading 'CP', stylised as a tree, next to a green wordmark
| logo_caption = 
| logo_padding = 
| image = 
| image_size = 
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = 
| type = [[Public limited company]] <small>(Naamloze vennootschap)</small>
| traded_as = 
| ISIN = 
| predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = -->
| successor = <!-- or: | successors = -->
| founded = 1968
| founder = [[Piet Derksen]]
| defunct = <!-- {{end date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| fate = 
| hq_location = Rivium Boulevard 213
| hq_location_city = [[Capelle aan den IJssel]]
| hq_location_country = [[Netherlands]]
| num_locations = Center Parcs - 26 <br/> Sunparks - 2
| area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = -->
| key_people = 
| industry = [[Leisure]]
| genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| products = 
| brands = Center Parcs, Sunparks
| production = 
| production_year = <!-- Year of production data (when known) -->
| services = 
| revenue = 
| revenue_year = <!-- Year of revenue data (when known) -->
| operating_income = 
| income_year = <!-- Year of operating_income data (when known) -->
| net_income = <!-- or: | profit = -->
| net_income_year = <!-- or: | profit_year = --><!-- Year of net_income/profit data (when known) -->
| aum = <!-- Only for financial-service companies -->
| assets = 
| assets_year = <!-- Year of assets data (when known) -->
| equity = 
| equity_year = <!-- Year of equity data (when known) -->
| members = 
| members_year = <!-- Year of members data (when known) -->
| num_employees = 
| num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (when known) -->
| parent = [[Pierre & Vacances]]
| divisions = 
| subsid = 
| module = <!-- Used to embed other templates -->
| website = {{URL|https://centerparcs.eu/}}
| footnotes = 
| former_name = 
}}

'''Center Parcs Europe N.V.''' (formerly '''Center Parcs''') is a European network of [[holiday village]]s that was founded in the [[Netherlands]] in 1968, and is currently operated by [[Pierre & Vacances]].

==History==
[[File:centerparcs cottage.jpg|thumb|An original Center Parcs Cottage (named 'Villas' in UK resorts), designed by the Dutch architect [[Jaap Bakema]].]]
[[File:Medebach_Aqua_Mundo_Sauerland-Ost_128.jpg|thumb|Center Parcs ''Hochsauerland'' in [[Germany]]]]
[[File:Voormalige kerk CenterParcs Vennenbos - Hapert.JPG|thumb|The former church at CP Het Vennenbos. Because Derksen was a Catholic, he decided to build small churches at his parks. There was a similar church at [[Sherwood Forest]] which has since been converted into a [[Starbucks]].]]

Dutch entrepreneur [[Piet Derksen]] started a sporting goods shop in 1953 at [[Lijnbaan]], [[Rotterdam]]. Its name was 'Sporthuis Centrum', 'Sport House Centre'. It succeeded and Derksen expanded into 17 outlets across the Netherlands, and then added [[camping]] articles to the range.

In 1968, Derksen purchased woodland near [[Reuver]] so staff and customers could relax in small tents. The park, {{interlanguage link|De Lommerbergen|nl}}, was successful, and the tents were soon replaced with [[bungalows]]. In 1987, Center Parcs opened its first UK resort at [[Sherwood Forest]] in [[Nottinghamshire]]. This brought the company into the sights of expanding brewer [[Scottish and Newcastle]], which later bought the group.

In 2001, the UK locations separated from the continental Europe locations and formed a separate company, [[Center Parcs UK and Ireland|Center Parcs UK]].<ref name="CPUK">{{cite web|date=30 July 2019|title=Center Parcs Longford Forest officially launches|url=http://press.centerparcs.co.uk/pressreleases/center-parcs-longford-forest-officially-launches-2902031|access-date=5 October 2019|publisher=Center Parcs UK and Ireland}}</ref>

In 2003, [[Scottish & Newcastle]] sold the [[Continental Europe]]an sites to a joint venture of [[Pierre & Vacances]] (P&V) and Deutsche Bank Capital Partners (DBCP), a German investment group. This was given the name Center Parcs Europe (CPE). P&V owned Europe's largest (in terms of bed-count) bungalow-vacation-supplier, [[Gran Dorado|Gran Dorado Resorts]], a Dutch former joint venture of [[Vendex]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maxeda.com/|title=Site Disabled|website=www.maxeda.com}}</ref> Algemeen Burgerlijk Pensioenfonds, GAK and Philips Rentefonds. P&V brought Gran Dorado in the joint venture.

