Budget break in France for non-driver

[Nomorediy]

Hi there,

I’m hoping to take my teen for a 1-1 short break in France for Easter. French is their favorite subject at school. They honestly don’t mind where we go or what kind of holiday it is, just really keen to go to France.

Any recommendations? I can’t drive due to a disability so it’s flight/train. Our budget isn’t huge. Maybe £1k for travel and accommodation for 4/5 days.

Perhaps we don’t want an area where mainly English is spoken. I’m guessing maybe a ‘local’ area is perhaps a bit cheaper.

I am conversationally fluent in French having been brought up by North African family. I just don’t know actual France very well at all. Used to visit family in Marseilles/Aix as a teen but not been for years now. Hence unsure which French booking sites to use, how the trains work these days etc.

Pls advise!

@CrystalSingerFan do you know if there is parking at Portsmouth ferry port to then go as a foot passenger? Thanks for your help.

Thinking of my 50th next year and a few days in le havre, is there good french supermarkets there?

Please tell me more about St Malo, Alison and @DarkersideoftheMoon!

I've only ever driven past/round/through it from the ferry but will be stopping for a long day this year on a cruise. All suggestions for the unmissable/unique/affordable French seafood/nice markets, etc. welcome. (Might help the OP too...)

The question wasn't aimed at me but I suggested St Malo as I've spent a bit of time there; not loads. I was with younger children though so can't necessarily recommend things to do for teens or adults... although we all loved Aqua Malo which is an amazing swimming pool complex.

Oh sorry just re-read and realised you're just going for a day! Probably not Aqua Malo then

In recent years I've been a foot passenger on Le Havre's ferries but never parked at Portsmouth. (We either travelled via the train or I was picked up/dropped off). Certainly there's a ferry/port car park that looks suitable: portsmouth-port.co.uk/at-the-port/parking/ How you feel about the price is up to you. Just book in advance... 😀

If it helps, when I cruise from Southampton, the allocated car parks for each ship's berth work well for me. (I have done it via train and wheelie suitcase but I prefer to drive down and back nowadays. It's more reliable.) Ship peeps know how important it is that this works well for their passengers. 👌

Super/Hyper/markets I can't help with. The main market is fabulous: www.facebook.com/leshallescentrales/ but maybe try Googling. Enjoy if you visit.

Ta! Plus I'm childfree and 65. 😎

A lot will depend on where you like in the U.K. @Nomorediy , and which destinations are available at your local airport, as keeping transport costs as low as possible is important for you.
If you're near Portsmouth, I'd second St Malo, a very pretty town, and also suggest Caen a bustling city with lots to do and see. You can get a train or bus from the port in to the city. Along the coast from Caen are several small seaside villages if you fancy a day away from the city.
If you can get to Calais, have a look at seaside resorts to the west, some lovely little places along that stretch of coast. Or as suggested consider staying in Le Havre, or Boulogne, especially if you like fish restaurants!

Have a fantastic trip wherever you go! 🇫🇷 🇫🇷 🇫🇷

To be fair it was a suggestion for the OP as well

It is a fortified coastal town and has a wonderful walk round the city walls and a lovely long beach along the north side to the north east of the town with wonderful old wooden 17th and 19th century breakwater stakes/battle reinforcements on the beach. It has markets regularly, lovely cafes, restaurants and shops, it is just a lovely town to wander round.

Lille is the obvious choice, if you can get reasonably priced tickets on Eurostar.

There are a couple of Ibis hotels which should be fairly cheap (join Accor's membership scheme - ALL - and get ~10% off), but there are other budget hotels or even hostels there. Plenty to keep you busy for a few days.

Wow these replies are just fantastic! The suggestions have all really helped. I’ve narrowed it down thus far to the coastal areas near Béziers like Carmagnac and Sete. I think this is an easier way to be by some water as well as do outdoorsy stuff that will occupy the teen like bike rides and horse riding.

Anyone been to Sete? Thomas Cook has some flight and hotel deals for around £500 pp. This hotel seems reasonable and nice:

uk.hotels.com/ho286625/hotel-port-marine-sete-sete-france/

Appreciate the tips to look at Montpellier. Hotels in our price range tho seem to be in a business district.

That’s a fantastic tip for the ibis hotel discounts. I just stayed in an ibis on a work trip. No frills but really clean room with comfortable bed. All totally acceptable for a cheap-ish holiday where we will be out and about most of the day.

St Malo sounds lovely. Thinking Northern France could be a bit nippy at Easter? Might fly south for the sun.

So kind thank you

I loved my own trips to Marseilles to stay with family as a teen. Really good vibe, loads to see.

Thinking don’t want to be in a city as somewhere with a beach/walkiing/cycling options can be cheaper tho?

What teen wants most is to experience what they believe is ‘French’ life, undoubtedly from the pics in the school textbooks! Markets, boulangeries, hearing spoken French all around them. They like a quieter environment too and love swimming in the sea. I’m sure there’s thousands of such places accessible by car, but sigh. It would need to be a smallish town with a regular bus service connecting it to a nearby airport.

I am liking the look of this Beziers area very much. Thank you!

@Nomorediy we got to Sete a lot, we adore it. It's a really lively down to earth seaside town. It has a few museums, good walks, boat trips, good beaches with water sports. There are definitely bakers and a covered market. You can hire bikes and cycle on dedicated paths to the beaches.

Most of the restaurants serve fish and seafood so you do really need to like fish of you want to eat widely!

Easter will be off season still so it may be a little quieter than it is in summer.

If you fly to Montpelier, Sete is a 15 min train journey from Montpelier St Roch starion. You can also get there easily by train from Beziers too.

Hotel Part Marine is nice but you can get cheaper accomodation in Sete. I'd recommend Hotel Regina, it's right in the centre of the town- it's basic but decent.l, good if you just want a base to sleep and wash.

There are also a lot of holiday apartments near the beach if you want to be nearerthe sea (the town is about a 20- 30 min walk away from the beaches, there is a bus as well)

If you want warm weather, it's best to wait until May half term tbh.

If you do go to Sete or Beziers, come back for recommendations!

I visited Sete in May and we loved it. Lots of seafood, as said upthread. Sadly, the famous water jousting happens in the summer, but I'll leave this here for future inspo.

www.golanguedoc.com/tourism/french-festivals/languedoc-festivals-water-jousting-in-sete.html

The water jousting is epic and such good fun, the whole town turn out to party after the tournaments! Do go and see it of you can.

Thanks! Duly added to my bucket list.

So it starts in late June with a parade in Sete and aftetnoon/evening jousts between different town teams. Things really hot up in August when they compete with different tows and villages in the area. I've not been to the final tournamet in August bit apparently it is a lot of fun.