France has been the most popular international tourist destination for many, many years. In 2010, France received 76.8 million tourists. This was 17.1 million above the next most popular, which was the United States of America. The UK was way down in sixth place with 28.1 million.
There are many reasons people to go to France, from its amazing culture, its world-class art collections, stunning beaches, picturesque rural landscapes and towering snow-covered mountains. But one thing you don’t normally choose a French holiday for is the price.
Ever since adopting the Euro, prices in France have sky rocketed. Even the small rural backwaters in the south and central plains have seen beer, wine, cheese and meat prices rise. Fuel has increased, so have holiday rental prices, yet still, the whole world flocks there.
However, don’t be put off just yet. If you haven’t been to France you won’t know what all the fuss is about and we recommend that you do go and find out why so many millions of people want to holiday here. But, bear these things in mind so you can have a value-packed and affordable holiday in France.
Self-catering vs. all-inclusive
A decade ago self-catering was always the cheapest way to go and depending on where abouts you are travelling to, this is still the case. But sometimes all-inclusive packages actually work out better value for money.
For example, if you are travelling to the south of France for a beach break with the kids and need to budget well in advance a paid-for-up-front all-inclusive holiday could be the answer. You will know how much you are going to spend before you even leave the UK and you might even be able to bag yourself a Euro-busting bargain.
On the other hand, if you want to sample French food in all its glory, wandering from café to café and restaurant to restaurant, then self-catering may offer you more flexibility. However, if you want to save cash, make the most of the local food markets and buy and cook your own meals.
Travel as a group
Packing as many people as you can into a large villa with a pool to save money ‘per person’ is nothing new, but you can now also do a similar thing in a hotel. Some last minute or cheap package deals offer the best prices based on four or six sharing. Look out for odd numbers too; groups of three, five and seven could strike it lucky. However, this does usually just work on an adult-only basis. But take note that many tour operators offer free kids’ places.