Budget

Hi, trying to set a budget for several trips I am considering, one is 8 days in France /Germany, 3 days in Colmar, 3 days in Freiburg and 2 days in Paris. Just wondering if $ 4800.00 Canadian is enough for meals, drinks, sightseeing etc. Not worried about airfare or rooms and I know these costs. Thanks.

You say several trips, not sure I really understand. Is this one trip of 16 days broken as noted above?

They use € in Europe, please convert when asking on this forum.. I would think you could do this, but really do not know your life style.

Sorry, I am considering several countries for a trip, one of the options is the France/Germany trip above, it is for 8 days. 3400 Euro is 4800 Canadian. Hope this helps.

I would think you could do those eight days for 3400€, I could, but it all depends on how you spend your money. I would think the big items would be the train tickets, but even with that I am sure you could do it. They say on this forum 60 or 70€ a day at a minimum. Just budget your money through out the trip and you won't run out.

Are you really asking whether $CA4800.00 is enough for an eight-day trip, excluding accommodation?

That's $CA600.00 per day ... you could have perhaps 80 days on $CA4800.00 if you exclude accomm and transport, and were fairly disciplined.

I must have missed something (quite a lot, probably).

Is this budget for one person or four (you say 4 in another thread for Sapin)?

pls read this. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-western-europe/topics/itinerary-or-budget-question-please-read-this-first-before-posting

As noted, most people don't keep track of minor currencies like the Canadian Rupee. Using Euros will get you better responses.

Yes, trip is four 4 people. I thought meals in France were expensive, I was budgeting 70 euros per day per person.

bamboo, Canadian rupee, really, your an idiot, if people in France are like you then its a place I do not want to go.

Is that a promise?

If all Canadians were like you I'd pray for the whole country to sink in the Hudson Bay but I know better than to judge a whole country by the silly response of one person ;-)

I would say you could eat for about the same price as you do in Canada. In France, breakfast is basic, coffee and bread or roll, and that can be inexpensive. Lunch can be 5€ and up, dinner 10 to 15€ and the sky is the limit. The restaurants post the menu outside with prices, look at them during the day and return to one that you like for dinner. You could always go to the market and make a nice picnic lunch to enjoy on a nice public garden.

. . . but I know better than to judge a whole country by the silly response of one person ;-)

Or, indeed, a forum by one person. But whether anyone else will still be here to listen once you've run out of people to be rude to, I wonder.

Yes, trip is four 4 people. I thought meals in France were expensive, I was budgeting 70 euros per day per person.

Well that is much more reasonable, but still only €3,136 for four for eight days ... and it can be substantially less than €280 per day for a four-person family (add on for four individual adults)

But I agree with the above (and subject to relative currency rates) eating sensibly in France is similar to other Western countries, and if you're creative / strategic about it (self-catering breakfast with baguettes and croissants, picnic lunches, buying alcohol in supermarkets, using public transport, etc), then you can travel very economically indeed, without undue compromise of your enjoyment of the place.

An apartment with a kitchen is a great asset, if self-catering suits your travel style ... but if travel for you is all about no cooking and dining out fairly well, then you are budgeting for it.

bamboo, you know nothing about me, you started it by insulting my country, I responded. Case closed unless you wish to take this further.

Thanks for replies everyone.

bamboo, you know nothing about me, you started it by insulting my country, I responded. Case closed unless you wish to take this further.

Where did I insult your country? I know where you started insulting me, that part is clear ;-)

minor currencies like the Canadian Rupee ... perhaps seen as derogatory?

Exactly, Canadian rupee, not nice, what if I were to say at one time the Canadian dollar was worth 4.5 francs and we used them as toilet paper, would you be offended? In any case I didn't come on here to argue, I prefer to utilize my time more constructively. Us Canadians have a reputation to uphold, that we are very polite, live in one of the best countries in the world and hey, we even helped liberate France, even though some of them are very rude. So I'll not take your bait and reply to you anymore.

Anyway dignor - you have Montréal and Québec City to visit if you need a French hit, no need to go to France itself!

Why is rupee derogatory? The rupee is a wonderful currency that belongs to a wonderful country, or actually countries as there are several that use it. just like 'dollar' is used by several countries. It's not like it's such an original name.

Perhaps your reaction to the word'rupee' betrays your own feeling of superiority and perhaps even racism towards other cultures?

Us Canadians have a reputation to uphold, that we are very polite, live in one of the best countries in the world and hey, we even helped liberate France, even though some of them are very rude.

You're not doing a greAt job upholding that reputation BTW.

But it's an interesting analogy with what happens when people travel. The French are no more rude than anybody else. However, due to cultural differences they sometimes respond in ways that North Americans interpret as rudeness.

In most cases it was the North American that started off rude because he/she wasn't aware of the cultural differences that exist in how you interact with people.

This post is a great example as an innocent remark, which you take out of context, leads to a barrage of invectives including much chest-thumping about the war.

I suggest before you leave Canada, read up on some cultural tips for visiting Europe and France in particular. If you follow this advice, it will greatly enhance your travel experience.

This post is a great example as an innocent remark, which you take out of context, leads to a barrage of invectives including much chest-thumping about the war.

I would leave it alone dignor ... hello_bamboo holds the (irrational) view that he is the One and Only Master of this branch, and anyone who pushes back with an objection is crushed and crushed and crushed, or subject to pathetic and sanctimonious lectures, like those above ... I've seen it before. Best way is to just let it be ... let a little fish swim in a little pond.

Both Australia and Canada are vastly more interesting places to live ... but the European peasantry can't stand to recognise that reality. Because their dumb ancestors didn't have the wit to leave in the 19thC.

Your ancestors didn't chose to leave Ian. They were sent down under because they were criminals. ;-)

Class warfare exiled them - yes - best thing that ever happened. Australia was a thriving place inside 30 years. Good stock it was.

Thanks everyone, looks like France is not as expensive as I thought, however having trouble finding a place to stay in Paris for under $300.00 a night, mainly because we need 3 beds and not interested a small hotel room with the beds cramped in it and no room to move around.

Does Airbnb or one of its competitors (Roomorama, etc) appeal to you?

however having trouble finding a place to stay in Paris for under $300.00 a night,

How much is that in €?

mainly because we need 3 beds and not interested a small hotel room with the beds cramped in it and no room to move around.

Booking.com will list many options, including for triple rooms.

However, be aware of having champagne taste and a beer budget. As a rule, hotel rooms in Paris are small. That's just the way it is.

I agree about the hotel rooms in Paris. Unless you go to a 5-star hotel and book a suite, you will have small rooms. A triple room will certainly be bigger than a double, but again, what exactly do you need to do there that you want to "move around"? Just space to put your bags and be able to get in and out of bed is enough.

Booking.com will have photos of the rooms available if the hotel supplies them.

Absolutely, looked at Airbnb briefly, will have to do more research when I have a chance.

Sorry, forgot it Euros' here, about 210 euros.

I realize a small room is probably the only option, was trying to avoid wall to wall beds and nothing else. We do need a bit of room, at the end of the day to sit down, relax and maybe have a nightcap and in the morning when everyone is showering, getting ready for the day. Would also prefer not to have suitcase piled in the middle of the room, so small is ok, cramped is not.

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