In 1956 some families and trade-union militants got together at Thionville in Lorraine, to create the VTF Association.
“ To give families the possibility to fully benefit from their holiday entitlements, with fitted rates and an organisation that could take into account the requests of these families ”, that was the bet, a little mad at that time !
The first holiday family house, partly financed by the CAF of Moselle, opened its doors in 1962, in Alsace, giving everybody great happiness.
In 1976, the second holiday village opened its doors in the Haut Alpes, and this pushed the Association to develop towards a new function with the yearly opening of its villages and the strengthening of its staff.
The years from 1980/1990 were those of the embarking of the development with the creation of the administration head office at Aix en Provence, the renovation of the 1st village and the partner management ( CAF, Company comittees, Town halls, Insurances, Associations ) The diversity of the activity was set up with Cap au Sud, to become the junior section of VTF.
From 1990 until today, , several encounters have participated to the development of VTF.
- Strong in its reliability, the Association has been requested to take under management the equipment of friends associations or to get partner agreements with the institutions who wish to professionalise their holiday area.
- To develop and foster its loyalty to its network members, 2 new product lines were launched, the excursions in family and the voyages.
- To Privilege an appropriate marketing, VTF has developed a distribution network with territorial commercial delegates and the opening of 5 agencies in France : Thionville, Aix in Provence, Lyon, Paris, Lille and 2 in Belgium: Brussels and La Hestre. An agreement of partnership is also in place in Madrid and Barcelona, in Spain, to allow a larger opening towards the European customers.

The project of Association
VTF “the Holidays Spirit” is an Association of Tourism in Social Economy. Created in 1956 in Thionville by militants of social origins, political and various communities, this association manages equipment of holidays permanent and seasonal. Its board of directors formed of voluntaries lays down the policy guidelines of the association and control its general operations. The management is ensured by a team of permanent employees or seasonal workers who achieve the various tasks necessary to the correct operation of the structure.

Principle founders
VTF "the Holidays Spirit" is installed resolutely in the sector of Social Economy. Within the framework of the non-profit economy, its essential mission is to give a good holiday service. The VTF Association "the Holidays Spirit" is based on the principles of the founders.
This right passes by the installation of a tariff policy of solidarity and is accompanied by the will to make holidays a place of mixed social levels which implies the respect of the social and cultural differences. Faithful to non commercial values, the association endeavours to support the personal development of each individual. These ethical principles determine the social, economic, political and cultural project of the Association.

A social and economic project
VTF is addressed to all publics without religious or racial exclusion. It accomodates in its facilities, families, groups, handicapped people and also all the socio-professional environment, including the most underprivileged. Being based on the concept of solidarity, it takes into account the family quotient, proposes sliding scale tariffs according to the age of the children and preserves formulas of reception at small prices.
In direction of its employees, VTF develops a policy which takes into account the training of its personnel and favours internal promotion. Within the framework of the lawful texts of the Collective agreement and agreements of company, VTF sets up a salary social economy partners/ Local communities, company’s committees, mutual insurance companies, Office of family benefits and the whole of associative fabric. It sets up actions of solidarity and, on the local level, takes part in projects of installation and development of the territory which favour employment. It has as an ambition to contribute a positive share to the realization of a convivial and interdependent European space.

A political and cultural project
VTF falls under a type of company which refuses ultra-liberalism and the profit, like only ways of human relations. It works for a company of true worth and more egalitarian which allows each individual to fulfil himself and in particular most underprivileged. It militates in favour of the humans rights and combats all the forms of extremism and ideology which are based on racial hatred, intolerance and exclusion.
VTF proposes to the users of its services, holidays which are privileged moments of distraction and relaxation but also of personal development. This intention is based on a non élitist design of culture which makes it possible for each one to acquire knowledge. A culture based on the opening out into the world which surrounds us and which takes into account all the statutory and human values. It endeavours to set up entertainment in its holiday villages and residences, which can develop the individual, that favours people meeting people and which reveals the aptitudes and competences of each person , without a competitive spirit.

VTF, a place in Associative Tourism
VTF is a member of many organizations, associations and commissions which allow it to take place in National Tourism:
- TAC (Tourism Action Dialogue) .VTF is registered in this group at VVF, Renouveau, the Sun Villages Clubs, Vacances Blue, Vacanciel and Val. This authority is a group of reflection and work which is attached to the development and future of the Associative Tourism.
- UNAT. VTF adheres to the National Union Associations of Tourism and Open Air near forty principal Associations of Tourism in France. The membership at this organization offers the certification of village and residences to VTF.
http://www.unat.asso.fr/ http://www.unat-bretagne.asso.fr/
- Leisures of France
- INVAC (Invitation to holidays). VTF adheres to this Union Social Economy gathering of the EC and Associations.
- ANCV (National Agency of accounts - cheques Holidays). This organization proposes cheques holidays which are accepted in our villages and residences in payment for the stays, but also for all our products offered in France.