Costs
Because of the relatively low cost of accommodation and eating out, at least by northern European standards, France may not seem an outrageously expensive place to visit, though this will depend on the relative strength of your own country's currency. When and where you go also makes a difference: in main resorts hotel prices can go up by a third during July and August, while places like Paris and the Cote d'Azur are always more expensive than the other regions. For a reasonably comfortable existence, including a hotel room for two, a light restaurant lunch and a proper restaurant dinner, plus moving around, cafe stops and museum visits, you need to allow at least 600F/?90 a day per person. But by counting the pennies, staying at cheap hostels (around 100F/?15.25 for bed and breakfast) or camping (from 30F/?4.58), and being strong-willed about extra cups of coffee and doses of culture, you could manage on 250F/?38 a day, to include a cheap restaurant meal - less if your eating is limited to street snacks or market food. For two or more people, hotel accommodation is nearly always cheaper and better value than hostels, which are only worth staying at if you're by yourself and want to meet other travellers. A sensible average estimate for a double room would be around 280F/?43, though perfectly adequate but simple doubles can be had from 190F/?29. Single-rated and -sized rooms are often available, beginning from 140F/?21 in a cheap hotel. Breakfast at hotels is normally an extra 30F/?4.50, for coffee, croissant and orange juice - about the same as you'd pay in a bar (where you'll normally find the coffee and ambience more agreeable). As for other food , you can spend as much or as little as you like. There are large numbers of reasonable restaurants with three- or four-course menus for between 65F/?10 and 120F/?18; the lunchtime or midi menu is nearly always cheaper. Picnic fare , obviously, is much less costly, especially when you buy in the markets and cheap supermarket chains, and takeaway baguette sandwiches from cafes are not extortionate. Wine and beer are both very cheap in supermarkets; buying wine from the barrel at village co-op cellars will give you the best value for money. The mark-up on wine in restaurants is high, though the house wine in cheaper establishments is still very good value. Drinks in cafes and bars are what really make a hole in your pocket: black coffee, wine and draught lager are the cheapest drinks to order; glasses of tap water are free; and remember that it's cheaper to be at the bar than at a table. Transport will inevitably be a large item of expenditure if you move around a lot, which makes some kind of train pass a good idea, although French trains are in any case good value, with many discounts available - two sample one-way fares are Paris to Toulouse, 445F/?67.86, and Paris to Montpellier, 379F/?57.80. Buses are cheaper, though prices vary enormously from one operator to another. Bicycles cost about 80F/?12 per day to rent. Petrol prices shot up in late 2000, and at the time of writing were around 7.70F/?1.17 a litre for unleaded ( sans plomb ), around 7.80F/?11.90 a litre for Super and around 5.50F/?8.40 a litre for diesel; there are 3.8 litres to the US gallon. Most autoroutes have tolls: rates vary, but to give you an idea, travelling only by motorway from Calais to Montpellier would cost you around 379F/?57.80. Museums and monuments can also prove a big wallet-eroder. Reduced admission is often available for those over 60 and under 18 (for which you'll need your passport as proof of age) and for students under 26 (for which you'll need an International Student Identity Card, or ISIC). Many museums and monuments are free for children under 12, and nearly always for kids under 4. Under-26s can also get a free youth card , or Carte Jeune , available in France from youth travel agencies like USIT and from main tourist offices (120F/?18.30; valid for a year), which entitles you to reductions in France and throughout Europe. Several towns operate a global ticket for their museums and monuments.
Tour France On Line (Video + Stills)David Mundstock says "My recent film “Napoleon Slept Here” takes you all around France, beginning and ending in Paris, with Notre Dame Cathedral, the Pompidou Center, Eiffel Tower, Napoleon’s Tomb, Sainte-Chapelle’s stained glass & the City of Lights at night; plus Nimes with its Roman Arena and Temple, the walled city of Carcassonne, Lourdes, the Palace of Chenonceau, a peek at the Bayeux Tapestry, and much more.
This is a free, non-commercial, streaming video on the Windows Media Player. No ads and no strings attached. I sell absolutely nothing. All you need is a high speed internet connection.
The gallery of French still pictures can be viewed with any modem.
There are over 30 of my other amateur travel videos on-line. Visit Italy, England, Antarctica, Bali, Australia, China, Russia, Florida, Mayan Pyramids, Kenya, Hawaii, Greece, American National Parks, or Turkey; see elephants, whales, penguins, or polar bears.
The planet is yours, including my Home Page giant galaxy of still pictures.
To access both the videos and stills, please ask a search engine for:
Intrepid Berkeley Explorer" AnnaaNNa says "Joverh stinks. you stink. Texas is better!" to riangage says "u r so meen i hate u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!booooooo hoooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1"
Your Tip for France
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to France - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to France - visit the main France forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the France webguide section below! Thanks.
|
