# France Passion



## ezzy66 (Mar 31, 2009)

hi all

can anyone please just confirm or add to the rules concerning france passion

i have the 2010 book/membership and having bought last year's we never got round to or needed to use it - but this year i would like to give it a go! am i right in that you just turn up? do you not have to pre phone ahead to check they have space and noone else is there? if not what do you do if someone else is there? 

also from anyone who has used the system or is fan or not i would love some feedback from them as to why they still use or wouldn;t use again ....

many thanks for any info


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

From memory, phoning ahead is positively discouraged - so much so that I don't recall seeing phone numbers in the book!! (have given the book away to an interested fellow camper)
Many are in poorly signposted, out of the way places - a benefit when you are there but not if you are lost. French postcodes are no help since they cover bigger areas than UK ones. 
If its full, then you move on.

2 nights free parking cost us about 300 Euro !!! Well the stuff tasted so good we bought a case or 3.


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

only stopped at a couple one i just saw other van's parked up in a vinyard at st emilion where we bought a couple of crate's after sampling a couple or five bottles & the other at monbazilliac is also in the aire's book that one certainly had all we req'd ended up with 7 van's in the vinyard [superb setting] and they came round in the evening and invited us for a tasting session no pressure in fact this time we didn't bother though our friend's bought a couple of bottles,
since we were there in late sept they came around in the morning with a basket of grape's and gave everyone some, also the bread van called about 9'oc, would certainly take up mermbership if out for a long period


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## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

The only FP hosts where a phone no is provided are where they offer a meal - and there you can reserve. Otherwise, it's turn up and take pot luck whether there are spaces. We tend to arrive fairly early (2-3) anyway, and have only once just got the last space - that was an oyster farm on the Brittany coast, which I think has left FP now anyway (sadly.)

We love FP - but be aware that the no of hosts in non-wine producing departements is far lower than in wine areas. So if you're planning a trip to non-wine areas you'll have far fewer to choose from.


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## MorrisMotorhome (Mar 4, 2009)

We spent a couple of weeks in the Alsace in September using mostly France Passion sites.

The sites varied enormously, but all the proprietors were really friendly and accommodating. Some had toilets and water, some had no facilities.

We learnt a great deal about the wine making process. At each venue we had a free wine tasting with either the proprietor or a member of staff. We could try as much wine as we liked. There was no pressure at all to buy, but we did buy at at each place because we wanted to try different wines and felt that it was such a good deal to park up for free in some brilliant locations.

I would definitely recommend it, but don't expect any hook ups or waste emptying facilities.

None of the sites asked to see any France Passion documentation.

None of the sites we visited were full. If they were I am sure the proprietor would find somewhere for you, but if not you would have to move on.

We also stayed on a farm, which was a member of the scheme and enjoyed excellent food and bought excellent fresh french cheese


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

rugbyken said:


> only stopped at a couple one i just saw other van's parked up in a vinyard at st emilion where we bought a couple of crate's after sampling a couple or five bottles & the other at monbazilliac is also in the aire's book that one certainly had all we req'd ended up with 7 van's in the vinyard [superb setting] and they came round in the evening and invited us for a tasting session no pressure in fact this time we didn't bother though our friend's bought a couple of bottles,
> since we were there in late sept they came around in the morning with a basket of grape's and gave everyone some, also the bread van called about 9'oc, would certainly take up mermbership if out for a long period


Also stayed at Monbazilliac in September, 7 vans that night too! lovely area enjoyed a stroll round the vineyards.
Bread, croissants and wine good. Grapes were excellent, so sweet.
Really need sat nav for co-ordinates, we met up with friends there, had left same aire in the morning and followed our own sat navs. Both got there ok but by different routes.
I digress

To answer the OP, will be making use of France passion again now that i have tried it. Yes the sites can be out in the sticks, but then so are a lot of the campsites and aires we use. No pressure to buy the wine either, we did, didn't make it home though.
Sue


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We're fans too but have never stayed at a vineyard one.

We've done an ostrich farm, several mixed farms, an organic veg grower with a superb farm shop, a ferme pedagogique, a duck farm, a honey processor.....

Be prepared sometimes to be parked in rather odd places; beside the farm shop, in the car park, in the farmyard outside the house and so on. Sometimes you do feel a little conspicuous ! 

It's good form to go and say hello to the owner when you arrive but not always possible as they are often working away and there is no-one around to speak to. We always leave a postcard of our home town with a " thank you" message on it pushed through the door if we can't find anyone to say thanks to as we leave.

Watch out for the ( small) FP flower logo which is- usually- used to direct you to the parking place. Don't do as we once did and drive into the farmyard and have to do a 500 point turn to get out again. It would not have been so embarrassing if the whole family had not been having lunch there when we did so....

We've never had pressure to buy anything but always do and always like what we've bought.

G


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## ceejayt (Nov 25, 2005)

France Passion - one word - brilliant!

Wish we could get something like this in the UK


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## brockley (Mar 6, 2009)

We have used France Passion for a couple of years now. Wherever we have stayed no one has yet checked our year sticker or book, we always buy something at a stop, it's only fair isn't it. The book is well worth the price and is a great supplement to the Aires.

The only negative thing I can think of is that one or three farms are factory type and the sights and smells are, well, interesting, but hey the beauty is, if you don't like it, move on.


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

Here's a particularly nice one we found in Normandy.

curlyboy


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## OwnedbyCollies (Dec 7, 2009)

Hi CurlyBoy

What's the name of the Normandy FP site?


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## ezzy66 (Mar 31, 2009)

hi curlyboy

lurvelly pic! any ideas where in normandy or even a rough name then i can search my book! :roll: thanks


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## sander4709 (Feb 17, 2008)

I can echo everything said above.

In 2008 we spent 30 night on FPs and didn't have a bad one. The vineyards are usually our favourites but again we have stayed at a Prune Museum, a walnut farm, a restaurant, a foie gras producer (declined the invitation to watch the ducks being force-fed), an olive farm, a nectarine farm with a large swimming pool and many others.

We have a Honda genny and we usually shove it down a row of vines somewhere out of sight and sound, get out the BBQ and relax.

Sometimes you arrive at one or two places that aren't suitable (too small, livestock hence lots of flies or an intensive pork production farm) and you just move on to the next.

At some we FPs we have had EHU, showers and toilets and at some we have had nothing but a field and a tree. Whatever you get is good, we have always been made to feel welcome.

Give it a go!


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

We, too, are great fans of France Passion.

Everyone we've met through the scheme has been very welcoming and their produce interesting and very tasty!

I would agree that often the directions leave a great deal to be desired, but we're not in any great rush so it doesn't matter if we take a wrong turn or two.


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

OwnedbyCollies said:


> Hi CurlyBoy
> 
> What's the name of the Normandy FP site?


Hi, and ezzy, the FP site is at St Germain-de-Montgomery dept14, well signed and easy to get to although remote the silence is wonderful, and the Calvados is the best I have found!!!!!   

curlyboy


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