[Don_Madge]

I lifted this from the Motorhome List it don't make for good reading. 8O


"Got back from France/Spain/Portugal/Spain/France a week ago. Best gazole price I saw in France was 90cents and that was down in the Vendee somewhere. Most supermarkets seemed to be around 94 cents. Spain was around 80cents and Portugal was over 1 euro, though I saw one garage at 98cents and queues around the block.

Food was dearer than England in France and Portugal (e.g. 2 euros for a round, small, cabbage) though some fruit was cheaper in Portugal (oranges 1.5euros for 5 kilos in the Algarve, cherries 2euros/kilo roadside stall in the far north). Meals out were even dearer than last year even in euros let alone pounds. No wonder McDonalds continue their advance.

Spain was about the same as England if you weren't tied to UK brands. The exception was wine at 55 cents/litre for red/white/rose bricks in Lidl Spain. Drinkable and even enjoyable. Same wine in Lidl Portugal was 87cents. A similar wine though French or Italian, not Spanish, in Lidl France was 1.80 euros.

Came back up the Atlantic coast where most aires were charging.
Altogether noticeably dearer even than last year."

 

[Zebedee]

We're just back from Brittany Don, and the difference in the prices in non-touristy interior and anywhere with foreign (to France) number plates was dramatic.

Just a couple of examples.

Cafe creme was €2.80 in many touristy areas, but inland it was as low as €1.25.

A small custard and fruit tart was €3.50 near the coast, but again inland it was €1.18 for exactly the same cake.

Couldn't believe the difference, but took full advantage . . . hence the need for a few more holes in me belt!! 8O :lol: :lol:

Dave

 

[DTPCHEMICALS]

We found the same in Crete a few weeks ago, couldn`t afford to get tipsy


Dave P

 

[Don_Madge]

Thanks for that tip Dave.

If all goes well I'm planning to "road test" my neck in Portugal in September. I'm hoping the Euro will improve against the pound sterling by then and I will plan my route via non touristy ares. Easy to do in France and Spain.

Don

 

[Grizzly]

Very true Don; the price rise is horrifying ! Italian autostrada toll charges went up on May 1st and that was a steep rise too.

We normally bring back wine but hardly bothered this time. When I got back I got 6 bottles of my favourite plonk at our local Tesco for less than Carrefour Amiens were charging the week before.

I've altered the prices for 3 aires / sostas in the MHF database - they have all gone from 12 euros to 18 within 6 months.

We paid- and won't do it again ! - £4.50 each for a cup of coffee in a Swiss service station.

G

 

[Don_Madge]

Hi G,

We have friends who sold up and started full timing about five years ago, they had a very good life style until last year but are now suffering very badly.

They are now on a very limited income and in fact have now started to eat into their capital.

They are in Portugal at present and can't really afford to bring the van back to the UK for its annual service and MOT. In their own words they have joined the growing band of "Free Loaders" who are at their wits end worrying how things will turn out. What was paradise five years ago is slowly turning into a nightmare.

Don

 

[homenaway]

Hi,
Just to scare you I am parked on an ACSI discount card campsite in Switzerland - the first where we have found free wifi in almost a month - anything up to 8CHF /hour just to use a web browser at one site!!

Although diesel is cheaper here than in France I paid 1.50 CHF last week now 1.58 (about 95p), food is horrendously expensive especially meat small chicken about £8 and anything other than very basics items about double the cost compared to France and as for eating in restaurants!!!

Site fees are typically €20 even at €15 ACSI sites as tourist tax is high plus there's a rubbish bag charge sometimes. Found a few free aires in Switzerland but mostly they cost as much as the campsites.

We baulked at trips on lake steamers and cable cars not much change from £50 each but went on to the Italian Lakes where we zigzagged across Lake Como on the ferries for €11 each for an all day ticket. Also did a food topup at an Italian supermarket before coming over the St Gotthard Pass - fantastic with still quite a lot of snow up high.

