I have read a few posts quoting meal prices. What would people class as an average price in Euro's for a main meal.I guess it depends a lot on the area and the type of restaurant. I am trying to work out a daily budget.

It's really hard to give an average price... you can spend anything from
12 € for a lunch special
(two courses) in a café to
45 - 65 € for a lunch special(three courses) in an upscale restaurant.

Also depends on what part of France you're in - figure on higher prices in Paris.

Patricia

i guess we won't be eating in restaurants very much then as by the time I convert that to NZ dollars it is double.

For decent bistros (like Le Florimond or Chez Fernand), eating three courses with a pre-dinner cocktail or champagne, a bottle of vin rouge with dinner and coffee after dessert, averaged between 90 and 120 euros for two. Obviously, that varies by wine consumption, number of courses, etc., but it semed almost every dinner cost us about 110 euros. By the way. most of the meals were well worth the price.

By the way, I was talking about Paris on our last trip.

The most we decided to pay for a meal in Paris was 12 euros per person. I know that is miniscule compared to what other posters are willing to pay but that was our budget and we didn't starve. And the food was very good as well! Lunches were pre-made sandwiches from a boulangerie and the most we spent for 4 adults including drink and dessert was 34 euros. Our priority was not the food but the location. Others, I'm sure, may feel differently.

To conserve your NZ dollars:

1. Eat your main meal at lunch; look for the "formule" menu. That's a luncheon special. Often very good.

2. Avoid "name" restaurants. The little place around the corner deserves and needs your patronage.

3. Ask for the "house" wine -- if you must have wine. We don't.

4. Rent an apartment. Costs less, avoids crowds, no tipping, eat in for breakfast and dinner. We had a superb place that cost under $100 a day -- one bedroom, living room, full bath, full kitchen, terrace garden, 1/2 block to the metro, bus at our door, bakery across the street, immaculate.

5. Shop for food at Monoprix or similar discount grocery stores. We had a big supermarket one block away.

6. Use public transportation and avoid cabs. Get a detailed map and walk, walk, walk.

7. Do your laundry in your apartment. Many are equipped with washers and dryers. Ours were.

8. Stay in and eat in lower-rent districts -- we like the 15th. Avoid the touristy districts. I am sure this will bring a firestorm from the snooty people.

9. There are many, many, many activities in Paris that are free or low in cost.

10. Do not buy souvenirs for "the folks back home." Let them come on their own next time!

We had prix fixe dinners in Paris at less fancy restaurants/cafes for 14 euros each (including either the entree, which is the appetizer, and main course, or main course and dessert) that were delicious. Count at least 4-6 euros for each glass of wine or beverage, and remember that soft drinks are quite expensive - you might as well have wine. Beer (sorry) is also expensive, but quite good. And unlike America, you don't have to figure another 15%-20% to pay the server. In short, we were pleasantly surprised. And pay attention to those who suggest buying prepared sandwiches and picnic fixings from boulangeries and charcuteries; don't forget your corkscrew. Enjoy!

Whatever you do, don't buy soft drinks at restaurants and cafes.

Hey dutchkiwi,

I was in Paris in May and I was on a budget (nothing crazy but had to be careful). I spent between 5-25 euro on every meal. In the latin quarter is where we found the most reasonably priced meals. We had chinese one night for 7 euro which included a drink, 3 choices of dishes and a dessert, I ate a 3 course meal of tzatziki, calamari with rice and baklava for dessert at restaurant calle LE PAROS in the lating quarter for only 8 euro, I had huge beautiful grilled shrimp with baked potato, olives and a complimentary glass of wine for 22 euro at LES ARGONAUTES also in the latin quarter and the restaurant was the highlight of our trip! For lunch grab a baguette on the street for 3-5 euro, or stop by monoprix or franprix and make a picnic lunch, snack on crepes from vendors and enjoy a decent meal at a decent price in the latin quarter. You will find plenty of places for relatively cheap if you look. Have a great time!!! I am sooooo jealous! Paris is amazing!

layla

The restaurant I went to near my hotel was very reasonable. 7 Euros for spagetti bolognaise, 2.90 Euros for a nice lettuce salad (with a great dressing), and then I think 2.60 Euros for a glass of wine.

So about 12.50 Euros for all 3. There was a very good pizza margherita for around 7 Euros, maybe 8 at most. That was plenty enough for 1 person, I never could finish one. I also ate some meals from monoprix, I'd get a baguette, some cous cous, fruit, etc.

We just returned from two weeks in France. We averaged 48 E/a day for two people for two meals (lunch and dinner) in Normandy and Brittany. Our second week in Paris, we averaged 51 E/a day for two - two meals a day. We either had a light lunch - sandwiches, pizza, crepes and then a nice dinner or reversed. If we had a nice dinner at noon, then we had the light meal in our apartment in the evening. I think we may have spent less this trip on food because of the difference in the dollar/euro - we made the effort to economize more. There is really no average price for a main meal - it's whatever you decide to spend. You can spend quite a lot or you can spend very little. It's totally up to you. I didn't feel that we sacrificed anything - the smaller, less well known places can be just as much fun and probably just about as good. I would say you have to decide what the budget will allow and go for it. You can always splurge on a nice meal, and then have a picnic the next to make it average out. That's pretty much what we did for two weeks, and it worked quite well.

OMG! I've been trying to remember for about 10 years the name of the restaurant where I found the dead pigeon under my chair - Les Argonautes, that was it!

Seriously, the place was gross. Maybe it's been cleaned up a bit. I hope. But I'd also like to point out that you absolutely do not have to slink around those Greek restaurants in the 5ème or on the rue Mouffetard to get good value for the money. Personally, I'd rather have a nice fresh sandwich or salad from Paul, or Asian takeout on the rue Buci than walk into one of those places where they waiters are outside trying to haul you in and holding platters of plastic food replicas.

I also don't want pizza or Chinese or souvlaki for lunch or dinner in Paris except as a respite from French food now and then. You can actually get fresh and wonderful local food for the same prices if you're careful and do some research.

Of course, I'm not a student on a budget anymore and my culinary standards have risen over the years. My 20-year old daughter's favorite restaurant in Paris, and she's a veteran traveler there already, is Punjab. Next favorite, the Thai restaurant on the Avenue Duquesne. After that, a crêpe from anywhere that has good crêpes - so it all depends on what you're looking for.

I would not agree, however, that the best value for the money is in the 5ème. The least cost for the most food maybe, but that's different.

thankyou all very much for your very helpful advice. I realise Paris will be more expensive, but we are only there for 3 days unfortunately. We are spending 3 more weeks staying in the Dordogne area, Collioure and Uzes.We are staying in Gites so that we can prepare some of own own food to save money.

Try the cafes at the Louvre Museum ('believe it's called the Carousel). Reasonably priced and all sorts of food choices (we loved the food from Lebanon - and their mint tea).

Hi

you will find that Languedoc restaurant prices are cheaper than Paris ......... and Provence.

This week I've been eating a 3 course lunch for Euro 11.50. This was in a seaside resort. Prices are lower inland.

Peter