As CPE was based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the Dutch and European Commercial Competition Authority<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://european-union.europa.eu/select-language?destination=/node/1|title=Language selection &#124; European Union|website=european-union.europa.eu}}</ref> did not approve of combining Gran Dorado and Center Parcs, as it would effectively control the European market. After agreeing to a reduction in beds owned, CPE sold all but six Gran Dorado Resorts to Dutch [[Landal GreenParks]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.landal.nl/|title=Landal GreenParks - Ontdek wat groen kan doen|first=Landal|last=GreenParks|website=www.landal.nl}}</ref> The remaining six parks were added to CenterParcs: Loohorst (NL), Port Zelande (NL), Zandvoort (NL), Weerterbergen (NL), Hochsauerland (D) and Heilbachsee (D).

After the sale, five of the six remaining Gran Dorado Resorts parks were rebranded Sea Spirit from Center Parcs or Free Life from Center Parcs. The Weerterbergen-Resort was sold to Roompot because of the cost of bringing it to standard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.roompot.nl/|title=Vakantieparken & Bungalowparken aan zee en in het bos &#124; Roompot|website=Roompot Vakantieparken}}</ref> All original Center Parcs resorts in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany were sub-branded CP Original. Having completed the integration and rebranding exercise, Pierre & Vacances bought DBCP out of the partnership.

In January 2009, Sunparks launched alongside Center Parcs in Europe, as a low-cost brand. Many of the former Gran Dorado resorts were rebranded in this exercise, but the sub brand was dropped in 2011 and the parks were rebranded to Center Parcs.

==Operations and facilities==
There are now 26 resorts in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany. Most villages are different, but some villages such as Bispinger Heide in Germany and Domaine Les Bois Francs in France (and many more) share the same Village Plaza design. They have the same styled Aqua Mundo and Sports Plaza. Accommodation is in [[villa]]s or bungalows, clustered in a park and surrounded by trees and bushes. An exception is Park Zandvoort, set among sand dunes. Certain resorts also provide hotel rooms. The first village had features that have stayed popular like the swimming pool, shops and restaurants. The first dome arrived in 1980,{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}} named Subtropical Swimming Paradise in UK resorts and Aqua Mundo in European resorts. A range of sporting activities is available, with [[restaurant]]s, [[day spa|spa]]s, [[sauna]]s, and [[massage]].

In 2009, Center Parcs Europe divided its parks into two brands: "Center Parcs", which includes the 5-[[Hotel rating|star]] parks, and "Sunparks", which includes the 3- or 4-star parks. At the beginning of 2011 the company decided to rename most Sunparks as Center Parcs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Center Parcs stopt met merk Sunparks|url=https://www.parkvakanties.nl/blog/sunparks/center-parcs-stopt-met-merk-sunparks/|access-date=2022-01-25|website=www.parkvakanties.nl|language=nl}}</ref>

