Image If you’re familiar with France Passion, then you would have been eagerly awaiting the 2008 ‘invitation’ to be published. As usual, Marc Guillermain (one of the founders of France Passion) was on the ball and everything was prepared at the beginning of March. This year there are even more delightful places within the network giving huge range of venues.

Now in its sixteenth year, France Passion has proved a popular choice for motorhome owners. The basic principal states that motorhome owners can stay overnight (or for 24 hours) on any of the 1,300 vineyards and farms, free of charge and without having to book. All they ask of the person taking up the option is that they say ‘hello’ on arrival and ‘goodbye’ before they leave – a small price to pay for the privilege of staying at these superb locations. You can, of course, purchase local produce but this is not obligatory even if you do miss the chance to taste some of the delights of a particular region.

For 2008, there are 750 wine growers and 550 farmers and market gardeners inviting motorhome owners to stay overnight on their premises. Such is the popularity of France Passion that this represents a considerable increase since the scheme was first conceived.

A reminder of how France Passion works
Participating vineyard owners and farmers sign an annual invitation exclusively for motorhome owners who are self sufficient (have own sanitation, fresh water etc). Motorhome owners receive the invitation through France Passion, the only cost being for the Invitation Book that lists all participating members with easy-to-follow directions, how many motorhomes can stay, whether it can take large vehicles, and what there is to offer (sometimes there is a water tap, a rubbish bin, shade from the sun etc). The information for each entry is written in French, English and German so there shouldn’t be any translation problems.

Those taking up the invitation should remember that the host families are inviting you on a friendly basis and that they may not always be able to greet you due to personal reasons such as work commitments. Parking areas are (wherever possible) flat but not necessarily hardstandings. Locations are easily recognisable by the arrow (see pic 2) that will point you in the correct direction. Look for it on gates, or near the entrance of the property, and only park in these specified places.

As motorhome owners are guests of those belonging to the France Passion network, they are expected to follow the code of good behaviour: RESPECT. It has been translated into English as follows.

Respect the environment;
Elect uncrowded spaces;
Shop locally;
Park in the right place;
Express yourself politely;
Communicate with others;
Totally keep these commitments ;

Remember, it is polite to go to your host when you arrive to say that you would like to stay with them. You must have the current copy of the France Passion book otherwise they will be perfectly within their rights to turn you away. Always go back to the host before you leave to thank them and say goodbye.           

Cost?
It costs just £21.00 (28 euros) to obtain the France Passion Invitation. You will receive an invitation card that proves you are a valid guest, an Invitation Book containing all the details of host sites, an identification sticker for your windscreen that shows immediately that you have been invited to the property, a map of France showing the locations of the hosts, and a Restaurant Guide detailing more than 1,400 eating establishments that are within a reasonable distance of host locations.

Enjoy
Chalky and I have been using France Passion as overnight stops for several years because we are not particularly in favour of wild camping – each to his own, of course. We have great memories of staying in a farmyard when the usual space was taken up with harvest equipment, in a section of a car park in a market garden establishment, on a hardstanding on the outskirts of a beautiful village, and (one of our favourites) in an orchard on a cider farm. We have always taken the opportunity to buy the local produce, having enjoyed home-made lemon pies, excellent chutneys, freshly produced bread, champagne, wine, and the cider – all tastes that we’ll never forget and couldn’t have bought at home.

Take a look at two of the photographs if you would like to see some of the beautiful locations that you could be using if you accept ‘La Formule Invitation’ that is unique to France Passion. Photos are courtesy of Marc Guillermain, director of France Passion.

You can purchase your France Passion invitation through Vicarious Books by emailing ask@vicariousbooks.co.uk; or through Camping Connections by visiting www.campingconnections.co.uk.

Pauline White

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