The Boss's Blog

Undeterred by snow

2010-12-02T21:30:00.001Z

Snow has hit the UK (and France, by the way). And for some reason, little old Uckfield has been hit hard. The home of Spring Harvest Holidays' UK team is currently surrounded by about a foot of snow. For two days now our Customer Service team have worked from home, picking up messages and calling back.

Your heroic MD actually lives closer to the office than anyone else so this morning he set out with the laptop loaded on the sledge and spent the morning in the office. It was a bit lonely, so he worked at home in the afternoon!

Anyway, for this and other reasons we've decided to extend the early booking discount deadline to MONDAY 13TH DECEMBER so spread the word that the best prices are still available.

Whether or not there is a freeze in the next few days, the wonderful Customer Service team will still be available. Even if they are calling you back from the dining room.

Wanted: holiday park managers

2010-11-30T20:00:00.000Z

Christophe left LPO at the end of the 2010 season so we are in need of new leadership for our French operation. The Spring Harvest Holidays Board has decided to recruit a manager and an assistant manager to share the load and bring a mix of skills to this challenging task.

You can download job descriptions and more at www.springharvestholidays.com/recruitment.

New brochure with new site plan

2010-11-18T15:54:00.000Z

We always get excited when the new season's brochure is finally complete and in print. This time we're really pleased with a contemporary look and the theme "Relax, refresh, renew" which was written by our guests time and again on feedback forms - so we decided to use it in advertising.

The completely new feature you'll see this year is a site plan illustration done as an "artist's impression" with a kind of aerial view. It is a response to guests both new and old who have told us that it's difficult to get an overview of the whole park, and what is where. So the emphasis is on the big picture and we hope you'll forgive us for not including every accommodation unit and for deleting some buildings that just aren't relevant. If you ever need a plan of the site showing every numbered unit, just give us a call.

The site plan illustration will be viewable from a homepage link very soon and by early 2011 we'll have an interactive version integrated into a new website with updated graphics and structure.

Let us know what you think about this new approach to visually describing Le Pas Opton.

Media interest

2010-07-31T12:09:00.000+01:00

Just to let you know that in the last couple of weeks we have featured in the local press (Ouest France), the national press (Le Parisien), national radio (France Inter) and regional TV (France 3 Pays de la Loire). They are all fascinated by the mix of real faith and quality holiday at Le Pas Opton.

Check out the France 3 report at http://ouest.france3.fr/info/pays-de-la-loire/ and then click on the 19/20 box for 25/07/2010 in the section “videos”

Entertaining times at LPO

2010-07-31T12:05:00.000+01:00

High season is in full swing and I'm struck by the variety of entertainments and activities that our guests enjoy on site. Today marks the world premiere of the LPO Panto, written by our entertainments coordinator Jen Rumsey and performed by our gifted and dedicated band of couriers.

I enjoyed a different style of entertainment the last time I was on site: paella plus music. Yannick's sumptuous paella was served from a vast cooking dish and enjoyed in the open air outside the bar to the accompaniment of quality acoustic music from guests and couriers. We alternate the paella evening with "moules & boules" on a fortnightly basis. A very French evening, you try your hand at petanque if you wish and also have the chance to tuck into one of life's most pleasurable foods.

Bar quiz, karaoke, the odd TV sport event, volleyball played with water-filled balloons, soccer tournaments.... there is plenty going on. Enjoy it all or hide away and do absolutely nothing - that's the joy of LPO.

Customer comments

2010-06-10T14:08:00.001+01:00

This email arrived today. Always encouraging to receive feedback like this....
Cher Christophe
I am just writing to thank you for a super holiday. We had a lovely, most relaxing time. You really did give us an excellent holiday of very high quality and nothing was too much trouble for you and your team. All the attention to detail and little extras and quality product make your customers feel very special and valued. Everybody was so helpful. There was peace and quiet when needed. The children enjoyed so much independence because it was so safe and made such lovely friends.
I was able to relax and refresh. The children's groups were superb - they learnt so much about God. Please say an extra big thank you to Martine, who took us under her wing from the moment she picked us up from the airport. We really needed that - I have not travelled abroad with the children before. She is a star. Thank you also to the guys at the bike rental -all of them were so lovely and helpful.

Half term news

2010-05-31T14:00:00.000+01:00

Half term holidays are under way and the last of almost 700 guests are arriving this Monday afternoon.

The weather has been mixed so far: one guests just remarked to me that he was glad for a dull afternoon as he was nursing sunburn from the previous day when he spent the afternoon around the swimming pool with the children.

Sunday's all-age worship was brilliantly led by Andy Caldwell and his team with support from the children and teens team from Moorlands College. The lunchtime Street Party with traditional shared barbecues was a fine occasion: "when I tell my friends about this, they'll all want to come next year" remarked one guest.

Now the week's activities are fully under way with "bouncing bombs" going on as I write. This, I understand is a variant of volleyball, played with water-filled balloons!

More half term news in a few days.....

More ice creams for your money this year?

2010-05-18T16:10:00.000+01:00

As I write, the euro is at one of it's best points against the pound for nine months. Best, that is, for those of us who have to change our sterling into euros to spend in France and elsewhere. No-one can be sure what the future holds, but even at the current rate my diesel is costing less than a pound a litre and meals out are looking affordable again - especially since Monsieur Sarkozy abolished VAT on restaurant food last year.

You can benefit (or lose out) in big ways by choosing the right way to spend and exchange your money - and even how you draw cash. Spring Harvest Holidays directors David and Alison Dorricott have given us the benefit of their own experience in the form of some tips and contacts. Click here to find out more.

Soaked in prayer

2010-05-11T13:47:00.000+01:00

We sometimes talk about Le Pas Opton being "prayer-soaked". What does that mean? Simply that we aim to have all kinds of people praying in all kinds of ways for the opertion and ministry of LPO.

Over the May bank holiday weekend, up to 50 people gathered at LPO to pray. Some had come just for the weekend and at their own expense; others lived in the area; others were part of the volunteer team working on montage and pre-season work.

