How much does it cost to eat out of a French supermarket for a week?

[Jackieharris]

Hi,

We are trying to budget for our first ever family holiday abroad.

We are staying in a caravan site in Normandy (St Aubin sur mer) and plan to buy our food from local supermarkets/markets and self cater.

I've heard that French supermarkets are much more expensive than ones in the UK. Dp is veggie so we don't eat much meat but we do spend more on food than average. DS especially is very fussy. We usually don't buy meat/chicken/eggs that aren't organic but I've heard this is hard in France?

I'm pregnant so no fancy cheeses or wine for me!

We are staying for 6 nights. DCs are 12 & 7.

£100? £200? I have no idea!

(I don't even know what the exchange rate is! )

Tia

Bump

Anyone?

When we went last year I was surprised how expensive it was tbh but i don't know what the percentage was. Are you eurocamping?

£200 should be plenty

We usually spend around £300 in the French Alps self catering for 8 people. Including meat , cheeses and alcohol and extras. That's with kids getting fancy snacks and everyone just getting what they like. I find them ok prices tbh. At home in comparison we spend around £100 a week for 4. That's with little snacks or alcohol

I don't find supermarkets more expensive. If you buy seasonal food (esp fruit and veg) it is cheaper imo. This is what the French do. The only downfall is that as everything is so fresh and doesn't last for weeks in the fridge like it does in UK, you can find yourself shopping every 2-3 days and then it's easy to keep loading up the trolley.

Organic readily available where I live. Exchange rate 1.4 approx. I would have said £100-150 will be plenty esp without alcohol or much meat. Depends how many treats you buy though.

I think it's about the same, just some things are more expensive than here, some cheaper

If you can find a local market, this is usually cheaper for fruit and veg (though they are often only once a week in small towns)

Thanks,

We will try to find out when/where the local market is.

What fruit/veg is in season at the end of June in Northern France?

Do we need to buy bread every day?

We will take stuff like tea bags/crisps/breakfast cereal with us.

Will the butter/milk taste very different?

Not going to be much help since I am not sure about uk prices anymore. Meat is generally expensive except pork which is good value. Butter fine, fresh milk is available in supermarkets but not in discount stores like lidl, bear in mind that the colours are different for the different types of milk, eg full fat has a red top which I think maybe skimmed in the uk. Taste the same I think, but I buy long life milk now.

Go to the local market for fruit and veg, whatever is in season will be goodvalue an lovely and everywhere!

Baguettes you will need to buy everyday, no preservatives generally but are cheap 90 centimes usually.
Wine cheap!

Sorry just read not much meat!

You will find that, in the summer months, food is cheaper and much, much tastier and better quality when bought at markets rather than supermarkets.

I find the basics are all good value but the 'convenience' things I buy in the UK (lasagne sauce, fajhita kit, curry sauce I. Bottle etc) are WAY more expensive - presumably because most french people cook from scratch far more (tbh with so much yummy fresh stuff it is easier to anyway!!) French supermarkets are GREAT fun though, enjoy exploring!!

Organic products are just as readily available in France as in the UK. They're usually labelled 'Bio'.

It's about the same. Was a bit more expensive three/four years ago when the Euro/Sterling were equal. Swings and roundabouts. The English stuff you like and want (Twining tea) will be more expensive; the French stuff you want to try will be cheaper (fruit, veg, shellfish, plonk).

Local markets:

Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer: market Thursday (0km)
Douvres-la-Delivrande: market Thursday (4km)
Courseulles-sur-Mer: market Tuesday & Friday (5km)

Isnt t'internet wonderful!

If memory serves at the end of June you will be in the cherry season (delicious purchased from the market - see above - where the stall holder gives you a couple to taste!). I think that melons will be starting to come in. Apart from that you will be able to get the normal range of weird looking but tasty tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, beans etc.

You will be staying in the land of butter, milk and cider.

For a tasty but inexpensive meal out head for a creperie.

Campsite pizzas are also delicious.

If you can do go to see the Bayeux tapestry (about 40 minutes away from where you are staying). It is years since we went but I remember it as being impressive. You used to get headphones which explained it as you walked round.

I hope you have a lovely holiday. We are off down to near Frejus on the med for our first proper holiday without DCs in mid-June. Cant wait!

Most French supermarkets now stock fresh milk as well as UHT. Red top - full fat, blue - semi skimmed and green - skimmed (although I've never seen any skimmed fresh milk). Beurre doux is unsalted, beurre demi sel salted.
Definitely bring tea bags, cheddar etc if you want them. Meat (except pork) is a little more expensive and as for fruit and veg the same things are in season as in the UK but they taste better. Peaches, nectarines, apricots, strawberries, raspberries, other soft fruits and salad and tomatoes. Many French supermarkets stock local produce unlike in the UK. Lidl is cheap in France. I find Leclerc and Carrefour more expensive and LOVE my local SuperU but the owner is excellent, not all Super Us are as good. Agree that crêperies are cheapest for meals out. Cider and Camembert cheese will be cheap as they are local. I ate the unpasteurised Camemberts even when pregnant they were so good.
Markets can be quite expensive, but the fruit and veg are often much better.
If you buy baguettes etc. they are best fresh every day (or toasted the morning after) but pain au céréals lasts longer (wholemeal bread).
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