Just hypothetically... Driving in rural France; costs of

[addo]

I've soaked up ripping tales of narrow roads, rocky passes and breathtaking views. It all sounds really exciting to someone from a country where the highest peak is barely ¾ mile above sea level.

Now - if I were to barter with one of my clients for a return airfare to the UK later this year - what typical fees and imposts does one endure? Plan would include pestering an FCF member to privately hire me a Xantia or similar (if it were for the sake of officialdom, a "loan" is it covered by the owner's insurance?), then return transit across, and up to a week or so, of just driving/sightseeing.

Stuff I can't find, includes an online daily "user updated" list of fuel prices for France. Also, some experienced commentary on the type of roads I propose to run, would be interesting - especially in light of weather influence and snap changes. Routes suggested to consider, would be good food for thought.

I suppose this reveals me as a heathen, with no respect for French culture in the form of architecture or galleries... Looking forward to any suggestions!

Thanks, Adam.

[HDI]

There's a couple of ex-pat France based brits on here so you will get answers soon enough. Fuel is more expensive than the UK but most everything else is cheaper. Best get a diesel Xantia to use

Having said that , Hotels were once cheap but sadly not any more. When I first started going to Paul Ricard and Lemans in the late 80's it was easy to get accommodation at French B&B's known as Logis for extremely modest prices. The lowest I can recall paying for a room and breakfast was £6.00 !! And the breakfast was superb !! That was overlooking the Med just on the road that led upto Paul Ricard. But Hotels generally were so modestly priced and of such good standards. Some of the best ever meals I have ever eaten were at little Logis in the middle of nowhere. Stopping at one of these little Oasis after a long ride on our bikes at the end of a hot day was a delight. The host's were so eager to please it was totally alien to what we suffered in the UK.
My favourite Hotel for the Les 24 Heures du Mans was on the Main street in Alencon , must look up the name. There would be some really cool cars parked outside to drool over whilst have a few cool ones in the pavement bar of the Hotel.

I'm not sure that Logis even exist now as they did then. You must get yourself a current Michelin Guide , this is indispensable for a trip to France.

[Citroenmad]

When i went last year the exchange rate really made things quite expensive. Buying food was a lot more than it was here, fuel was similar at the time i think, hotels seemed to be around what you pay for a good hotel here. We stayed in some very nice places. You have to be careful in france as some hotels can be a bit old!

One we booked a few years ago was awful, carpeted walls, huge cracks in the ceiling, beds must have been getting on for 100 years old, it was just crawling, awful place. We didnt stay, went down the road to a much nicer place. It pays to be picky about where yu stay in my opinion.

We have friends in France and we go most years for a few weeks to see them. Some are French and others English. Our English friends commented on how expensive it had become, their mother had moved out there, but was finding it too expensive so moved back to the UK.

Driving is a bit interesting at first, depends what your used to, but the French driver very differently than English. Nearly always flat out everywhere, its a pretty chilled out place apart from the driving. Traveling at good motorway speeds while overtaking in the outside lane and having someone in a clio less than a metre from your back bumper flashing his lights is quite normal. Takes a while before you can start ignoring them No, after a while you seem to get used to it and drive in accordance with them - by speeding up and driver faster!

You dont get lane hoggers in France, which is great. People indicate (usually leave their indicator on) move out, pass and then move back in again. None of that sitting in one lane business that drives me mad in this country.

Their motorways are 110 kph in poor conditions or 130kph if the weather is fair. There didnt seem to be too many speed traps, but they are around and are just small grey boxes by the side of the road, so you dont notice those.

Some of the country roads are very nice, scenic and very good to drive on. Would help if your in a lhd car mind. I find their road surfaces to be either very very good, quiet and smooth or very rough and unfinised. Depends where you go.

Sounds like a good idea to me, im looking forward to going again. I love France, its a great country.

