Lacitis

Hello,

My family is thinking of going to France -- starting with Nice -- for 3 weeks in September. We're from Seattle. I tried various Web sites and the airfare keeps ending up the same. And SkyAuction, which I have used, cost even more because of the various add-ons. I tried a Seattle-London-then-cheap-airline-to-France and that didn't seem that great, either. Any suggestions?

Then I started trying to figure out lodging and food and car rental at the exchange rate for Euros, and I'm thinking, the Caribbean or Mexico would be lots cheaper.

For those of you who went to France this summer on a budget, what did you find your daily costs added up to?

Thanks!

Erik in Seattle

kerouac

It is not difficult to save money on travel in France. It just depends what adjustments to your trip you are willing to accept.

For example, when my parents used to come to France for visits, they were very happy to picnic in the hotel room at least half of the time. Some people would find this unacceptable.

Lacitis

Dear Kerourac,

Getting food at a grocery, a sandwich from a street stall, is great. We do that all the time when we travel.

It is the airfare and lodging that get me. And if I decide to rent a car.

Thanks!

Erik

zeppole

This may not work at all but:

Have you tried pricing a routing that arrives through Genova (Italy)? Genova is about 3 hours by train from Nice.

Where are you going in France other than Nice?

Some people who I know who regularly travel from the states to southwest France have been using Air India to get them as far as London.

zeppole

PS: Have you looked into leasing a car instead of renting one?

bilboburgler

Is there any good flights into Barcelona or Madrid?

If you need to drive costs down eat the main meal at midday on the fixed menu (means you have to eat what every one else is) but eating 3 courses similar to that which the local builders will work out cheap.

blh

We are going to France in October. Obviously, it's going to cost more than our trip did in 2007. However, we are trying to cut back on some things - food and lodging. Our lodging is averaging about 65E a night for small apartments, hotels, and B&B's. The B&B's will include breakfast, and the others have a kitchette, so we will be able to have breakfast in the room (and some take out occasionally at night).

We got a good rate on a rental car from Kemwel. Also, plan to get PREM train tickets from SCNF from Paris to the Dordogne (only 17E each).

I looked into going somewhere less expensive - Canada or Buenes Aires, but the bottom line was that we really wanted to go back to France. Fortunately, we have FF miles, so the flight wasn't part of the equation. I don't know how you will get around the cost of the flights.

Good luck to you and hope you will get other suggestions!

j_999_9

Have you looked into renting an apartment and having most of your meals there -- simple that don't require a lot of prep?

You'll save money on food and lodging, compared to staying in a hotel.

cmenoni

We're leaving Sept. 3 for 18 days, mostly in France. Our airfare from St. Louis to Brussels is $942/pp, booked in January. Our Europcar rental for a VW Polo, with a pre-payment discount, is $537. Our hotels, with breakfast costs included, is averaging $102 per day for 2 people. This is using small hotels in rural areas, such as Logis de France.

ira

Hi L,

You might find it cheaper to fly into London LGW, Paris, Rome or Milan and take another flight to Nice. See www.whichbudget.com

zeppole

Yes, and if you don't absolutely make Nice your first stop off the plane, don't forget there are airports within striking distance of Nice, like Marseilles, Montpellier, Lyon and I would think Monaco, that might have regular flights from major connecting points with the US.

lola618

I too have considered going somewhere other than Europe due to the weak dollar. I am going to Paris in November and every time the dollar falls against the Euro (currently 1.60something), it hurts my heart.

If this keeps up, I am planning on South America next year.

Lacitis

Dear forum folks,

Thank you so much for your great ideas! I'll follow up on them.

I'm trying to figure out cheap Seattle-London airfare, but with little luck. Not out of Seattle, not out of Vancounver, B. C.

Cheap flights to Europe you can get from major East Coast cities, and L.A., and sometimes San Francisco.

Seattle, where Boeing started, good luck!

I did get my hopes up on a couple of them, but then when you add the infamous taxes and fees and gas surcharge, a $700 roundtrip comes in at $1200-1300.

Thanks again!

Erik

zeppole

I think that if you're coming from Seattle and looking to fly into Nice for much less than $1200 RT, you may be looking for a needle in a haystack, maybe even if you are willing to change planes twice.

As I'm sure you already know, you can get to Frankfurt non-stop from Seattle.

You can get to Nice non-stop from JFK.

I don't know if there are any bargains to JFK from Seattle, but Lufthansa might have some to places near Nice, and if you start looking at 2-stops, Aer Lingus might have some cheap fares.

But presuming you can't knock down the air costs, then -- in answer to your original question:

Rent an apartment for the bulk of your stay.

Try to rent within a good train hub, or else plan a vacation that doesn't rely daytripping.

Pick an area of France with a high ratio of accommodations to a low amount of September tourism. (Ski resorts locations.)

It looks like you're trying to save about $500 per ticket. Over 3 weeks, that's $26 per day per person.

You'd have post more about what your rock bottom is in terms of accommodations, sightseeing, eating, shopping -- before the whole trip is no longer worthwhile -- for people to show you where you might squeeze $2000 or more out of your costs.