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Just returned from holiday and found that fuel costs are up quite a bit from last year.

Best price was Auchan,Calais 1.33euro litre for diesel.

Across france average prices on Autoroute 1.45 euro diesel,1.54euro unleaded.Highest was 1.49 diesel.

Toll charges are not far off from those stated on the Mappy site but have increased slightly in places.Worst charge was the A26 return from Verdun where charge was 4 euro higher than that indicated.

Terry

Terry,

Thanks for that it's useful. Although once over there then you've just got to accept it.

 What I find interesting is that their diesel figures have remained on par ie; below unleaded. Yet in the UK diesel prices are going up by colossal margins, infact at present they are going up almost daily. Diesel is now on average .55p a gallon dearer here than unleaded. What none of us understand is why the large hike on diesel and not on petrol. When the price of fuel rises by the barrel then surely it covers both types. It's really bugging me at the minute.

harryb

I hope you had a good holiday, nevertheless.  Where did you get to?

I think we'll all have to tighten our belts this year.  Last September we got 1.47 euros to the £ - now it's 1.21.  Last September we paid 1 euro 13 for diesel!   We're off next week, but are taking a lot more food with us.  Usually we just stock up on arrival, but this time we're taking all our 'staples' with us and will buy only fresh things - and I doubt we'll be eating out as much as we did last year.  We'd had a bad few months, so treated ourselves a bit and we had a meal out (lunch or dinner) almost every day.  I think it will have to be a once weekly treat again, just as it used to be. 

The fuel tax in the UK is identical on diesel & petrol. the price of the actual diesel has become more & more expensive compared with petrol. this is the same in other European countries. But the fuel tax was always less on diesel than petrol in France so diesel is still a bit cheaper. but you may notice the French diesel price is much closer to petrol price now, than it used to be.

Val,

Food prices, here as we know, are going up as fast as fuel so we don't know whether France is dearer or cheaper. As far as food prices are concerned you can be our guinea pig and report back after your trip.   Have a good one.

harryb

Quote: Originally posted by HarryB on 16/5/2008

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Terry,

Thanks for that it's useful. Although once over there then you've just got to accept it.

 What I find interesting is that their diesel figures have remained on par ie; below unleaded. Yet in the UK diesel prices are going up by colossal margins, infact at present they are going up almost daily. Diesel is now on average .55p a gallon dearer here than unleaded. What none of us understand is why the large hike on diesel and not on petrol. When the price of fuel rises by the barrel then surely it covers both types. It's really bugging me at the minute.

harryb

 

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Hi Harry,

The UK is still a nett exporter of pertol, but need to import diesel, we do not have enough refining capacity to meet our needs.

Supply and demand I'm afraid, it's the capatalist way.

Mr U-M

40% of vehicles sold last year were diesels apparently so it is purely supply and demand, the UK Public want it, so they can have it at an inflated price.

Ali

Val,

We had great holiday.Went to Venice again via France(Verdun) and Switzerland(Buochs).The weather was superb 1 wet day,2 wet nights in 25 days temperatures very nice 24-25 degrees.

Talking to all the europeans they were all complaining of the price increases.Fuel for obvious reasons but tobacco products are steadily catching up to the UK.Our feeling was that prices generally are up on last year never mind the exchange rate problem.Perhaps the French will have to take their holidays in the UK soon.

Hope you have great holiday its still a lovely place to go.The ACSI card and Camping Cheques are a good deal at the moment.

Terry

We've seriously thought about LPG conversion - and it's only because we run a company car, and they don't allow conversions, that we haven't done it already.   We did investigate the costs a few years ago - but unfortunately didn't go ahead.   In September we have to decide between a replacement company car, or equivalent which we can run ourselves, and be reimbursed at various rates. Seriously thinking about an LPG conversion at that time.   LPG seems to be very popular in France, and was available at almost all the fuel stations we used, including many supermarket fuel stops in quite small village supermarkets - and there always seemed to be a queue so it must be popular.

At the moment LPG seems to be about 70 centimes per litre in France (or what the price of Diesel was about four years ago!!!!) 

I'm tempted to get a V8 Range Rover on LPG myself, they are cheap to buy these days, nice 4.0 P38 model will do nicely.

There is a very good independent LR garage nearby too!

 Lovely cars! Can't beat the sound of a V8! (Used to have a RR classic 3.5!)