Prices in France

[carpquarry]

Hi all

Just wanted to let you all know about the cost of things in France if you are coming over on holiday, a must read if you are self catering. The rate you get at the moment is about 1.05euro to the £1 and this is based in the Brittany area of France.

Most of the food out here is at least double the price of the UK so make sure that you bring food with you. You cant get hold of english sausages and bacon. Wine is still very cheap you can get a good bottle of red for 1.5euro and bottled water is cheap,eggs and bread are about the same as the UK.

Fuel costs ( from a supermarket petrol station ) are petrol about 1.25euro and deisel is cheap at 1euro

Fags are about 5 to 5.50 euro per pack so get them on the ferry from DFree about £4.40 you can buy single packs from the bar (brittany ferries) at £3.30 but you are only ment to buy 1 pack.

You also tend to get the best exchange rates on the boat.

If the lake you are going to offers a food package at less than £200 for the week go for it as it is a good deal if no food package is offered bring your own grub all the french now are going to the UK to buy food and most other items.

I hope this artical saves you all a few quid

[david1951]

I think a food package of £200 for the week is excessive, most of the venues I have looked at charge around £120 for the week. As for the exchange rates, I think that you can get a better deal from the post office or supermarkets e.g. Tesco who offer currency exchange.

[carpquarry]

I am not saying you should pay £200 this is what I think would be top wack but anything less than that is a fair deal as for exchange rate I have always got a better deal on brittany ferries all i am saying it may be worth a phone call, Lunn poly also do a good deal it pays to look around rather than just going to the first place that is easy like the post office.

[coops_northants]

Very good thread this, and dead handy if your planning your first trip.

 

I found some of the prices were massive, 1euro per can of soft drinks and 2euro per 500ml bottle. The food like you say is expensive. I paid 4.50 euro for a Ham and cheese roll While travelling through.

 

You should keep us posted through the year, that would be really useful

[carpquarry]

They are now starting to have English sections in the supermarkets where you can get a lot of things but you have to be prepared to pay through the nose for it ie. tin of baked beans 1.30euros. A Couple of things that you will not get out here or are very hard to find are brown sauce and luncheon meat. You can get bacon and sausages from the frozen English section but again they are very expensive i.e 6euros for a packet of bacon.

Will keep you up to date with info and stupid prices.

[discocarper]

Will keep you up to date with info and stupid prices.

What do you mean 'Stupid prices' the price hasn't changed here, it's the plummeting pound that that makes it appear that way. 1 Euro here is 1 Euro end of, the Fench (and the rest of Europe) don't give a toss that our currency fluctuates every other day

If people can't do without 'Brown sauce' for a few days in France, either bring it with you or pay the price without the moaning !!!!

Or God forbid try some French food and maybe enhance the whole experience

Disco

[dondoncarp]

If going from dover...try the dover currency exchange..always a better rate and no minimun amount required,and whats more its on route if your coming via the M20...about e 3 minute drive from the port...i`m spending everyother week living in boulogne at the moment lookijng after a boat so i know how our week pound is hammering us on the continent

[etangdebrigueuil]

I think I'm right in saying that if you have a Nationwide card when you draw money out abroad you get the bank rate (which is normally a lot better) not the tourist rate.

[leggs007]

discocarper 6euro for a packet of bacon is stupid price in any country

[carpquarry]

I have to say the baked beans are 1.60euro not 1.30 and if the exchange rate was £1 to 1.5e that is still over a £1 for a tin !!!

[coops_northants]

Will keep you up to date with info and stupid prices.

What do you mean 'Stupid prices' the price hasn't changed here, it's the plummeting pound that that makes it appear that way. 1 Euro here is 1 Euro end of, the Fench (and the rest of Europe) don't give a toss that our currency fluctuates every other day

If people can't do without 'Brown sauce' for a few days in France, either bring it with you or pay the price without the moaning !!!!