We prayed indoors, we prayed outdoors, we praised, we prayer-walked, we battled in the Spirit. We feasted together (no fasting on this occasion) enjoying great company and good fellowship. We prayed for every part of the site, on one afternoon walking the entire perimeter of the site complete with waving flags and small group prayers.

But for me the highlight was when we split up into eight separate groups and, carefully organised by Chris and Liz Jond, prayed for every single emplacement. That's right: my group even opened up the mobile homes we were allocated and prayed inside every one. It is so encouraging to know that every single spot has been committed to God in prayer: we're confident he will graciously answer our prayers for great holidays and great ministry this season.

Get the right reading habit this summer

2010-04-12T20:06:00.000+01:00

We're delighted to announce that in conjunction with our friends at CWR, we will be providing free Bible reading notes for all guests at Le Pas Opton this season.

CWR publish a range of helpful devotional and Bible study guides, including the famous Every Day with Jesus, Lucas on Life, Inspiring Women Every Day plus guides for teens and children.

Your summer holiday at Le Pas Opton is a great opportunity to get into the Bible reading habit - and you'll have the time and space to read, reflect, relax.

Plenty of action at Le Pas Opton

2010-03-22T20:45:00.000Z

There is already plenty going on at Le Pas Opton - it's never totally quiet through the winter months and now Spring is here, the pace is picking up.

I met up with Chris when he made a brief visit to the UK this week and he updated me on what's going on. We're doing some winter maintenance work on mobile homes, revamping the reception area, fixing a leak in the swimming pool, planting trees and more. The main volunteer team arrives straight after Easter and some are there already.

And we also have guests on site, using the houses for weekend breaks, church retreats and holidays.

One thing's for sure - by the start of May the place will be spick and span, with some new features in place and ready to welcome you for the most relaxing, refreshing, heart-warming holiday you could wish for.

Diesel at 90p a litre: France is affordable again

2010-02-19T09:12:00.000Z

As I write, the euro is creeping up past 1.15 to £1, an encouraging signs after creeping close to parity at the end of 2008.

So prices in France aren’t as scary as they were. Diesel was 90p a litre when I visited France a couple of weeks ago. And you can eat out at a sensible price since that nice Monsieur Sarkozy reduced VAT in restaurants from almost 20% to just 5.5%.

Chris and Yannick (our park manager and chef respectively) have come up with some great value menus including local style food, seafood and meat feast, all at around €15-17 for a three course meal. Chris says it’s the best value in the Vendée.

To make the most of your euros, you need to spend wisely. For example, remember that in France petrol and diesel prices vary more than in the UK – when I was filling my tank with diesel at €1.01 per litre, the motorway services were selling it at €1.15. Always head for the hypermarkets – they are never far away. Look for “Centre Commercial” signs*.

Staying at Le Pas Opton, you’ll probably be self catering much of the time. Hyper U and Leclerc in nearby St Gilles both offer great value for good French food. You can pick it off the shelves, or try your luck (and your French) conversing with the butcher or fishmonger behind the counters – always fun and they love it when you try out your language skills!

* If you leave the UK with an empty tank , then try:

For St Malo – there’s a 24 hour self service petrol station at the Intermarche hypermarket on the left as you drive out of town.

For Caen – there’s an Esso unmanned self service station, adjacent to Intermarche on the way out of the port town of Ouistreham. But for the best fuel prices, drop into Carrefour just next to the Caen ring road.

En route, there’s a Carrefour just outside Avranches, close to the road down to Rennes – look out for signs to Zone d’activites de la Baie – it’s on the Rennes side of town. There’s a large Hyper U at Bain de Bretagne between Rennes and Nantes. And once you’ve arrived at LPO, you’ll find Hyper U and Leclerc fighting it out on price.

SAVE! At Silent, Trendy, Pens!!

2010-02-11T11:56:00.003Z

SAVE! At Silent, Trendy, Pens!!

or (unscrambled)
St Valentine's Day Present!

- and what a great Valentine's present a holiday is. There's no better way to show someone you love them (including yourself) than giving them a transforming holiday experience they'll never forget. A holiday is a gift of time, a gift of freedom - the opportunity to do whatever takes your fancy in a space you make your own. With Spring Harvest Holidays, at Le Pas Opton, you will have the choice to do all of this (and more):

You can engage in the inspiring spiritual programme with our quality speakers.
Laze by the pool, be served in the restaurant and enjoy the rest of the park's facilities.
Explore the local area, including the glorious sandy beaches.
Know that young people and children are catered for with clubs and activities.
Indulge in any one of the activities and entertainments on offer.
Relax in the highest quality accommodation.
Use the free ferry crossing included in your booking price.
Take advantage of our early booking discounts - OFFER ENDS MONDAY 15 FEBRUARY.

Yes, all that and you can still get a discount on your 2010 holiday! Book by Monday and enjoy that special Valentine's treat you and your loved ones deserve.

Call our Customer Service Team Monday to Friday on 01825 748318 or book online over the weekend.

Take advantage of other discounts and offers.

Go on - spread the love this Valentine's Day - or at least...

SAVE! At Silent, Trendy Pens!

"When I grow up I want to be a courier?"

2010-01-25T16:29:00.000Z

"What's a courier, dear?"

"Mum, they're amazing! We learned so much about Jesus in our club this morning. They played games with us, prayed together and introduced me to some new friends. This afternoon they're running a football tournament and then tonight they'll be performing in the play in the marquee - can we go? Can we? Pleeeeease?"

We're often asked what a Spring Harvest Holidays "courier" is. They are part of the team that make a holiday at Le Pas Opton as special as it is. They are a very talented, multi-skilled and servant hearted group of (mostly) young men and women who come out to France and serve for up to 5 months.

They are involved in a lot of the activity on the holiday park that takes place both behind the scenes and face-to-face with our guests. From early morning, praying together, to cleaning, preparing the bar for the Bible study to making sure the PA works for the speaker - their job is non-stop! Many will lead and assist in the children's and youth clubs, under the direction of Laura, our Programme Manager. In the afternoon, they'll be running the games activities, serving behind the bar; in the celebration, become part of the worship team and in the evening lead the Karaoke or pub quiz. The work is challenging and the hours can be long, but in their time off they're free to relax and enjoy the park facilities or the local area, with the new friends they've made.