Fantastic scenery in Switzerland although its been wet today after two weeks of sunshine.

Got a slow puncture in Italy - €120 for a new Pirelli tyre at a tyre fitters luckily just down the road from a campsite

Now heading back west - slowly!

Steve

 

[Don_Madge]

Thanks Steve,

I'm beginning to wish I hadn't started this thread. 8O 8O

Don

 

[Coulstock]

Don't Come Home

We've just been to our local CE Primary School Fete this afternoon ( roast hog and pony rides or was it roast pony and hog rides ) and it cost us the equivalent of 4 Euros EACH to get in - no lucky programme raffle number etc etc . -nice cakes & tea ( ie 1 cake + tea = £2.50 ) - as our daughter in law commented " Was this a private school ??"

And it threatened to rain - I shudder to think about those poor souls at Stratford MH rally

How is the weather in Europe ???

Harry

 

[raynipper]

Friday.
Just been for a look round St. Mere Eglise. The whole place is packed with people in new repro uniforms of all nations smelling of mustiness and cardboard boxes.

The main square has many cheap French food tents and long queue's of military looking personal with plastic beer in hand waiting to get served. Bit of a carnival atmosphere where the locals are cashing in on the last big date.

Sad really.

Sat. Just tried to get to Colville sur Mer where Obama is going to be. The whole place is cordened off for about 5 miles in any direction. So went back to St. Mere Eglise for more of the same as yesterday only more so.
Absolutely packed with thousands of people in uniforms from all countries. 40's music and dancing. Lines of tables and then later chairs in the square. Must have been 200 + Harley Davison bikes there as well.

Chips €2 and €4, sausages €3.20 and beer €2 and €4 treat out.

Off to Le Mans tomorrow. Sunday. For a whole week of peace and quiet..!!!!

We are just watching the BBC coverage at Arowmanches and I'm appalled at all the dignitaries standing under cover while all the old soldiers and sailors are having to stand out in the rain.

We saw no rain at all till we came home to Portbail.

Ray.

 

[loddy]

I am in the champagne region of France and quite surprised at the cost of everything (apart from wine ) cheapest unleaded I have seen is 1.22 euro per litre and the local markets are very expensive, even more so than carrefore,eg 2 small peices of fish and a handful of prawns 25 euros

loddy

 

[Penquin]

We were in the Dordogne last week and confirm what has been put above, cheapest Gazoil was €0.929 and most expensive we saw €1.22 - which we did not buy! LPG was €0.57 per litre.

Food very expensive, we used markets and still expensive, L'Eclerc OK if you eat local food. Mussels were cheap! Retaurants do formule menu at lunchtime (12.00 - 2.00 only) and we found good 3 courses for €8 each.
Wine OK in hypermarket €4 - 5 bought good local red wine.

There is no answer, although we have arranged for a free site for part of the summer in one village by talking to the Mayor who's decision goes!

We will have to grin and bear it for holiday, but will curtail trips etc and use bikes!

Dave

 

[derek500]

We paid- and won't do it again ! - £4.50 each for a cup of coffee in a Swiss service station.

You should get yourself a motorhome with a cooker and buy a kettle.

 

[Zozzer]

I'd welcome any feedback regarding general prices from members touring Eastern Europe, specifically Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary in comparison to the Euro-zone.

 

[Grizzly]

We paid- and won't do it again ! - £4.50 each for a cup of coffee in a Swiss service station.

You should get yourself a motorhome with a cooker and buy a kettle.

Do you know...I never thought of that ! I wondered what that funny cupboard in the corner was for.

When my son was 6 he threw a strop and refused to get out of the van as we went through Switzerland. He can say now that he's never set foot in Switzerland but he has been there. After this we're going to do the same thing.

G

 

[moblee]

We are just watching the BBC coverage at Arowmanches and I'm appalled at all the dignitaries standing under cover while all the old soldiers and sailors are having to stand out in the rain.