==All resorts==
Center Parcs Europe owns and/or operates 26 Center Parcs resorts and 2 Sunparks resorts. [[Aroundtown_SA|Aroundtown]] owns the freehold of seven of these resorts.<ref name="Aroundtown">{{cite web|date=20 August 2019|title=Aroundtown raises fresh €600m, buys Blackstone Center Parcs for €1bn|url=https://www.refire-online.com/companies/aroundtown-raises-fresh-e600m-buys-blackstone-center-parcs/|access-date=13 November 2023|publisher=REFIRE Ltd}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
! colspan="7" style="background:#1D7B47 " |Overview of all Center Parcs resorts
|-
! style="background:#75AD40 " |Country
! style="background:#75AD40 " |Resort
! style="background:#75AD40 " |City
! style="background:#75AD40 " |Region
! style="background:#75AD40 " |Opened
! style="background:#75AD40 " |Added
! style="background:#75AD40 " |Details
|-
| rowspan="9" |{{NED}}
|De Huttenheugte|| [[Dalen]]|| rowspan="2" | [[Drenthe]]|| align="center" |1972
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Parc Sandur'''*'''
|[[Emmen, Netherlands|Emmen]]
| align="center" |1999
| align="center" |2011
!
|-
|De Eemhof|| [[Zeewolde]]|| [[Flevoland]]|| align="center" |1980
! align="center" | !!
|-
|De Kempervennen|| [[Westerhoven]]|| [[North Brabant]]|| align="center" |1983
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Het Meerdal || [[America, Netherlands|America]]|| rowspan="3" | [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]]|| align="center" |1971
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Het Heijderbos|| [[Heijen]]|| align="center" |1986
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Limburgse Peel'''*'''|| [[America, Netherlands|America]]|| align="center" |1980|| align="center" |2002
!
|-
|Port Zélande|| [[Ouddorp]]|| [[South Holland]]|| align="center" |1990|| align="center" |2002
!
|-
|Park Zandvoort'''*'''|| [[Zandvoort]]|| [[North Holland]]|| align="center" |1989|| align="center" |2002
!
|-
| rowspan="6" | {{GER}}
|Park Eifel'''*'''