They're an incredibly flexible and hard-working bunch who, over the years have been an inspiration to many of our younger guests. In fact, a number of our couriers are former guests who've come back to give what they've been given. The rewards of being a courier are many, from the experience of giving people the best holiday experiences they've had, to the lifelong friends they've made with the memories they share.

Most of the courier team work directly with our younger guests. They lead their clubs, lead their own times of worship and hang out with them late at night in the late teens own 'Chill Zone',

Check out these videos that they helped the Realm group put together.

Realm Video #1
Realm Video #2

Each year, we employ a number of new recruits to the team. There's an online application form to complete, then an all-day interview. Successful applications will then take part in a two-day training and induction, before setting sail for France at some point in the summer. We look for people who have a passion for Jesus and a passion to serve people in a holiday environment, bringing fun and laughter to their time there. We look for similar, or relevant experience to the roles applied for. The roles include; childrens group leader and team leader, similarly for our youth groups, sports courier, entertainers, musicians, bar staff and more.

In 2010 the application process closes on January 31 - so if you're interested becoming part of this fantastic team -known at LPO as the 'A-Team' and want to learn more, apply here.

"Mummy, does it snow at LPO?"

2010-01-13T14:34:00.000Z

"Well, yes dear, it does snow at LPO. But it won't when we are on holiday there.

"You see, in the winter it can be quite cold in France but the nice people at LPO stay warm cutting the hedges and repairing things so it's all ready for us in the summer. They have some guests come and stay at the houses, in winter too: in fact I hear that Gerard Kelly, Chrissie Kelly, Russ Rook and a bunch of friends are all there at the moment.

"But in the spring it starts to warm up. That's when some kind people from the UK travel out to help get everything ready. And by the time we go for our holiday, it will be tidy, organised..... and warm."

Sale away!

2010-01-04T12:56:00.000Z

The queues outside Next began on Boxing Day - it's that time of year again and the January sales are upon us Wandering around the stores, enticing messages of "15% off " or, "Half price sale," encourage us to rush in and grab the bargains.

Only this year it feels different. Without shaming the retailers, "Half price sale," only applied to marked items (of course) - being 1% of the store's products."15% off," only applied if you spent over £500 on the day, and the list goes on. Clothes shops only offering money off out-of-season, out-of-fashion styles. No excitement, no bargains, only disappointment.

So we've kept it clear and simple.

To get a discount on your holiday to Le Pas Opton, book before 31 January and receive:

£50 off your mobile home holiday.

£30 off your fixed tent holiday.

Plus take advantage of our other special offers such as 'Tell-a-friend' (saving you and them £50 each!), and many more.

So, away with the Sales, false hope and cleverly-worded marketing promotions. If you want to sail away this summer to LPO (or indeed fly!), then book before 31 January and get a discounted holiday bargain with us.

Still looking for a pre-Christmas bargain?

2009-12-18T12:05:00.000Z

Then look no further! We've still got some early bird discounts available.

You can get £50 off a mobile home holiday or £30 off a tent holiday if you book before Christmas. Plus, you can combine with other offers too, so take a look today.

Check out the full details of all our special offers on our website www.springharvestholidays.com

Happy Christmas!

December Prayer Weekend report

2009-12-13T22:49:00.000Z

The weekend of 12 and 13 December saw friends of LPO gathering from various parts of the UK and France to pray for all aspects of the ministry here.

It was great to welcome Andrew Paviour from head office, the familiar face of Jen Rumsey, our dear friend Liz Jond, volunteer workers Ken and Marion Reece, locals Roger and Beri Fray plus some of their fellowship on their Advent retreat here. And we know many more were joining with us in prayer, from near and far.

We're committed to covering this place in prayer and filling it with praise - and that work continues all year round!

There's a more detailed report on the Friends page of the website.

Best discount deadline extended to Dec 14

2009-11-30T14:38:00.002Z

Bookings are flooding in right now. Don't miss out - we've extended the early booking deadline to December 10th. The most popular holiday dates are late July and August, and Spring half term. The Customer Service team are highly expert at dealing with availability checks and answering all the questions - but if you wish you can check availability and book online, right from the front page of the website http://www.springharvestholidays.com/.

The best prices are now.

2009-11-27T11:03:00.001Z

Our best prices are right now. The best choice of availability, the early booking discount mean that the only way to be certain of the best price is to go ahead and book. The deposit is low and there's a redundancy money-back guarantee for your peace of mind.

And to further reassure you, all your payments are held in a special account until your holiday is over, guaranteeing your 2010 holiday.

If you're not sure about us, check out http://www.tripadvisor.com/ and search for Le Pas Opton. We have not planted any of our own reviews here, so get the real reports - there's even some criticism...

Going live! Our all-new website!

2009-11-06T09:32:00.000Z

I can't really express how excited we are!!!!!

Today our all-new website goes live!!!! www.springharvestholidays.com

So much is new. There's new content, new functionality...

a new look - to match the 2010 season brochure,

a new, easy to use, drop down menu system so you can more easily navigate around the site - plus what web gurus call a 'crumb trail' (top left hand corner) so you can see where you've been,

new photos - do you recognise anyone you know?

BIGGEST of all is our new Online Booking System!! From start to finish you can book your holiday at Le Pas Opton without picking up the phone. Clever technnology eh? www.springharvestholidays.com

Speaking of technology - we're also launching ourselves on Twitter today. Search for LePasOpton on Twitter We'll be giving regular snippets of information about what we're up to outside of the holiday season, and then 'live from LPO' between May and September. So, give us a follow. While you're there - check out our new Facebook page too.

Plus we're going to be adding new content and information all the time, so keep coming back for a look or get in touch if there's something you can't find.

