Trip to France.....

emsywoo123

Hi de hi

Put this on travel and had 2 ace responders, but not sure many day trippers there-lots of foreign holiday threads! Are the day trippers here in my homeland? :rotfl:

We (my dad, daughter and I) are popping to France next week for a day, and I was just wondering:

1. Where is cheapest to buy cigarettes (no time to go to Belgium!) and are they much cheaper in France? Will it be somewhere in the eurotunnel terminal?

2. I know Mr Lewis says a specific credit card is best for spending abroad, but I am lacking in time, and it is only a day trip! I have a capital one-are the charges likely to be awful, and are CC widely accepted?

3. Cite Europe - worth it, or not? I went years ago, can't really remember. I read somewhere that toys r us is there, is it considerably cheaper than here?

Apologies for rambling, I appreciate any help on these Q, or in fact any hints or tips would be appreciated!

ema_o

Credit card wise I think there is a tool on the spending abroad section to check your charges. I suspect you might be better off getting cash but take a look.

Do get an EHIC card (you'll need to order one in your daughter's name too, I think they'll put her on yours) if you don't have one already. I just ordered a new one to get little un on mine.

fluffnutter

I thought the Nationwide credit card was the best one for charges when using abroad.

gingin_2

I don't smoke but we go over to Calais regularly for a booze cruise

Cite Europe is fine, We went in Toysrus last time and I don't remember it being particularly cheaper ( it was a treat for dd who got dragged along with us) they do have different toys, particularly pocket money stuff. The food in Cite Europe is dire. I'd rather pick up a snack in the supermarket than pay for a restaurant there. I like the Carrefour, I like cooking so can pick up some good ingredients and the red and sparkling wine (Vouvray) is great there, if you do you research first.

Our real find is a place called Pidou, you need to go about 10 minutes along the motorway to a place called Transmarck, it's a truckers cash and carry, we get the best deals on non-french wines there and I buy big cartons for cooking. I would imagine the cigarettes would be good value.

Edit - make sure you have a euro for the trolley and take your own carrier bags if you don't want to buy them there

demented_weasel

Pidou is good value - as is Calais Wine Superstores (both on the same industrial estate)

http://www.pidou.com/

http://www.calaiswine.co.uk/

They also take english money, so no need for cards etc.

For tobacco, the town of Adinkerke (just over the Belgian border) is some 40 miles from calais along a good road - the towns main road is also known as Tobacco Alley.

In France itself, cigarette sales are a monopoly - only so many licences, with none for sale in cite europe. You need to find a Tabac shop.