Or God forbid try some French food and maybe enhance the whole experience

Disco

 

I thought the whole point of the thread was to show the travelling anglers what they would encounter so they could bring their own stuff if they couldn't do without it rather than have their hands forced into paying stupid price for the things they trust. I would happily try the french stuff but sometimes you need to know what your eating rather than hoping you like what you find.

 

I have a cash and carry card for the UK, maybe i could help you guys out with some cheap goodies.....

[frenchdub]

I must admit I agree with Discocarper...Prices have been pretty stable in France and going by the govt figures, inflation is low or even going down... see fuel prices compared to last year for example.

 

However if you seek out expensive imported food it stands to reason it will be more expensive.... the French don't eat baked beans so shops chosing to sell them will need to import from the UK... transport is a huge cost so can easily double the price to the public.

Try buying a half way decent bottle of Appellation Controlé Bordeaux in the UK, or a piece of brie... and you'll see what I mean.

 

You can get French sausages that are IMO far nicer as they actually have meat in and not 90% rusk...try the "sausisses aux herbes"....yummy

Everyone goes on about a full English when away!!! but how often do most people eat that? I lived 20 years in the UK and I doubt I had more than a couple a year. Yet toast, cereals and tea or coffee is cheap...and easy to knock up on the bank.

 

Things are getting more European so I'm sure most of the items available in France can be found in Tesco's or Sainsburys if you look... so recognising food stuffs is less of a problem...but fruit and veg is more seasonal here, price wise... tomatoes go for under a Euro a kilo in seasoin and 3 Euros now...for Spanish green house ones...

 

What I do when out fishing is go to the local restaurant at lunch time. Last year I had an excellent three course meal with wine for 10 Euros. Most rural cafés do this type of menu at midday. Get a couple of baguettes and some paté for the evening and voilà you can eat well for far less than 200 quid and not have to wash up...

 

Cheers

Gareth

[etangdebrigueuil]

Although I agree with you in principle Gareth, myself and most British Guys we have had would disagree with you when it comes to the Andouillette or Troyes tripp sausage's. These are enough to make you heave and if they are the first sausages you purchased in France it would be enough to put you off for good. They do sell what we know as Baked beans (haricot blanc) in tomato sauce but they are nowhere near as tasty they are in the UK. But in general you can survive for a week in France very comfortably without having to struggle to much, lets face it its no 'I'm a celebrity jungle challenge' is it

[frenchdub]

Although I agree with you in principle Gareth, myself and most British Guys we have had would disagree with you when it comes to the Andouillette or Troyes tripp sausage's. These are enough to make you heave and if they are the first sausages you purchased in France it would be enough to put you off for good.

 

Yes here I must agree, while after 25 years in France I now find UK food ..well different now, I have never got a taste for such things as you mention.... then again I've never eaten baked beans either..but I hear some people think they are delicious

cheers

Gareth

[carpquarry]

This post may run and run, it was not posted to slag down France after all I live and work here there are also alot of good things fantastic fishing, roads, countryside, heathcare, schools, cheap houses. I could go on and on.It was just posted to let fishermen from the UK what they may need to bring with them or the prices they may have to pay for what ever reason from exchange rate to the fact the french pay 60-65% in tax/social charges. So all of you who live in France please let everyone know what you think are a must to do or try when in France. For me you have to get yourself down to the local cake shop they are fantastic.

[icemaster]

Great post but lets be honest, if you're organised you can stock up the basics youare going to need before you leave the UK, things like bacon, beans etc. There is a 24 hour Tescos at J10 on the M20, which serves us well as a meeting point, a last minute get bits and a quick stop before we get to Dover. That way we don't have worry about food for the 1st few days

[gillcover]

well I have done france fishing a good few times,now I have me own lake in france .

But here is what I used to do, on the net I bought a fridge works on gas ,mains .and car. two anglers all the meat we needed plus milk .all tinned veg and beans etc no shopping at all during a week in France .

The fridge is about 2 feet square bit like a chest freezer top opening and set me back around 175 quid if turned right up it froze things (even better).

French shopping is ok you just have to think a bit more about it , I'd rather be fishing then shopping tho