Come along and book your 2010 summer holiday with Spring Harvest Holidays - you're best holiday yet. www.springharvestholidays.com

See you there!

P.S. A HUGE Thank You to the many people who've contributed to the new website and online booking system - you know how you are: we know how hard you've worked.

P.P.S. Book by 30 November 2009 and receive an early booking discount of up to £100!

A little question for you

2009-10-15T12:19:00.000+01:00

A little question for you: what's the busiest time of year for the boss of Spring Harvest Holidays?

The middle of August? No - I'm on holiday!
November or January, when bookings are at their peak? Nope.
April and May, as the site prepares for another season? Getting warmer......

Actually,the busiest time is NOW. We're finalising ferry contracts, sorting out travel insurance deals, booking speakers, agreeing dates and updating accommodation profiles. And then there's the small matter of producing a new brochure and website (in the capable hands of Andy and Michele).

Another thing we are getting excited about is online booking: in pounds or euros, in English, French, German or Dutch, it's only a matter of weeks away. We'll keep you informed.

Soon all this will come to fruition. So watch your letterbox and your email INbox. The 2010 season will be launched very soon.

The French Houseparty 2009

2009-09-22T12:20:00.000+01:00

Faith. Holiday. People.
Fantastic. Hot. Prayerful.
Fun. Heavenly. Priceless.
French Houseparty.

There’s no week at Le Pas Opton like it. For adults only, this week is brimming with activities to choose from so you can be as occupied as you like - or just chill. It’s only a week, but the memories will last forever

Yes I’m hijacking Steve’s blog again, but with good reason. I had the opportunity to work and be a fly on the wall at the French Houseparty (FHP) & what a week it was.

Guests can arrive in a variety of ways, one of which being by luxury coach, with pick-ups all the way down the UK. So I donned the famous blue shirt of a Spring Harvest Holidays courier and ‘repped’ my way from Potters Bar to Portsmouth. The overnight crossing to St Malo couldn’t have been smoother with both the waves and Brittany Ferries staff treating us gently.

En route to Le Pas Opton, we stopped for coffee and a short tour at Dinan, once home to the Dukes of Brittany and a beautifully preserved example of a medieval French town.

With the sun already shining on us, upon arrival our guests were escorted to their accommodation and began to settle in. The FHP week offers many different flavours to other weeks at Le Pas Opton, including the way our guests are accommodated. To encourage interaction and fellowship, (plus ensuring the best value and pricing) we offer the opportunity to share a room with a fellow guest, plus you can upgrade to an ensuite room or book a mobile home or tent in the usual way.

The week began gently with an arrival buffet that many had booked into and then a welcome in the bar from our very own park manager, Chris. Dressed in his striped jumper, beret and kilt (!), Chris was entertaining from the moment we arrived, drawing everyone into the holiday atmosphere.

As with every other Spring Harvest Holidays week, there’s engaging Bible study and worship, which was led this week by Janet and Steve Gaukroger from Clarion Trust International. In the morning, over croissant and a coffee, we read through various prayers from notable biblical figures and in the evening sessions we were challenged about the activity of our personal faith and the individual purposes God has planned for us.

The weather is never guaranteed, but this year, the Vendée lived up to its reputation and the sun shone on us everyday, with temperatures consistently in the 30s . With such a glorious gift to wake up to every morning, the choice was simple, pool or sunbathe? Actually the choice isn’t simple at all, it’s the only hard thing about this week – what to do or not to do. Trips to Normoutiers, canoes and crêpes, French lessons with Chris, aqua-Olympics, drama, cycling, walks, wine-tasting, karaoke… the options go on and on - check out the FHP page on the Spring Harvest Holidays website for the complete 2009 programme.

Of course there are some significant highlights, here are a couple of mine. Moules and boules; street party by night. We sampled this fantastic fresh local delicacy and French favourite, eating outside on the terrace, washed down with a glass or two of good wine. Then let the games begin. Bouncy castle, boules, musical chairs, quoits… I love a party with a happy atmosphere and this evening really had it all, it was such a shame when the music stopped. Then there was the Cinéscénie and a night off for me. Throughout the summer on certain evenings, at a ‘theme park’ called Puy du Fou, a son et lumière extravaganza is held. 13,000 people sat down to watch as thousands of costumed cast members portrayed a history of the Vendée. Frankly, to describe this performance would take more than words, but I’ll try. Picture the scene – the backdrop of a semi-ruined chateau, a lake, a village, several windmills a tower and a watermill, all connected with roads. In this setting the story unfolds of a Vendéen family living through the centuries. From village fêtes with real jousting, to cannon fire in the Revolution, burning buildings, WW2 bombers, costume changes, highly trained animals – there’s so much going on you’d be pressed to see all of it. The entire production is illuminated by projections, lasers, holograms and a firework display to challenge the Bastille day celebrations. One notable moment is where a church backdrop is projected onto fountains – an incredible feat of technical engineering (or magic!) that astounds the eye. Combine all this with a soundtrack that enhances the experience with emotive music, this is an unmissable spectacle. This incredible show puts any multi-million dollar movie or West-End production to shame. If you ever go to the Vendée it’s a must – if I get the chance to go again, I’d be there like a shot.

For me, as Courier, Head Office staff member and official photographer and record-keeper this was a fly-on-the-wall experience like no other. Although this wasn’t a holiday for me (trust me when I say that immense amounts of hard work go into organising this special week - you know who you are), I still felt very included in the community that builds on-site throughout the week. Whatever the context of each guest that came, couple, individual, group or solo traveller I watched as they explored their new (or familiar for the FHP old hands) environment, met new people and made new friends. I watched as they all entered into a space that’s unhindered by the busyness of everyday life, and unchained by its bonds, gave space for God to come into their lives and work within them. For me, the ultimate expression of this was at the Street Party on the Sunday. Following the morning service, where guests joined in with their own presentations of drama and song, we all congregated on the ‘street’ to bring and share a barbecue together and then were led in communion. I’ve never experienced an atmosphere like it, such love and fellowship expressed within a newly formed community of God’s people, in such a short time – I’ll never forget the hugs, the tears and faces full of joy – and bonds formed that will last a lifetime!

