how expensive is the south of France?

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we're going for a week, wont eat out in fancy places, mainly pizza and cafe type places, we dont drink and arent rich at all......any advice anyone? going to Nice etc

We are going in a couple of weeks. We lived down there for a couple of years but was about 15 years ago and we were young with now kid so had much more disposable income! We are planning to make packed lunches etc and then eat out a couple of times.
I'd be interested to know what prices are like now for a family to eat out.

pack lunches sound a good idea, I'll need to remember to bring cling film, our hotel is like small apartments with a tiny kitchen

Take some tea bags (if you are a tea drinker) I can do without proper sausages and baked beans and ho sauce and marmite and jelly and all the other things you can't get over there (or cost an arm and a leg) but o can't do without my cup of tea (none of this Lipton yellow rubbish thank you!)

Fresh baguette, some ham and cheese and tomatoes. Yummy and simple

tea bags are an essential on any holiday!

Hi

I like your question, but it varies wildly where you are going. Agree with the packed lunches, pop into boulengiere for fresh bread and pastries, then supermarket or markets for a supply of pate, cheese, jambon and away you go. I usually take a small fold down cool bag (that fits into a backpack) with me. You can also buy a cheap knife etc. in the supermarket and away you go. The French love to picnic...

We regularly travel to France, latest trip went to South of France last Aug for 2 weeks. First to Marseille and then to St Remy in Provence.

We mainly go self catering but mix it up with cooking for ourselves, buying from weekly markets (which can be expensive or maybe it's just we get carried away) and big supermarkets e.g. carrefour and eating out. I did notice it was more expensive to eat out last year than the previous year due to the Euro.

When eating out order the "plat de jour" usually one, two or more courses and good value. For the kids we tend to order a few starters for them to share rather than an adults meal if no kids menu. We tend to have either a big lunch and then bread, pate, cheeses, ham, olives etc for a light tea or the other way around.

Also agree with taking tea bags with you if a tea drinker.

Hope you have a lovely holiday.

I think France in general is expensive. We have a mobile home and the supermarket shops are definitely more than here, restaurants vary wildly. If there's a local market nearby where you can pick some bits for a lunch that would help.

At least the wine is cheap 😃

We have a place in gassin, about 20 mins outside of st tropez. In the past few years I have noticed prices climbing very steeply, especially as the pound is now worth a lot less than it used to be. Last august we went to a small shack type restaurant on the beach in st maxime and paid £12 for a cheese sandwich! Obviously st tropez itself is v.expensive but some of the smaller seaside towns are cheaper (not cheap, just cheaper, there is nowhere cheap in the south of France) such as la croix valmer. I personally like ramatuelle, perched on hill with great views and a cobbled street of lovely restaurants. Geante is the most expensive of the supermarkets but has great produce, leclerc is cheaper.

thanks everyone

with the plat de jour, is there a choice? I always thought that meant there was only one choice in the value menu

Often there is menu du jour with a few choices plus the plat du jour. I've found this to be good value at lunchtimes, price and amount wise but some restaurants switch to more expensive dishes at night.

Look for self service restaurant. I don't remember the name of the chain, but with a menu you could eat as much veg as you wanted.

Oui to self service. Try the Crescendo chain, which is good value. There's everything from salad bar and burgers to steak fries, plus several plats du jour. Baguettes with ham and cheese, or cheese, or etc. etc. from boulangeries are always good value, also the min-quiches sold there. Supermarket chains have take out salads complete with little pots of dressing. Have fun!!