France on a budget

[suneye]

The first time we went to France, two years ago, for three months, April to June. Out of interest I kept all the supermarket receipts, fuel, etc. we went on campsites every three weeks to do laundry and have a break from the road. We didn't eat out too much, but didn’t stint on the food we bought, and definitely drank more of the red stuff! Apart from the fuel, we hadn,t spent anymore than we would at home to our surprise. We used Aldi and LidL as well as the dearer supermarkets. I have it all written down somewhere, if I can find it will,post it here. Campsites are half the price, and entry fees to places of interest are cheaper than here too.

Next time we go we may claim asylum!

Thanks that is interesting, did you plan or book the campsite stops?

 

[suneye]

Our max weekly spend over 12 wks is £100 just occasionaly having a coffee an pastry out
Fuel inc but not ferry

Thanks I was hoping it might be possible on this sort of budget. Did you do all free camping or some sites?

 

[witzend]

No sites an few paid aires

 

[barryd]

Yes I agree it is huge and I only have just over three weeks, so not long. I had in mind to see some of the west coast in particular Bordeaux and the area around it. But I am not going until the summer to have time to listen to suggestions and adapt my ideas. In Britain I tend to leave home with a list of stopping places as I have been caught out driving in the dark looking for somewhere to stop. Otherwise will rely on POIs and following my nose!

That area wouldnt be my immediate choice but that doesnt mean its not worth seeing. Ive not been into Bordeaux itself but I gather its a lovely city but big cities are not really our thing. The coast is ok and there is the Dune de Pyla (largest dune in Europe) you can can climb up and jump off but the coast is a bit dull IMO until you get down to between Biarittz and St Jean du Luz but thats down near the Spanish border. The west coast around Bordeaux is only and hour and a half or so from the Dordgone though and the Lot Regions which are well worth seeing but will be full of Brits in summer. If you dont mind that then you could combine a bit of coast and inland. If its coastal you want though the best bits in my opinion are Brittany which is just stunning, The bit I mentioned at around Biarittz and the Cote D'Azur but you might want to avoid there peak season unless you have secondary transport. £100 a week though including fuel. I dont know how anyone can do that. Fuel has shot up in France and of course thanks to Brexit the exchange rate is poor. If you want to cut costs maybe just consider Normandy and Brittany. Both fabulous locations.

 

[Skar]

This is Portugal

Foz do Arelho?

 

[Channa]

£100 per week is very feasible being sensible but not that thrifty you end up doing nothing.

There is no need to pre book camping stops you travel as far as you are comfortable in a day and never far from somewhere to park up and a different attitude to the UK.

I lived full time in France for over 4 years including when exchange rates were last atrocious

My tip look at where the locals go cafes bars etc,,,if you sit with a coffee on the harbour front in St Tropez money will soon fly out your wallet and wish you had anaesthetic. But take the lead from locals

Bordeaux region is not bad but can be expensive as you come inland around St Emilion , hit Bergerac a little further west (Dordogne) and costs more palatable.

What I will say is when you have been to France ( don't underestimate the size of the place) and you return to the UK you realise what a narrow minded regime we have to live with . I find it embarrassing for French people visiting here.

Have a good time

Channa

 

[Wooie1958]

The wife says we need at least £100 a day to manage when we go over to France and apparently it`s easier if i just credit it straight into her bank account :idea:

 

[suneye]

£100 per week is very feasible being sensible but not that thrifty you end up doing nothing.

There is no need to pre book camping stops you travel as far as you are comfortable in a day and never far from somewhere to park up and a different attitude to the UK.

I lived full time in France for over 4 years including when exchange rates were last atrocious

My tip look at where the locals go cafes bars etc,,,if you sit with a coffee on the harbour front in St Tropez money will soon fly out your wallet and wish you had anaesthetic. But take the lead from locals

Bordeaux region is not bad but can be expensive as you come inland around St Emilion , hit Bergerac a little further west (Dordogne) and costs more palatable.

What I will say is when you have been to France ( don't underestimate the size of the place) and you return to the UK you realise what a narrow minded regime we have to live with . I find it embarrassing for French people visiting here.

Have a good time

Channa

Thanks for this. I lived near Paris for 6 months about 25 years ago but not seen much of the rest of the country or ever ventured out of Britain in the van so it's great to be able to hear from all this experience before setting off and making a lot of unnecessary mistakes (I'm sure I will still manage a fair few!).

 

[Private]

Fines

In my experience you can holiday in France for the price of the fuel plus the ferry cost over & above the cost of staying at home on a garden holiday (breakdowns excepted).
You have to eat at home, & use electric & gas therefore they are neutral expenses.

I have never spent a penny (sorry cent) on road tolls or camping fees whilst motorhoming in France.
It is even possible to get free electric hook-up if required (certainly out of season).

It is likely you will save money if you like to drink wine or smoke. If you don't, then bring plenty back as gifts.

Go slow though, as speed camera fines can add a lot to the cost when you return to find them in with the pile of junk mail on your doormat.
Fortunately I've not experienced this myself but the cameras are everywhere so although I drive slowly I still consider myself lucky.

 

[Maci]

We went to France last year July and August 6 weeks in total. For memory we spent £1470 including tunnel out and ferry back. Fuel cost by far the most then food and gifts for friends and ourselves. We stayed in mainly free aires but on the coast paid aires. We learnt to stay 2 nights wherever we landed to really explore where we were and to stop it being a driving holiday. Next time we head over I'm going to make a rough plan of things to see and do so we don't just drive on. It was an amazing holiday .