It really is a special week, where you’ll have new experiences and make new friends, where the unexpected will happen and people will express God’s love to you in ways you couldn’t imagine. To that end I’d like to thank the people who: Gave me a lesson in flash photography, gave me a guitar lesson which has opened up so much, lent me their camera body when mine stopped working - and to all those people who I had such great conversations with – thank you all.

To recall the entire week would take a book, perhaps even a series, so to grab the detail you’ll have to a) remember what it was like b) ask someone who went or c) book for next year!

Click here for more details.

The historic Vendee

2009-08-28T10:03:00.000+01:00

Want to learn more about the history of the Vendee and why it stands out in the French Revolution?

Read this great article in the Telegraph by Anthony Peregrine, entitled "Vengeance on the Vendee".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/6048204/France-Vengeance-on-the-Vendee.html#comments

Gone is the Staycation – introducing the Praycation!

2009-08-25T10:54:00.000+01:00

Hi, its Andy here again, hijacking Steve's blog!

I’ve just spent four days working out at Le Pas Opton, the focus of my trip was to take photographs of our guests holidaying at the park, to use in next year’s publicity. The holiday park was almost full, so with weather in the 30s and days without a cloud in the sky, it was an ideal time to capture moments of our guests relaxing and enjoying the holiday they came for.

It’s not our policy to use models, or ‘stage’ shots, rather, we like to show real guests doing what real guests do – it’s the best way to tell the Spring Harvest Holidays story. This visit gave me a unique, almost fly-on-the-wall-documentary experience, as I got to observe, firsthand, the activities our guests take part in.

The swimming pool’s a must of course, reading, barbecuing, bike-riding, family games, all feature too, but many guests have packed their Faith and their Bibles and have come to set time apart to experience their relationship with God while on holiday. After all ‘holy days’ were originally just that, time set apart for God, to worship Him and celebrate His glory.

The spiritual programme at Le Pas Opton is entirely optional but the worship and Bible study times were packed out, with people praying, singing, worshipping together, enjoying their holiday together. And it wasn’t just the adults either. The children’s clubs were all well attended, with the time focused on Bible stories and songs, play-time and also prayer-time.

Beyond the programme, there’s so much more. Spending time in a community of like-minded people tells its own story. There’s an aura of trust and safety that surrounds the park and people, there are opportunities to meet new people, make new friends and share with them. People play together, they pray together, they have fellowship & most important, FUN together!

So, if you don’t fancy holidaying at home and want to be part of a Faithful community of holidaymakers, then forget the staycation and join the Praycation!

While the Boss is away, the mice will…

2009-08-05T11:21:00.000+01:00

…fly!

Everyone needs a holiday, time spent away from the usual busyness of life. Time to relax and be restored. Even our Steve. So while he’s not here, it's a good opportunity to introduce myself. I'm Andy Heald, UK Operations Manager for Spring Harvest Holidays and I thought I'd share some details of a short break I took in France last week.

There are many different routes for getting to Le Pas Opton. You can drive and get the ferry, you can take the train or you can fly. One of the closest airports is at La Rochelle, further south on the Atlantic coast.

My journey began at Gatwick, taking the Easyjet flight (booked in advance around £130 return per person including luggage). In the height of the season, the airport is heaving, crammed with holidaymakers escaping their everyday lives. Travelling with three other adults, I arrived just as the baggage check-in was opening, and without queuing, we quickly dispensed with our suitcases. We’d planned to eat airside before flying and headed over to passport control, only to be directed to the end of the line – at the other side of the airport!

The volume of people and today’s stringent security checks, had born a line of people longer than the queue of screaming fans at a Take That gig. As well organised as it is - be prepared - we spent over an hour (longer than our flight time!) shuffling towards the x-ray machines. If you’re not used to this, let me share some words of advice. Put everything in your hand luggage, only carry your boarding pass, passport and any items of fluid under 100ml in a sealed clear plastic bag. Don’t wear a belt, wear slip on shoes & if you have a laptop – make it easily accessible so you can put it through the scanner separately. All this will make your passage easier.

At times we thought we’d never make it through with enough time to eat, but arriving airside was a refreshing experience – the benefit of so many people trapped landside means that there are fewer fighting for space at the varied shopping and eating outlets. With an hour before departure, we opted for a sit down hot snack at the Wetherspoons. For less than £10 a head for a pint and a steak sandwich, which was delivered in plenty of time to eat without risking indigestion, we were well set up for the next few hours of travel.

90 minutes after eating we were collecting our baggage and ready to pick up our hire car. As we had a few hundred miles to cover we’d opted for Easycar’s a-bit-bigger-than-the-bottom-of the-range-model (around £120.00 for 4 days including two drivers and full damage cover!). It’s a bit like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, as you never know quite what you’re going to get, so we were delighted when we were provided with a top-of-the-range Ford C-Max diesel – dual climate control, parking sensors front and rear; all bells and whistles (plus more than enough room for four adults and luggage and only €35 for over 500km!).

From here, Le Pas Opton is about 130km, approx 2 hours drive north, on good roads and the traffic in this part of France is very low volume, making the experience of driving on the right much easier than you would expect if its your first time. Now I must confess. I didn’t actually drive up to Le Pas Opton, as my destination was a family wedding 200km into central France, but I am assured that the journey is a simple one. However, if you don’t fancy making the drive yourself, then the Spring Harvest Holidays shuttlebus makes a pick up at certain times during each week of the season.

If you are one of those people who enjoy the journey as much as the destination, then I can recommend a few hours exploring this beautiful and historic city. The ancient port of La Rochelle has retained its medieval architecture and even when busy, doesn’t feel crowded. The tourist office is located next to the old harbour and for 20 cents you can get a guide book that offers a self-guided tour of the small town. If you have the time, walk back through history and clamber through the three towers built to defend the port, or take a short boat trip from the old harbour, letting a local guide tell the town’s story. There’s no shortage of places to eat and drink, with bars and restaurants surrounding the quayside, but do watch out for the tourist traps. Wander a little further away from the waters edge and some real gems are to be found – with three course menus from as little as €16 (still not as inexpensive as Le Pas Opton!). If its souvenirs you’re after, the pretty street markets open up in the early afternoon and do a busy trade until the early hours of the morning.