| [[Gunderath]]|| [[Rhineland-Palatinate]]|| align="center" |1979|| align="center" |2002
!
|-
|Park Nordseeküste'''*'''|| [[Tossens]]|| [[Lower Saxony]]|| align="center" |1992|| align="center" |2002
!
|-
|Park Hochsauerland|| [[Medebach]]|| [[North Rhine-Westphalia]]|| align="center" |1994|| align="center" |2002
!
|-
|Bispinger Heide|| [[Bispingen]]|| [[Lower Saxony]]|| align="center" |1995
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Park Bostalsee|| [[Nohfelden]]|| [[Saarland]]|| align="center" |2013
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Park Allgäu|| [[Leutkirch im Allgäu|Leutkirch]]|| [[Baden Württemberg]]|| align="center" |2018
! align="center" | !!
|-
|{{DNK}}
|Nordborg<ref>{{Cite web |title=Center Parcs Nordborg Resort to open on June 20, 2025 in Denmark |url=https://www.nordicmarketing.de/en/blog/center-parcs-nordborg-resort-to-open-on-june-20-in-denmark?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=www.nordicmarketing.de |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Nordborg]]
|[[Region of Southern Denmark|Southern Denmark]]
| align="center" |2025
! align="center" |
!
|-
| rowspan="7" |{{FRA}}
|Les Bois-Francs || [[Verneuil-sur-Avre]]|| [[Upper Normandy]]|| align="center" |1988
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Les Hauts de Bruyères|| [[Chaumont-sur-Tharonne]]|| [[Centre-Val de Loire]]|| align="center" |1993
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Le Lac d'Ailette|| [[Chamouille]]|| [[Picardy (region)|Picardy]]|| align="center" |2007
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Les Trois Forêts|| [[Hattigny]]|| [[Lorraine (region)|Lorraine]]|| align="center" |2010
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Le Bois aux daims|| [[Les Trois-Moutiers]], [[Morton, Vienne|Morton]]|| [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]]|| align="center" |2015
! align="center" | !!
|-
|Villages Nature Paris (Disneyland Paris)
|[[Marne-la-Vallée|Marne-La-Vallée]]
|[[Île-de-France|Île-De-France]]
| align="center" |2017
! align="center" |
| align="center" |Originally a joint-venture with [[Euro Disney S.A.S.|Euro Disney S.C.A.]]
|-
|Les Landes de Gascogne<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Center Parcs Projects in France|url=http://www.groupepvcp.com/en/246/group/newsroom/projects_in_france|access-date=2022-01-25|website=www.groupepvcp.com}}</ref>
|[[Beauziac]]
|
| align="center" |2022
! align="center" |
!
|-
| rowspan="8" |{{BEL}}
|Erperheide
|[[Peer, Belgium|Peer]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]]
| align="center" |1981
! align="center" |
!
|-
|De Vossemeren
|[[Lommel]]
| align="center" |1987
! align="center" |
!
|-
|Terhills Resort
|[[Dilsen-Stokkem]]
| align="center" |2021
! align="center" |
!
|-
|Park De Haan'''*'''
|[[De Haan, Belgium|De Haan]]
|[[West Flanders]]
| align="center" |1989
| align="center" |2007
!
|-
|Les Ardennes'''*'''
|[[Vielsalm]]
|[[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Luxembourg]]
| align="center" |1992
| align="center" |2007
! align="center" |
|-
! colspan="6" style="background:#FDC210 " |Sunparks
|-
|Kempense Meren
|[[Mol, Belgium|Mol]]
|[[Antwerp]]
| align="center" |1994
| align="center" |2007
!
|-
|Oostduinkerke
|[[Oostduinkerke]]
|[[West Flanders]]
| align="center" |1981
| align="center" |2007
!
|- bgcolor=#EEEEEE
! colspan="7" style="background:#75AD40 " |'''Resorts in development'''
|-
|{{GER}}
|Pütnitz<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Center Parcs Projects in Europe |url=http://www.groupepvcp.com/en/345/group/newsroom/projects_in_europe |access-date=2022-01-25 |website=www.groupepvcp.com}}</ref>
|[[Ribnitz-Damgarten]]
|[[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
| align="center" |2026
! align="center" |
!
|-
|Forêt du Rousset<ref name=":0" />
|[[Le Rousset]]
| align="center" |T.B.D.
! align="center" |
!
|-
|{{CHN}}
|Hanshui Hometown<ref>{{Cite web|title=Projects in China|url=http://www.groupepvcp.com/en/248/group/newsroom/projects_in_china|access-date=2022-01-25|website=www.groupepvcp.com}}</ref>
|[[Shiyan]] 
|[[Hubei]]
| align="center" |T.B.D.
! align="center" |
| align="center" |Joint-venture with CCTID
|-
! colspan="7" style="background:#75AD40 " |'''Former resorts'''
|-
| rowspan="3" |{{NED}}
|De Lommerbergen
|[[Reuver]]
|[[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |1968 - 1996
| rowspan="3" align="center" |Sold to Creatief Vakantieparken
|-
|Het Vennenbos
|Hapert
|[[Noord-Brabant]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |1970 - 1994
|-
|De Berkenhorst
|[[Kootwijk]]
|[[Gelderland]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |1975 - 1990
|-
| rowspan="3" |{{UK}}
|Sherwood Forest
|[[Rufford, Nottinghamshire|Rufford]]
|[[Nottinghamshire]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |1987 - 2001
| rowspan="3" align="center" |Spun off into [[Center Parcs UK and Ireland]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=History|url=https://corporate.centerparcs.co.uk/about-us/history.html|access-date=2022-01-25|website=corporate.centerparcs.co.uk}}</ref>
|-
|Elveden Forest
|[[Brandon, Suffolk|Brandon]]
|[[Suffolk]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |1989 - 2001
|-
|Longleat Forest
|[[Warminster]]
|[[Wiltshire]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |1994 - 2001
|-
! colspan="7" |'''*Former Sunparks'''
|}

==See also==
*[[Tropical Islands Resort]] - another large European indoor sub-tropical leisure village

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Hotel chains}}
{{Blackstone Companies}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Center Parcs]]
[[Category:Hospitality companies of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Hotel chains in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Hotels established in 1968]]