 

[suneye]

We went to France last year July and August 6 weeks in total. For memory we spent £1470 including tunnel out and ferry back. Fuel cost by far the most then food and gifts for friends and ourselves. We stayed in mainly free aires but on the coast paid aires. We learnt to stay 2 nights wherever we landed to really explore where we were and to stop it being a driving holiday. Next time we head over I'm going to make a rough plan of things to see and do so we don't just drive on. It was an amazing holiday .

Thanks that's useful. Maybe I need to have a bit more of a plan than I first thought, even if I don't stick to it!

 

[Jo001]

Just to add to what someone said earlier about going on sites to do laundry - a lot of supermarkets now have big washers and dryers in their car parks which are cheap and easy to use. If there are two of you, one can even do some shopping while the other watches the laundry so you aren't eating into your free time too much.

 

[barryd]

Thanks that's useful. Maybe I need to have a bit more of a plan than I first thought, even if I don't stick to it!

Yes you should. You dont need to stick to it rigidly but a plan is always a good idea. We tend to research both places and regions we want to see but equally important the best aires and wild spots. I spend hours doing that. Concentrate on the area(s) you want to visit and use the resources before you go to find out what you want to see and where you want to stay. Camper contact and CC Infos are great sites for finding the best places to park up and "France this way" is an excellent resource for researching the places your visiting. Make sure you have a phone, tablet or laptop with internet access when your away though so you can google stuff on the fly. For example if you google "Bordeaux France this way" it will bring up a detailed report on Bordeaux but that site also shows you other places of interest in that area. If a place gets its own write up its probably worth a look.

I spend hours and hours planning and it pays off although to be honest there is pretty much nowhere in France we havent been now although each year we head back to the same regions and departments and you usually find something new.

Motorhome Parkings and Campsites in Europe | *************

CAMPINGCAR-INFOS

Visit France - the France Travel Guide with places to visit and reviews from France This Way

There is also the France POI on here if your a full member and a few useful France downloads on my website here Downloads - Adventures In Hank The Tank

 

[suneye]

Just to add to what someone said earlier about going on sites to do laundry - a lot of supermarkets now have big washers and dryers in their car parks which are cheap and easy to use. If there are two of you, one can even do some shopping while the other watches the laundry so you aren't eating into your free time too much.

Worth knowing thanks - any way of knowing where to find these, although I am hoping for glorious sunshine of course and being able to wash and dry in the van, but just in case!!!

 

[suneye]

Yes you should. You dont need to stick to it rigidly but a plan is always a good idea. We tend to research both places and regions we want to see but equally important the best aires and wild spots. I spend hours doing that. Concentrate on the area(s) you want to visit and use the resources before you go to find out what you want to see and where you want to stay. Camper contact and CC Infos are great sites for finding the best places to park up and "France this way" is an excellent resource for researching the places your visiting. Make sure you have a phone, tablet or laptop with internet access when your away though so you can google stuff on the fly. For example if you google "Bordeaux France this way" it will bring up a detailed report on Bordeaux but that site also shows you other places of interest in that area. If a place gets its own write up its probably worth a look.

I spend hours and hours planning and it pays off although to be honest there is pretty much nowhere in France we havent been now although each year we head back to the same regions and departments and you usually find something new.

Motorhome Parkings and Campsites in Europe | *************

CAMPINGCAR-INFOS

Visit France - the France Travel Guide with places to visit and reviews from France This Way

There is also the France POI on here if your a full member and a few useful France downloads on my website here Downloads - Adventures In Hank The Tank

Thank you so much for taking time to share all this. This trip is about putting a toe in the water of venturing further afield in the van but I can see the value of some forethought thanks and particularly about being able to access the internet. Going to have to look at mifi or something similar.

 

[trixie88]

good on you suneye.....just go and enjoy it.......just make sure you have enough money to get you home.
but dont forget the necessities like medical/travel insurance and all that lark.......#

hope you keep us all updated with your adventure........green eyed monster waking up in me now.......lol most of all ENJOY IT.

 

[suneye]

good on you suneye.....just go and enjoy it.......just make sure you have enough money to get you home.
but dont forget the necessities like medical/travel insurance and all that lark.......#

hope you keep us all updated with your adventure........green eyed monster waking up in me now.......lol most of all ENJOY IT.

That's a good point I was relying on my European Health card (what used to be the E111 thingy) I'm assuming that as long as we don't suddenly brexit before July this will be OK.

 

[suneye]

Never had any trouble from our laundry when left alone what might it get up to ?

 

[trixie88]

That's a good point I was relying on my European Health card (what used to be the E111 thingy) I'm assuming that as long as we don't suddenly brexit before July this will be OK.

yes i think its ok...however, im very cautious now and would feel happier with some form of repatriation ins. in case of needing medical transport to get me. home....never know. but thats just me.......praps im over cautious at times.......enjoy and do keep us all updated.
there was a thread about the same subject as yours a few months ago with lots of advice on it....however, of couse its each to his own......you spend as much or as little as you want.

dont forget vehicle breakdown ins.....saves a lot of stress and hassle in case you need it. this to me woud be a necessity. (PEACE OF MIND)

 

[Deleted member 48528]

Thanks that is interesting, did you plan or book the campsite stops?

No, we got the ACSI card, and just looked them up in the book when we were in the area. The only thing we planned were the particular places of interest we wanted to visit, I.e. Cambrai WW1 battlefield where my grandfather died, Monet's garden, Arles for Vincent Van Gogh, Lascaux, etc, everything else’s was pot luck! We never plan stopovers, you can always find somewhere.