The wedding was beautiful and the break relaxing. With the weather at around 30C every day, beautiful blue skies, freshly caught seafood and great company, the only problem I encountered was having to return home! But when the Boss is away…

…the mice still have to work!

Let the train take the strain

2009-07-29T12:51:00.000+01:00

I'm just back from a trip to LPO by train. A very pleasant experience. It did mean rising before dawn because I had enthusiastically booked myself onto the 05.25 departure from St Pancras, but it was worth it.

Why? Because I ate my breakfast at a Parisian street cafe, watching the morning rush hour go by. Because I sat and worked, then snoozed, in comfort whilst travelling at 250km/hr to Nantes. That's faster than my car, by the way. And because I had the satisfaction of knowing that the carbon emissions were less than a tenth of those for cars or planes.

You can travel via Lille if you choose the right connections - and there you simply change platforms from Eurostar (London, Ebbsfleet or Ashford) to the legendary French TGV Train a Grande Vitesse. But via Paris there are loads of connections and you have a relatively simple journey from the Gare du Nord to the Gare Montparnasse - just get on the right metro train and get off again after 14 stops. Or you can take a taxi of course.

At Nantes I changed to the local line all the way to St Gilles, a short taxi ride from the park. I headed off to meet the accountants, but you could take the same route for more pleasurable purposes......

French Sunday trading

2009-07-17T16:19:00.001+01:00

The French have been getting a bit excited about Sunday trading. The nation that prides itself on its secularism has long struggled to remove from its calendar public holidays based on religious festivals. Ascension Day is being chipped away at, with some workers no longer entitled, on the grounds that the resulting national benefit will be channelled into social care.

Anyway, back to Sundays. Monsieur Sarkozy had an embarrassing moment recently when he arranged for President Obama and his wife to go shopping in Paris - on a Sunday. He had to make a few phone calls......

There's a good article about the current situation at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8139301.stm

Meanwhile, at Le Pas Opton, Sundays are really special. The shop is open for your fresh breakfast croissants, but the focus is on morning all-age worship, a massive lunchtime BBQ and picnic, then maybe a lazy afternoon by the pool or the river.

Money, money, money!

2009-07-10T12:06:00.000+01:00

Let's face it, most of us have to make our holiday decisions with a fixed budget in mind. It's only the odd rich-lister who can just decide to head off, via limo and First Class, for a five star hotel on a sun-soaked island.

And over the last year or so, quite a few factors have converged to make a holiday in France feel rather more expensive than it used to be. Oil prices pushed fuel costs up, exchange rates made everything pricier.

But now there is good news......

Have you noticed the euro exchange rate recently? Around Christmastime, a pound would buy you little more than one euro. GOOD NEWS - your pound will buy you a lot more than that today. I've just checked Yahoo Finance (good website, btw) and it's trading around €1.17, showing a steady improvement since mid March. I can't forecast the markets, but this is great news already.

And I've been noticing the price of diesel. I drive to France regularly and on my last trip I filled up with diesel for less than one euro per litre - that's around 15% cheaper than in the UK. Always fill up at hypermarkets for the best prices; you pay a lot more on motorways and at local service stations. Petrol costs more than diesel in France; my latest observation is that prices are very similar.

Finally, the cost of eating out in France went down overnight on 30th June as Monsieur Sarkozy slashed the rate of VAT on most cafe and restaurant prices from 19.6% to 5.5%. We've introduced a range of set meals in our restaurant that are priced around the €15 mark including an aperitif. That is very competitive pricing.

So I hope that encourages you to venture out to France this summer - there is plenty of good news around.

2009-06-23T15:11:00.000+01:00

Holidays in real life

Part of the fun of holidays is the planning, the looking at maps and guides, the speculation. Then comes the real thing. It's the same for us as we work year-round on Spring Harvest Holidays. We plan, we prepare, we invest. Then comes the real thing.

It's great that the season is well and truly under way at Le Pas Opton. Chris and Laura are properly established now and we've seen the busy weeks around half term come and go. Our shiny new 3 bedroom Evergreen mobile homes are installed and guests seem to like them. The refurbished shower block is fully operational - even if you're staying in a mobile home this summer, you'll be tempted to give it a try.

Right now our friends Ian and Gill Scott are hosting the "Discover the Vendee" week with John Richardson speaking. Local excursions, restaurant visits, even a trip to the brocante* is on the agenda. A new initiative for this year which is proving popular is Chris's free wine tasting session at the "Cave a Vins" (aka the shop). Chris simply opens a few bottles of wine from the shop stock and hosts a tasting session - with guidance notes and advice. Perfect for picking those wines to take home.

There are still a few brand new mobile homes - the Evergreen 2s - to be installed and this will happen with the help of a BIG crane in the next 7-10 days. We'll keep disruption to a minimum as deliveries come into the field at the side of the site so the main thoroughfares are unaffected.

Finally, the weather at LPO has been great for several weeks now - I trust it will continue so all summer!

*What's a brocante you ask? A uniquely French antique/junk shop/bric a brac place where you can pick up delightfully French furniture and stuff for your home, whether that's in France or the UK.

Shiny new minibus

2009-05-12T17:32:00.000+01:00

When Michele texts me on my day off, I know something important has happened. Maybe our booking system has crashed, or something equally exciting. So a couple of weeks ago, as I enjoyed a long weekend (a long way from the office), I realised a text from Michele would be worth reading.

With her characteristic excitement, Michele was updating me on our shiny new minibus. Sooo exciting and she had the privilege of collecting it from Mark Mitchell's dealership in Chester and driving it to Uckfield.

We are all pretty excited - Andy got in the act as he helped his friend apply the colourful logos to the silver-grey paintwork. And I took over as delivery driver from Uckfield to LPO.

