French passion book ordered

[hulky]

Just ordered our french passion book for a couple more fantastic free stopovers on some vinyards on our 4 week trip to disney -dordogne-and the south coast.

anyone else ordered there's

[Ian Hulley]

We have paid for 2 and was given an old one ... given the amount of changes we've winged it before now based on the old book. We've never been asked for the card once and we've probably stayed on 15 places.

[hulky]

Ian i thought you were as honest as the day is long

What about the sticker in your window What year is it 1967

[Ian Hulley]

2010 & 2011

Remember the farms get nothing from the F.P. people except the business through the till ... they aren't going to turn you away if you're buying their goods.

[hulky]

So i have just wasted £22.50

No

If last year is anything to go by I can't wait

[jed the spread]

Thanks for the info Ian,

I did see a FP place near Saint-Tropez this year and we called in to see what the buzz was about. We didnt stay, though it did look very nice because there was a free really crowded Aire down the road next to the beach and it was literally door to door with gin palaces (you know the type of place) that looked claustrophobic. We ended up near the Aire for free and spending our saved camping money in some corporate supermarket, if I would have known you could pull up at any FP place and bought some stuff from them that we would have bought anyway, we would have been well chuffed supporting the local economy as we didnt realize they didn't get anything from FP

We will give those FP places a go now and pump a little bit into the local economy like we do with the free Aires. It would be disrespectful though for anyone to think they can buy a book from a publisher for £25 that the farms dont see a penny of and rock up with three weeks of tinned Tesco filth and not spend a penny only on cheap supermarket fuel and plonk while away.

I love info like this as when I go away with my mates in the UK or further for example on green laneing camp outs in Wales etc. We have a few pints and a couple of pub lunches, buy fuel from local fuel stations, try and buy while away from the local butchers (usually a good range and advice on what we need for 4 for the long weekend) and talk with the local people during our efforts. The only trouble we ever get is from people who visit with a pack lunch and a flask, fill up on cheap supermarket fuel (where they live or on the motor-ways) give us a blocking because they think we shouldn't be there and drive back having spent sod all in the local economy

I dont mind paying for a travel guide but what I wrongly understood that you bought the "guide" and had free accommodation from then on.

Thanks for the heads up

Jed

[jed the spread]

So i have just wasted £22.50

No

If last year is anything to go by I can't wait

Looks like it


Jed

[Ian Hulley]

The Italians and Chermans also use France Passion places but they call it something else ... there's also another (French ?) name for a similar thing using the same places. If there was anyone there I've always just said 'Bonjour' and 'France Passion' and the owners have always said a time and place for the tour or pointed to the farm shop if there was one .. Cidre farms and vineyards normally have one, I ended up loading a young lady's Citroen van with commercial vats of cidre and the lady owner gave us the same price (that was 10 miles away from Rennes ... 'Liffre' or something similar).

As I said no-one has ever asked for our card or taken the slightest interest about any F.P. membership.

Ian

[hulky]

lol

I now know how to take on a french passion site. thank you Ian

[jed the spread]

Nice one Ian

Jed

[hulky]

Dont be nasty Jed

[Ian Hulley]

The only thing I would say is NOT to rely on a set place for the night with no Plan B, we've stayed on places where they have nothing left to sell and they (and others) have never come anywhere near us. There are the standard mosaic-design pitch markers and signs showing you where to park and once pitched I always make a point of saying hello.

In the busier areas it may be a good idea to get there earlier rather than later ... same goes for the Aires as Jed will tell you, otherwise you end up wedged between white freezer trucks ... or not.

[jed the spread]

Dont be nasty Jed

I am not, Ian gave some good info and we for one will be taking on board his contribution. Good travel tips have got to be grabbed with both hands when they come along.

Thanks again Ian

[jed the spread]

Just had a look on Google maps and I think I have located the FP site, if its not it then its very close. It looked really nice with shady trees when we popped in and here is a link incase anyone was heading that way,

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=43.206771, ... 9&t=h&z=18" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is the aire near by, it isnt crowded in the link but it was rammed with no shade last summer and I dont think it was in any of the aires books,

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=43.211471, ... 9&t=h&z=17" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jed

[Ian Hulley]

Always bear in mind that France Passion farms may contain French farm animals which may be beastly, horrid and a tad wiffy !