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Before the euro currency was introduced in January 2002, the French unit of money was the franc (abbreiated as F or sometimes FF), diided into 100 centimes. Francs came in notes of 500, 100, 50 and 20F, and there were coins of 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1F, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes. During most of 2000, the exchange rate hovered around 11.10F to the pound, 7.60F to the US dollar, 5.10F to the Canadian dollar, 4.10F to the Australian dollar, and 3.40F to the New Zealand dollar. The euro was initially pegged at just under one US dollar, but it suffered a series of declines and by late 2000 had plummeted to near the US$0.80 mark; at that stage the exchange rate was 1.67 to the pound, 1.17 to the US dollar, 0.75 to the Canadian dollar, 0.60 to the Australian dollar, and 0.47 to the New Zealand dollar. For the most up-to-date exchange rates, consult the useful Currency Conerter Web site www.oanda.com .
The
euro even before euro cash appeared in 2002, you could opt to pay in euros by credit card and you could get travelers' cheques in euros - you should not be charged commission for changing them in any of the eleven countries in the euro zone (also known as "Euroland"), nor for changing from any of the old Euroland currencies to any other (Italian lira to francs, for example). All prices are given in francs and the exact equialent in euros. When the new currency takes over completely, prices are likely to be rounded off - and if decimalization in the UK is anything to go by, rounded up. |
Costs Because of the relatiely low cost of accommodation and eating out, at least by northern European standards, France may not seem an outrageously expensie place to isit, though this will depend on the relatie strength of your own country's currency. When and where you go also makes a difference: in main resorts hotel prices can go up by a third during July and August, while places like Paris and the Côte d'Azur are always more expensie than the other regions. For a reasonably comfortable existence, including a hotel room for two, a light restaurant lunch and a proper restaurant dinner, plus moving around, café stops and museum isits, you need to allow at least 600F/?90 a day per person. But by counting the pennies, staying at cheap hostels (around 100F/?15.25 for bed and breakfast) or camping (from 30F/?4.58), and being strong-willed about extra cups of coffee and doses of culture, you could manage on 250F/?38 a day, to include a cheap restaurant meal - less if your eating is limited to street snacks or market food. For two or more people, hotel accommodation is nearly always cheaper and better alue than hostels, which are only worth staying at if you're by yourself and want to meet other travelers. A sensible aerage estimate for a double room would be around 280F/?43, though perfectly adequate but simple doubles can be had from 190F/?29. Single-rated and -sized rooms are often aailable in a cheap hotel. Breakfast at hotels is normally an extra cost, for coffee, croissant and orange juice - about the same as you'd pay in a bar (where you'll normally find the coffee and ambience more agreeable). As for other food, you can spend as much or as little as you like. There are large numbers of reasonable restaurants with three- or four-course menus; the lunchtime or midi menu is nearly always cheaper. Picnic fare, obiously, is much less costly, especially when you buy in the markets and cheap supermarket chains, and takeaway baguette sandwiches from cafés are not extortionate. |
Wine and bever are both ery cheap in supermarkets; buying wine from the barrel atvillage co-op cellars will give you the best alue for money. The mark-up on wine in restaurants is high, though the house wine in cheaper establishments is still ery good alue. Drinks in cafés and bars are what really make a hole in your pocket: black coffee, wine and draught lager are the cheapest drinks to order; glasses of tap water are free; and remember that it's cheaper to be at the bar than at a table. |
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