The purchasing power bill arrives this Monday at the National Assembly. With the inflation caused by the war in Ukraine, everything is more expensive these days. Between the fuel which arrives painfully below the symbolic bar of two euros per liter and the prices of basic necessities which fly away, it is sometimes difficult to make ends meet for some families. This general decline in purchasing power also has consequences for the holiday budget. At the seaside resort of Saint-Jean-de-Monts in Vendée, holidaymakers are trying to save money.
More picnics, fewer restaurants
Here, on the seafront, traders display an ice cream at three euros and fifty cents. This is on average one euro more than last year. So some vacationers prefer to ignore these small pleasures and settle for free activities, such as the beach. “It’s nap time”, smiles Delphine, a 35-year-old nurse. This year, she had to reduce her holiday budget. “We are more careful in general. As everything is more expensive, we prefer meals with friends and picnics. What is also certain is that we go to restaurants much less.”
We have been saving since January for our ten day vacation
If Delphine mainly monitors her food budget, others are making real sacrifices this year. “We have been saving since January for our ten days of vacation in Saint-Jean-de-Monts, confides Amandine. With her husband Christophe, she chose an inexpensive campsite to reduce the rental price. “We also saved on fuel by taking the national roads rather than the motorways” she specifies.
– Leonie Cornet
For Max, who came with friends, the beach at Saint-Jean-de-Monts has a second-rate flavor. “Usually, we choose an amusement park for our holidays. But here, economically, it’s complicated. So we have to be realistic!”
Free car parks and activities
However, the Vendée seaside resort offers many advantages, including one that delights more than one wallet. “Parking is free!” launches Catherine, retired. She comes here every year with her three grandchildren. “It’s especially nice for families. There are a lot of free activities, [NDLR : comme le beach-volley et les cours de gymnastique sur la plage]. And then it is very large and above all secure.”
Paid activities, such as the Ferris wheel of Saint-Jean-de-Monts (5 euros per tour), are less frequented than usual. The priority for many vacationers this year will be to keep an eye on the wallet, while having fun.