[Sl4yer]

My aunt lives in the south of France, about 30 miles inland of Montpellier. It's an interesting place - as much as I love the scenery of the Lake District, there's something special about driving up something higher than anywhere in England...on a motorway! The Millau viaduct is fairly near my aunt's, and well worth seeing. (Don't expect much joy for the ladies at the visitor's services though - the bridge might have been designed by a Brit, but the toilets are DEFINTELY French!). Much of the countryside around is spectacular too - motorway services in Britain can't compare with those in the Auvergne with the viewpoint of the local volcanos (the town of Volvic is nearby).

As said above, the motorways are generally very smooth. They can, however, be treacherous when it rains. It's a fantastic country, and one which gets a lot of stick (from myself included) when all they really want is to keep their culture.

With than in mind, once you've got a car sorted, learn some French! It will go a long way, although the accents can be strong in places. In the south-west a couple of years ago, I couldn't understand even the simplest things! Actually, it's the same in England...

James

[addo]

I've been known to roll out my swag in a corner of the jobsite, so rough accommodation (eg, sleeping in abandoned rural buildings) is pretty much OK. Unless rats are a real issue!

Kind of looking at areas past Lyon like Annecy, then south in the Alps and ultimately sweeping SW toward Marseilles (not that I'd likely bother going that far). Staying off the motorways would be a definite aim - not so much toll road costs, as just that I quite like the back ways. John/jgra would vouch for the enthusiasm with which I charge down bumpy dirt roads!

Guessing that a fair degree of the native tongue is required for practical purposes, once you get out of mainstream areas...

[Citroenmad]

I sometimes tried staying off the toll roads, though it takes far longer than the motorways. So i found that paying the toll charges was the better way to travel. If your wanting to get down or up the country quckly, the tolls are the only way to do it. Though they can be a bit pricey, usually more than it cost you in fuel to drive that distance.

[DickieG]

Stuff I can't find, includes an online daily "user updated" list of fuel prices for France.

This should give you prices of most things in France and for fuel in particular look here.

[addo]

Thank you very much! Those regional fuel prices are exactly the format I was looking for.

Shopping advice is a chuckle; I can see where those placed well to travel across for hit-and-run missions, could do rather nicely with a little planning. Looks also, as though self catering where practical, could be a good cheap option.

Two warped things that affect my travelling, are being both vegetarian and a non-drinker. It means the whole culture of pub lunches and similar en route, often doesn't quite mesh. I still like the scenery of rural towns, though.

Can anyone comment on the idea I've floated of "borrowing" a car, in terms of insurance/breakdown cover? Of course, that I'd just - without noticing - dropped a few hundred quid on the person's floor when borrowing the keys, would be pure accident.

Cheers, Adam.

[xantia_v6]

Two warped things that affect my travelling, are being both vegetarian and a non-drinker.

Are you sure France is the right place for you?

I am not sure about the logistics of lending a car. What months and duration were you thinking of?

I intend to be in Burgundy for a good chunk of this summer.

[addo]

It's all good; I'm not wanting to visit for the wine, cheese and local snags.

So far as cars relate to the process - I know Xantias reasonably well, and they would do the required job nicely. Plus I treat other peoples' stuff the old school way - bring it back clean and tidy with a full tank. I'm sure someone can let theirs go for about fourteen days in exchange for the right sum - it's just the insurance and breakdown cover aspects that would need clarification... If I hire off a third party, nobody on FCF gets a win, which I am sure you would agree to be a shame.

[Citroenmad]

self catering where practical, could be a good cheap option.

Two warped things that affect my travelling, are being both vegetarian and a non-drinker.

Cheers, Adam.

Ah, im almost with you there, i dont drink and im very fussy with food. I cant actually remember eating much meat in France anyway. We always go self catering, though we always have a house for a few weeks, its harder if your traveling around. There is always places en route for snaks, but meal time is a popular thing in france, everything closes for 2 hours at midday.

The supermarkets are very good generally, and French food is often healthy (if you avoid the lovey cakes and deserts). You shouldnt have a problem there, so long as you know a bit of french or find somewhere with english speaking people, so you dont order food you dont want. I find a lot of people do speak english, a bit of it anyway. If not its difficult if you dont know much french.

A true french meal can literally last all day. So ive found out!