So the beautiful new bus is in action doing airport and station shuttles, taking day trips to vineyards, islands and beaches - and even doing taxi rides into town.

I hope you'll be able to try it out this summer.

BTW if you're interested it's a LDV, diesel, 16 seats plus driver, rh drive, passenger doors on both sides, full safety kit and tacho.

English holiday in France for German people

2009-04-22T15:50:00.001+01:00

Eng + Fr = Ger. Yes, this is the recipe that seems to appeal to German taste. I have recently been in Germany with a Spring Harvest Holidays exhibition stand, at an event called Spring. Sound familiar? It was set up around ten years ago and was inspired by Spring Harvest.

This year around 3000 Christians, most of them from southern Germany, gathered for interdenominational worship, teaching and family fun. All in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, with free use of the cable car included in your ticket. Not bad, eh? Of course, I spent my time inside the ice-free ice skating hall and averted my gaze from the snow capped mountains in order to meet as many guests as possible.

And so to the formula Eng + Fr = Ger. I and my German speaking friend Matt, who will be part of our on-site team this summer, had a lot of conversations with people who were interested in the fact that their Christian holiday in France did not require the ability to speak French.

In fact, we were surprised by the way that parents saw LPO as an opportunity for their offspring to practise speaking English with peer-level friends whilst on holiday. Maybe that's something we'll work on further for 2010.

Meanwhile, it seems we have the ideal formula: French food, climate and countryside, English language ministry, Spring Harvest commitment to excellence.

Oh, and English toilets. Of course.

Do you dream in black and white?

2009-03-25T19:15:00.000Z

Occasionally someone will ask this question: "Do you dream in black and white or colour?" Actually I'm not sure. But it got me thinking, "when you dream about a great holiday, where is it?"

I have to admit this train of thought was prompted by the folks at Eurocamp who announced last week that they are setting up campsites around the UK. Soon we'll be able to shiver in our tents on the banks of a Scottish loch. Hmmm.....

Sorry, but my dream holiday is invariably in France. I have realistic dreams, so heli-skiing in New Zealand or sunbathing on a private Caribbean island are out of the question. France gives me great food, a better climate, an interesting culture and people who will speak my language when I get stuck (as long as I don't shout).

And it's not quite the stuff of dreams, but don't believe all the gloom about the euro: fuel is still cheaper, especially at the supermarkets where you can buy the stuff 24/7 without having to decode the chatting of a fast-speaking cashier. And food can be good value, usually of excellent quality.

Anyway, I am drifting into advertising. So whether your dream is in black and white or colour, I hope it will be located in Western France.

Why Le Pas Opton is not just for the Brits

2009-03-13T08:16:00.000Z

I've spent a lot of time in recent months talking to people from Germany, Holland and France about why they like Le Pas Opton. There is a common theme: the facilities, the atmosphere, the secure feeling of being among like-minded people and the Bible study and worship programme.

What's interesting for me is that the one thing we might have thought was a barrier - language - is actually an attraction for many people. Language has the power to divide, but in our case it unites. We use English in our activities but we have plenty of French speakers and some German ability too.

Chris our new park manager was pointing out to me recently that French families like the idea of a holiday where the children will be able to mix with their peers and practise their English, but without having to travel to England! Our continental neighbours are not always convinced about the quality of our cuisine, our holiday accommodation or our climate.

At LPO they get the best of both worlds. And from my viewpoint, a "gathering of the nations" for holiday, fellowship and worship is an exciting, if microscopic, foretaste of a time when every nation and language group will join together in worshipping the King of kings.

What does Times online have to say about Vendée winter breaks?

2009-03-06T15:37:00.000Z

My wife reads the travel supplements even more avidly than I do, especially during this, the holiday planning season.

So it was Ann who spotted the full page in this week's Sunday Times about the joys of an out-of-season break in Les Sables d'Olonne. Worth reading! And most of the great things that are true for Les Sables are also true for her smaller cousin St Gilles, just down the road from us.

The full article is at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/france/article5725356.ece

Oh, by the way, you can book our villas throughout the year…..

Friday 13th February

2009-03-06T15:36:00.000Z

In praise of Richard and Rachel
Richard and Rachel Kehoe will move quietly back to the UK in February as Richard takes on the management of a wildlife park with shop, restaurant and a small farm. No mobile homes though, he tells me! Richard and Rachel have stamped their wonderful character and dedication indelibly on Le Pas Opton and made a difference to the holiday experience of thousands of people. There is no way adequately to say thank you to them but if you want to send a personal message, we will be happy to forward it from the office here in Uckfield or from LPO.

New Holiday Park Manager
If you have ever met the amazing Richard Kehoe and his equally amazing wife Rachel, you will know that they are irreplaceable and that setting out to find a replacement for them after four years working together was always going to be a difficult task.

However I am delighted to have found Christopher McCulloch-Merle whose skills, experience and character will serve us well in the coming years.

He was born into a diplomatic family, is well travelled around Europe, fluent in English, French and Spanish. He is of French nationality with a very international outlook.
He has a degree in engineering and a background in naval and weapons engineering management. He was radically saved by Jesus Christ in 1993 and soon thereafter spent 2 years on OM's Logos ship, upgrading systems to meet US standards; there met his wife Laura who was a teacher of team children on the ship; Laura is also a drama specialist.
Laura and Chris lived 4 years in Scotland where he was a factory production manager before moving to southern France to start and develop "Teen Ranch", a Christian outdoor activity centre. There he gained a lot of highly relevant experience for the LPO role.

In addition to this, Chris and Laura are really nice people whom I am sure you will enjoy getting to know at LPO this coming year. Chris starts formally with us on February 23rd. Please pray for him and Laura as they settle back into France and as Chris gets to grips with the many challenges of his role.

Dover to Calais - the shortest sea crossing

2009-03-06T15:35:00.000Z

Tuesday 27th January

Last week I travelled with P&O Ferries on the Dover-Calais route. If you decide against a Western crossing (see previous blogs) then this is a good choice. Julius Caesar chose P&O, or at least this route, when he invaded Britain. I believe William the Conqueror preferred the Newhaven-Dieppe route but I this was due to a link to the French state-owned ferry company.

