France Passion - any views?

[fairytooth]

Not a porno site as the name might suggest, just a big collection of free stopovers for MH's only in France.

We bought the book and visited a few places this year for the first time ... a farm in Normandy and a vineyard in the Medoc. All completely free once you have the book & window sticker, just turn up.

Just though I would see what others think of it.

 

[GeoNomad]

I have been using FP on and off for a few years now and am very happy with the system.

Some of the spots are no more than parking places outside a winery or on a farm.

It seems that recently, more and more of the places in the book are like small campsites and open to non-members for a small fee. The upside is that they will have loos and perhaps other facilities. The downside is that a few years ago I rarely saw more than one other camper, so it felt more like wild camping and less like a campsite. Less like a campsite is a positive for me. In general, you are expected to be totally self-sufficient. The book indicates what facilities are available.

The best are the wineries with lots of free wine tasting and although I have purchased more than my share of bottles of wine, I have never felt pressured or obligated to do so. Being greeted by the host with a glass of champagne certainly makes you feel welcome.

On more than one occasion I have discovered a new wildcamping spot while en route to a FP site in the book. It's just another way to explore the smaller roads to nowhere.

I do not know of a reliable GPS list for the sites. The ones that do show up in the big French lists are usually out of date. There is a lot of turnover in the FP sites, so seeing it on an unofficial list or last year's book does not guarantee it will be there this year.

 

[Solwaybuggier]

We love it - although the geographical spread is very uneven, there are some departements with very few hosts, others with loads. For some reason (!) using the winegrowing FP sites seems to work out no cheaper than using sites, but we do get a lot of very good wine.

 

[Bambi 2]

France Passion-any views

We tried it one year and got tired of being pressurised into going in to "their shop" to taste the wine and then feel that we had to buy some, we often arrived tired and hungry and all we wanted was a cup of tea and something to eat at the last one we visited we left and went to an Aire we spotted earlier as the lady owner kept coming to the camper and asking us to go with her to her shop, after that we just used the Aires. Bambi 2

 

[smifee]

Do people really think that the owners of FP sites invite you to stay there out of the goodness of their heart?

Of course they want to sell you something.

If the majority buy nothing the scheme dies.

Not rocket science is it?

I only stop at FP sites where I want to buy.

 

[vindiboy]

I joined France Passion but did not like it, I found the sites hard to find [ pre GPS ] and in some very difficult places to access with a large van, I felt obligated to buy the products of the Host, felt as though I was intruding on the privacy of the Hosts as some parking was on the front lawns of the Hosts property.I much prefer the French Aire System, come and go as you like at any time of the day or night, I used a total of 20 Passion sites so felt I had given it a fair trial.horses for Courses as they say.:wave::wave:

 

[georgert1]

F.P.

We tried it one year and got tired of being pressurised into going in to "their shop" to taste the wine and then feel that we had to buy some, we often arrived tired and hungry and all we wanted was a cup of tea and something to eat at the last one we visited we left and went to an Aire we spotted earlier as the lady owner kept coming to the camper and asking us to go with her to her shop, after that we just used the Aires. Bambi 2[/QUOE]

I was considering buying the book etc ,but after reading the comments I have decided not to bother, sounds hassle.:scared: