Make a note of it!

We at faith4life magazine are working with Spring Harvest Holidays to encourage people from Ireland, north and south to sample a holiday at Le Pas Opton.

Our editor, Adam Harbinson, will be at the park during the week of July 3 2006 - the first week of the school holidays when the speaker will be Church of Scotland minister and Spring Harvest regular Colin Sinclair, doing a daily Bible study entitled 'A Hitch Hikers Guide to the life of Jesus".

Mention faith4life magazine when you book and we'll send you a free copy of Angela Bird's excellent book The Vendee - A holidaymaker's guide , highly recommended by many previous visitors.

Join friends from Ireland and Scotland at the start of the holiday season for a special week or two - far away, yet home-from-home. As a first step, request a brochure and DVD or video presented by Diane Louise Jordan.

T 0870 060 3322

E info@springharvestholidays.com

W www.springharvestholidays.com

If you've ever thought of a camping holiday in France, but have been put off by the thought of soggy tents and creepy-crawlies, maybe it's time to think again.

And if you've been deterred from a Christian Holiday campsite because it sounds like a 'holy huddle in the sun', be assured, Le Pas Opton, Spring Harvest's campsite is not like that - otherwise I wouldn't be there.

I've been for two consecutive years and the 'let's go somewhere different next year' thought never enters my head. I returned to Ireland last time in late August, and when folk asked me where I'd been for my holiday I thought I'd been in heaven.

I've been enjoying French holidays for almost every year for 25 years, mostly on the Atlantic coast; Brittany, Gascony, but more often the Vendee region. The weather isn't too hot, the people are relaxed and friendly, the food is great, the countryside and architecture are stunning, the beaches unspoiled, but by a long way, Le Pas Opton is the best campsite I've ever been to.

Take the old French town of Apremont, for example - probably the best day I've ever had in France. It boasts a beautiful ancient castle where you can wander around impeccable gardens, or go boating or poke around the shops and restaurants in the authentic, totally un-commercialised town - absolutely beautiful!

Le Pas Opton opens it all to you - and much more. Not only do you have the choice of a wide range of mobile homes - some with three bedrooms and two en-suites, but on site there's a dazzling array of activities for the family. And the word you hear over and again is that it's safe.

Our youngsters could occupy themselves all day every day and we'd never have a moment's worry. The site is quiet at nights, and in the early-ish evening there's a time of corporate worship. But there's Karaoke too, and wine tasting or talent shows, even the occasional musical provided by some extremely talented Spring Harvest Holidays staff.

ENJOY GOD ON YOUR SUN-LOUNGER

I met up with Pete Phillips who's Dean of Students at Cliff College near Sheffield. Pete was one of the speakers at the 10.30 a.m. sessions, and he reinforced what the other leaders have said frequently; "We want you to enjoy yourself, and we want you to enjoy God, but you don't have to come to the meetings to do that. If nobody turned up at these sessions I'd be delighted, for then everyone would be enjoying God on their sun-lounger by the pool, or playing football with their families".

I mentioned to Pete that wherever you go in France it seems that every little village has its cross, usually erected in the most prominent of places, and he said something that really impressed me. "Don't think that we are bringing the gospel to France. You dig it up; it's in the soil".

And it is! You get the impression that France was once an extremely religious nation. Eventually they got bored with religion but now they're hungry for God. An indicator of that might be the fact that the first time I visited Le Pas Opton in 2003, there were 4, maybe 5 Alpha Courses running in the entire country, in 2005 there were over 400!

Richard Kehoe & Helen

FRENCH STAFF AND STREET PARTIES

The new manager is Richard Kehoe. Richard comes from a background of advertising and tourism,

A CV that amply equips him to drive forward the ideas that will see the continuing development of an already excellent facility.

He explains, "I felt the Lord had more for me than a career in advertising and tourism. Richard genuinely cares for people - all the people, not just the tourists and staff, for some of the major changes to the operation of the campsite have at their heart, a genuine concern for the local people.

"There's a lot of unemployment in this part of France, it's very rural. We can help lift the economy by employing as many French people as we can. And we can buy local produce too, that helps". But it helps in more ways than generating revenue for the region. The people who live nearby see Le Pas Opton as fully integrated in their community and as a result they are more likely to be interested in what it is that Spring Harvest is about.

It seems that everyone at Le Pas Opton, particularly those in positions of seniority, have a sincere heart for France. "Now the local Parish Priest has taken to dropping in now and then - he came to one of our services recently and brought with him some of his parishioners".

That's exciting, and it demonstrates that there's more to Le Pas Opton than a campsite.