Anyway, both Dover and Calais ports are highly organised places where they quickly get you into the right queue and onto the right craft. Once on board there is enough time for a stroll around, a wave to the white cliffs and a bite to eat before your destination comes in sight. We are offering a kids eat free deal for 2009, where one child gets a main meal free for every adult main meal. So it makes sense to plan in a meal break whilst on board - saving time on the drive to LPO.

I've heard of a number of guests who choose to travel Dover-Calais (or take the tunnel) and then break their journey overnight. This can allow you to travel a longer and perhaps more interesting route. When my children were smaller, we ventured into tourist spots in Normandy one year, and another time we turned south and followed the Loire Valley to Nantes.

French low cost hotels are consistent and affordable, and many offer family rooms. I like B&B Hotels www.hotel-bb.com. Another to consider is www.accorhotels.com which include more upmarket Novotel (they offer 4 beds in a room) and mid market Ibis and Mercure. Also try www.kyriad.com and the ultimate low cost Formule1 www.hotelformule1.com where a Sunday night 2 person room is just €34.80 in July.

Oh, and it's always worth booking a breakfast. Make the most of the buffet and save on lunch!

In praise of Brittany Ferries

2009-03-06T15:34:00.001Z

Friday 19^thDecember

Around half our guests cross the Channel with Brittany Ferries. There are a number of reasons for this: they are the dominant operator on the Western Channel, reaching the ports closest to Brittany and the west coast of France. They have good timetables with both daytime and overnight crossings, traditional and fast craft.

But maybe most important of all, Brittany is just a great way to travel. They know how to look after you from start to finish, they provide good hospitality and they know their food. I’ve crossed the Channel many times, especially over the last four years running Spring Harvest Holidays, and no ferry operator gives you better treatment. The company is French run and mainly French staffed but (am I allowed to say this?) they are still good at customer service.

If you want a real treat at the start or end of your holiday, enjoy a meal in the a la carte restaurant. Some boats have a buffet for hors d’oeuvre and desserts, all serve quality food and drinks in a pleasant atmosphere with real tablecloths. Impressive enough to convert my wife from her commitment to the Tunnel. I’m writing this en route back from Le Pas Opton on a dark winter’s evening and even my steak served in the cafeteria of the Mont St Michel ferry was superb. In my pocket is a little card handed to me when I parked on the car deck to ensure I find my way back easily.

If only sea conditions were equally considerate of my comfort….. Happy Christmas!

Friday 12th December.

2009-03-06T15:33:00.001Z

I’m off to Le Pas Opton on Sunday for a week. It’s not quite the same place without hundreds of guests bringing it alive, but I still love it. Remember you can book our villas any time of year – Richard tells me that two of them are reserved for New Year. Whilst in France we will be sorting out the detail of our order for 25 new mobile homes to be delivered by the start of the 2009 season. Early bookings indicate a real demand for these high spec, extra spacious units. Also on the agenda are meetings with the accountants and the local tourist board.

The most exciting part though will be discussing toilets, showers and baby baths with our architect! Yes, the complete refurbishment of the yellow sani block is under way. If you’ve been before you’ll hardly recognize it, with natural light, more space and a massive leap in overall quality. We’re not just “doing it up”, we are creating something that we’re confident you will really enjoy using.

On the home front, our Customer Service team are busy as today’s early booking deadline approaches. Bookings come in by phone and via our website every day so it’s encouraging to see so many people deciding to grab the best prices and availability right away.

Introducing the Blog

2009-03-06T15:31:00.000Z

10 November 2009

October is always a busy time at Spring Harvest Holidays, and November seems to be maintaining the frantic pace! Ferry contracts, insurance deals, big investment plans to put into place – and everything has to be sorted before the brochure goes to print.

Well, the brochure is now making its way through the printing and mailing process and this website will keep you even more up to date.

The most exciting events right now are finalising the contract for 25 new mobile homes, and planning the complete refurbishment of the yellow shower/toilet block.

We’re buying our mobile homes from IRM, located in the Vendée just an hour’s drive away. They provided all our initial supply of 130 mobile homes which have served so well to date. It’s amazing how the designs have progressed over the last six years, and to note how we and other UK tour operators have influenced developments. There’s so much more environmental awareness too, with better insulation and measures to save energy and water.

The shower blocks, or sanitaires as they are delightfully known in France, are rather less exciting but every bit as important. In August this year I stayed in one of our tents for a few days and spent time talking with other tent dwellers. They were a little surprised that the Managing Director was sleeping under canvas and showering in sani jaune, but it was in a good cause. The refurbished block will have more than a fresh coat of paint and new taps. Watch this space….

The Boss's Blog

Undeterred by snow

Wanted: holiday park managers

New brochure with new site plan

Media interest

Entertaining times at LPO

Customer comments

Half term news

More ice creams for your money this year?

Soaked in prayer

Get the right reading habit this summer

Plenty of action at Le Pas Opton

Diesel at 90p a litre: France is affordable again

SAVE! At Silent, Trendy, Pens!!

"When I grow up I want to be a courier?"

"Mummy, does it snow at LPO?"

Sale away!

Still looking for a pre-Christmas bargain?

December Prayer Weekend report

Best discount deadline extended to Dec 14

The best prices are now.

Going live! Our all-new website!

A little question for you

The French Houseparty 2009

The historic Vendee

Gone is the Staycation – introducing the Praycation!

While the Boss is away, the mice will…

Let the train take the strain

French Sunday trading

Money, money, money!

Shiny new minibus

English holiday in France for German people

Do you dream in black and white?

Why Le Pas Opton is not just for the Brits

What does Times online have to say about Vendée winter breaks?

Friday 13th February

Dover to Calais - the shortest sea crossing

Tuesday 27th January

In praise of Brittany Ferries

Friday 19th December

Friday 12th December.

Introducing the Blog

10 November 2009

Friday 19^thDecember