Yes I noticed that as well,ray.
.................................................................,

eg 2 small peices of fish and a handful of prawns 25 euros,that's a terrible price loddy,I just hope when we go we are getting more Euro's for our pound otherwise we may have to Holiday this side of the channel.

 

[Rapide561]

Prices

Hi

For the purpose of the conversion, I am working on 1.10 euro to the pound. This was available as cash at the post office yesterday.

Diesel in Calais at the BP place I gnerally use - 0.999 euro per litre - so about 90p - that's a good 13p per litre less than I paid yesterday in Ashby.

Diesel in Luxembourg - 0.841 euro per litre - about 76p.

Tolls - we must avoid them like the plague. I am off to Tuscany soon and am hopeful of less than a tenner on tolls each way.

Food shopping - we are up against two things here - rising food prices and the duff euro rate. Where food is concerned, I buy what I like and to hell with the price. I would rather have French butter than Lurpak! I will however cut a cost elsewhere - such as by sleeping at the Calais ferry terminal rather than a Calais campsite.

Russell

 

[113016]

Yes all the above noted.
We are off to France in a few week and I noted the other day that the PO was giving around 109E to 1£ which is about 10% less than we got last year.
I am budgeting on about a 10% increase for my total holiday costing.
I will be mostly using aires with the occasional municipal camp site with nearly zero in tolls.
But if it does cost more, there is nothing that we can really do about it as it will cost what it costs.
We mostly cook in or outside the M/H and we have the full size fridge and it will be rammed full.
Our last years holiday for 18 nights cost £800 inc ferry & Red Pennant.
I expect under £1000 for this year as our ferry cost less.

 

[orian]

Yes all the above noted.
We are off to France in a few week and I noted the other day that the PO was giving around 109E to 1£ which is about 10% less than we got last year.
I am budgeting on about a 10% increase for my total holiday costing.
I will be mostly using aires with the occasional municipal camp site with nearly zero in tolls.
But if it does cost more, there is nothing that we can really do about it as it will cost what it costs.
We mostly cook in or outside the M/H and we have the full size fridge and it will be rammed full.
Our last years holiday for 18 nights cost £800 inc ferry & Red Pennant.
I expect under £1000 for this year as our ferry cost less.

We are also off to France in July and agree with most of the points Grath has made except we don't have a large fridge!
I intend to make good use of Aires and I am hoping there will be plenty of space given the current exchange rate. We intend to make good use of the bikes and walk more than usual. We are vegetarians, so therefore we have no option but to self cater in France.
Having to watch the pennies I hope I can spend slightly less than Grath during my 23 day tour.

 

[113016]

Yes all the above noted.
We are off to France in a few week and I noted the other day that the PO was giving around 109E to 1£ which is about 10% less than we got last year.
I am budgeting on about a 10% increase for my total holiday costing.
I will be mostly using aires with the occasional municipal camp site with nearly zero in tolls.
But if it does cost more, there is nothing that we can really do about it as it will cost what it costs.
We mostly cook in or outside the M/H and we have the full size fridge and it will be rammed full.
Our last years holiday for 18 nights cost £800 inc ferry & Red Pennant.
I expect under £1000 for this year as our ferry cost less.

We are also off to France in July and agree with most of the points Grath has made except we don't have a large fridge!
I intend to make good use of Aires and I am hoping there will be plenty of space given the current exchange rate. We intend to make good use of the bikes and walk more than usual. We are vegetarians, so therefore we have no option but to self cater in France.
Having to watch the pennies I hope I can spend slightly less than Grath during my 23 day tour.

The £800 that we spent last year included Red Pennant which I think was around £120 and our ferry which from memory was either £87 or £107 and then around £250 for fuel and £20 in tolls.
If you deduct all of the above you will see that we had under £400 for spending money & extra food that we had to buy.
I did not think that was bad at all.


By the way, although I said that I expect a 10% increase this year, or maybe up to £1000.
I would like to spend only the same as last year, but I wont spoil the holiday for a few quid.