# France Passion mixed experiences



## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Have lately used a mixture of Aires and Passion sites in France. I would say that half of the Passion sites we used were very good, we stayed in some very interesting places, tried out some French with people who were happy to talk to us, and we bought some things we wouldn't have otherwise done. So far, so good. However the other half of our attempts to use Passion sites was much less successful. Some we just couldn't find, one in particular at Valensole was impossible. We saw the France Passion arrows and followed the road indicated but after about 250 metres of rough stone track it eventually just got too bad with holea and a huge dip in the road. We retraced and asked a farmer and was told yes it was up that road! We never found it!
One site had given up offering places, luckily there was another nearby. One site was a strip of waste type land right next to a road and not within sight of the owner's property. It was however in sight of a neighbouring house and they made it clear enough that they did not want campervans there, so we moved on. Another site looked fine but we were surrounded by five or six barking dogs, including one tethered in the area.
So a mixed experience. However when it was successful it was great and my main advice would be to always have a contingency place to stay if for any reason the first choice does not work out.
We shall happily use the scheme again.


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## CaptainBligh (Jan 18, 2008)

I totally agree I have used quite a few Passion sites/Aires, some Passion sites have difficult entrances etc. We went to Buzzy a champagne producing village and all the sites were in the loading freight area so we stayed on the local snail farm ! Very Quite ! Always have an alternative plan if you haven't 
been there before. 

Captain Bligh :brave:


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> so we stayed on the local snail farm ! Very Quite


On the assumption you meant "quiet"- I imagine it would be.
Noisy, clog wearing snails?? :lol:


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

I attempted to use FP this year while traveling down and back to Spain, We could not find the sites from the book, we even had a POI for the sites but allas, no joy.

We are now getting more used to the Mh and the availability of Aires, so next year, we will not be shelling out the ££'s on FP.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We used it once last summer and the site was by the road in the storage area but excellent facilities, the owner cam to see us the following morning and aplogised for not having been there to invie us upt to the Chateau - she has been out when we arrived.

We have been asked to go straight to the Chateau next time!

Locating was OK once we had worked out what we wanted, but we needed a geography degree or three to work out exactly what is where from the book plus the map - not easy to work out.

Dave


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

CaptainBligh said:


> I totally agree I have used quite a few Passion sites/Aires, some Passion sites have difficult entrances etc. We went to Buzzy a champagne producing village and all the sites were in the loading freight area so we stayed on the local snail farm ! Very Quite ! Always have an alternative plan if you haven't
> been there before.
> 
> Captain Bligh :brave:


The snail farm was our first FP and we loved it, when we arrived the owner was taking a flyer so handed us the keys and asked us to lock up when we left and drop the keys in the letter box. This year we stayed on the one in the village, the first on the left as you enter the village. Stayed in the courtyard area just off the loading area, very quite. The owner was at first a bit frosty but when he realised we were interested in his business we couldn't get away. Then we went to the small bar/tabac and had a greta time with the locals who didn't speak a word of English. we even got into gambling on the Rapido Lotto, many drinks and lost money we left very happy.
I think we have been lucky as all the ones we have used have been great but I must admit sometimes hard to find.
James


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## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

I think we must have been lucky - we've only ever found 1 FP really difficult to locate. I'm sure I've heard that the problem with the POI set for FP is that it's only "general area of" - other than where someone has been and then fed back the actual coordinates to the POI set person.

The first one we ever used was in Alsace - *extremely* difficult access, through a narrow gate and a yard, but once we got through it was wonderful!

I think you have to accept they're unevenly spread geographically - because so many are on vineyards (  ) there are far fewer in non-wine growing areas. We certainly used fewer in Brittany this year than in Alsace/Burgundy last year.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

steco1958 said:


> We are now getting more used to the Mh and the availability of Aires, so next year, we will not be shelling out the ££'s on FP.


Hi Steve

If you haven't already done so, suggest you consider shelling out on "All the Aires in France" from Vicarious Books.

It's pretty accurate with directions, and Mrs Zeb finds it very easy to use when we are about ready to stop for the night, but haven't a clue what's on offer nearby.

Dave


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## 127057 (Aug 18, 2009)

Interesting reading. On our first trip in the MH to the Dordogne we tried to find an FP place just North of Le Mans (cider makers apparently) never did fond it area seemed to get worse and worse so turned around and ended up staying at a motorway services.

Had ditched the idea of FP for the future but maybe not now


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Zebedee said:


> Hi Steve
> 
> If you haven't already done so, suggest you consider shelling out on "All the Aires in France" from Vicarious Books.
> 
> ...


Dave,

I have the electronic version on the sat nav, including Archies Campsites, thats 9000 + places to stop, at the touch of a button.

Cheers
Steve


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

steco1958 said:


> I have the electronic version on the sat nav, including Archies Campsites, thats 9000 + places to stop, at the touch of a button.
> Cheers
> Steve


Should be enough!!

Dave :wink: :lol: :lol:


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

*france Passion*

This is one of the best we have found, a small Calvados producer in Normandy.
curlyboy


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## bigfrank3 (Mar 26, 2007)

We have used FP for the last two years and are planning on using them for next year. We usually travel Dover - Calais and move down France towards the French / Spanish border and stop on FP sites on the way down and on the way back. We stop on commercial sites at Cambo - les-Bains and loosely around Bordeaux for about 3 weeks. 

We have had some problems finding places, eventually I started to use the sat nav like a map book and use the directions in the FP book to pin point the place we wanted to be, and then mark it as a POI (point of interest) 

I usually do this over the winter months so that when we are in France we decide where we will be aiming for the next day, call up the POI in the sat nav and bobs your uncle. Frank.


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## jenniedream (Jul 19, 2009)

Just back from trip Algarve/Spain/France & chunnel!!
Wonderful site at Tournhem, some 19 miles from Calais (making last leg of journey easy since we had a dog with us!!) Fantastic facilities at site in Caceres (Spain) with own shower/toilet/laundry cabin attached to pitch. And another in Haro..lovely site with all facilities for MH. Now need a site near Wimbledon Common? Think I will get away with "wild camping"!!


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## sander4709 (Feb 17, 2008)

There's a great one at Cognin les Gorges with power and showers.

Curly that Calvados producer looks lovely - can you give me any clues where it is?


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

*FP*

Hi sander, sorry I could have added that info, it is Didier GAUTARD.14140 St. Germain de Montgommery. Tel.02 33 39 27 52. Easy to find and very peaceful, shame we can only stop 24hrs!The Calvados is superb,better than anything we have bought in supermarket, 26 euro, but Didier also gave a bottle of his delicious cider "gratuie".
curlyboy


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions of some good sites to visit, we shall look them up! Concerning the stay limit of 24 hours we visited several sites that would have been happy to let us stay longer, we met a French couple who had been at a site for a week. It's probably because the season was getting late and might be more difficult to stay longer in the summer. Where would I put some reviews of sites as this might be helpful to others?
Lala


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