Booze Runs to France?
Discussion
With a wedding looming up that we will be providing drinkies for I'm looking at the most cost effective method of purchasing said drinkies.
Are there still savings to be had on driving to France and filling a transit up to bring home?
I'd need to hire a transit, drive from Sheffield to a port, get over to France - Tunnel / Ferry, buy booze and then return home.
Or is it going to be cheaper to buy the beer / wine either from a local merchant or (especially) the beer from a local supermarket with xmas offers on?
Are there still savings to be had on driving to France and filling a transit up to bring home?
I'd need to hire a transit, drive from Sheffield to a port, get over to France - Tunnel / Ferry, buy booze and then return home.
Or is it going to be cheaper to buy the beer / wine either from a local merchant or (especially) the beer from a local supermarket with xmas offers on?
Edited by Dan_1981 on Wednesday 12th December 14:24
As above - the devaluation of the pound has pretty killed off the Booze Cruise.
The vast majority of the prefab wine and beer sheds around Calais have closed.
There are a couple left - I suspect running at a loss and just maintaining their presence in case it ever becomes a viable business model again - noteably Majestic who have stores in Coquelles and just off the Motorway on the way to the Calais Ferry port - I like to drop in there when passing and buy up the loss leaders on special offer, but it's not worth a trip just to stock up on wine any more.
http://www.majesticinfrance.co.uk/
The days of Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cab Sav for £3.50 a bottle are sadly long gone.
The vast majority of the prefab wine and beer sheds around Calais have closed.
There are a couple left - I suspect running at a loss and just maintaining their presence in case it ever becomes a viable business model again - noteably Majestic who have stores in Coquelles and just off the Motorway on the way to the Calais Ferry port - I like to drop in there when passing and buy up the loss leaders on special offer, but it's not worth a trip just to stock up on wine any more.
http://www.majesticinfrance.co.uk/
The days of Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cab Sav for £3.50 a bottle are sadly long gone.
I'm not sure if Tesco still have a buy six get 25% off on some very cheeky reds. Certainly seems like a good deal to me and it's exceptionally drinkable 
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id...
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id...
I did it for our wedding a couple of years ago because we had our own vehicle, I got a cheap ferry, we also filled up with diesel, we're only in London, and there was no corkage at the venue.
I suspect we did little more than break even compared to buying it locally, but was also a nice day out for my Dad and I whilst my Mum went wedding dress shopping with the missus.
We went about 9 months ago for a day trip with some friends, had a nice walk along the beach, lunch out, and dropped into Auchan on the way back for some bits and bobs. It was a reasonably cheap and enjoyable day out, but little in the way of savings. (We also saw dolphins off the back of the ferry, which was cool.)
Renting a van, paying extra to take it abroard, possibly getting searched, fuel to and from Sheffield, and your time... I doubt it will pay for itself.
I suspect we did little more than break even compared to buying it locally, but was also a nice day out for my Dad and I whilst my Mum went wedding dress shopping with the missus.
We went about 9 months ago for a day trip with some friends, had a nice walk along the beach, lunch out, and dropped into Auchan on the way back for some bits and bobs. It was a reasonably cheap and enjoyable day out, but little in the way of savings. (We also saw dolphins off the back of the ferry, which was cool.)
Renting a van, paying extra to take it abroard, possibly getting searched, fuel to and from Sheffield, and your time... I doubt it will pay for itself.
FurtiveFreddy said:
Wine is still worth getting (as in cheap, French plonk suitable for everyday drinking). Not sure about beer as I just buy a few bottles of the strong Flanders/Belgian stuff and that seems fairly pricey compared to the UK.
Almost exactly this - Belgian beer still good value and not just French plonk but more moderately priced wine also - Expect a 50% saving on UK prices - I went last Saturday and blew a cheeky £600 on wine (and fresh white veal) in E.Leclerc in Boulogne (after doing £200 on 'baccy in Belgium)We went last Tuesday, as we do 2 or 3 times a year.
When Eurotunnel have their £22 day return offers, it's a no-brainer. We go to the Carrefour right by the tunnel.
We usually get 3 or 4 cases of French reds, which cost around 1.30€ - 1.75€ a bottle.
Drinkable whites are a bit more expensive, but still under 3€.
Find me a red (drinkable or otherwise) from a UK supermarket costing under £3 (or under £4 come to that). It's nigh on impossible.
Bring back enough and it will more than pay for the trip, as long as you're reasonably close to a crossing point. We also have a very nice lunch in Calais while we're there...
There is absolutely no point in going to France and trying to buy Australian/Californian/Italian etc. wines cheap. There has never been big savings to be had on these. Buy the local plonk the locals buy and you won't be disappointed.
When Eurotunnel have their £22 day return offers, it's a no-brainer. We go to the Carrefour right by the tunnel.
We usually get 3 or 4 cases of French reds, which cost around 1.30€ - 1.75€ a bottle.
Drinkable whites are a bit more expensive, but still under 3€.
Find me a red (drinkable or otherwise) from a UK supermarket costing under £3 (or under £4 come to that). It's nigh on impossible.
Bring back enough and it will more than pay for the trip, as long as you're reasonably close to a crossing point. We also have a very nice lunch in Calais while we're there...
There is absolutely no point in going to France and trying to buy Australian/Californian/Italian etc. wines cheap. There has never been big savings to be had on these. Buy the local plonk the locals buy and you won't be disappointed.
Edited by FurtiveFreddy on Wednesday 12th December 15:00
NormalWisdom said:
FurtiveFreddy said:
Wine is still worth getting (as in cheap, French plonk suitable for everyday drinking). Not sure about beer as I just buy a few bottles of the strong Flanders/Belgian stuff and that seems fairly pricey compared to the UK.
Almost exactly this - Belgian beer still good value and not just French plonk but more moderately priced wine also - Expect a 50% saving on UK prices - I went last Saturday and blew a cheeky £600 on wine (and fresh white veal) in E.Leclerc in Boulogne (after doing £200 on 'baccy in Belgium)FurtiveFreddy said:
We went last Tuesday, as we do 2 or 3 times a year.
When Eurotunnel have their £22 day return offers, it's a no-brainer. We go to the Carrefour right by the tunnel.
We usually get 3 or 4 cases of French reds, which cost around 1.30€ - 1.75€ a bottle.
Drinkable whites are a bit more expensive, but still under 3€.
Find me a red (drinkable or otherwise) from a UK supermarket costing under £3 (or under £4 come to that). It's nigh on impossible.
Bring back enough and it will more than pay for the trip, as long as you're reasonably close to a crossing point. We also have a very nice lunch in Calais while we're there...
There is absolutely no point in going to France and trying to buy Australian/Californian/Italian etc. wines cheap. There has never been big savings to be had on these. Buy the local plonk the locals buy and you won't be disappointed.
Spot on, have done the same 2-3 times a year for the last 4-5. Try Franglais wine http://www.calais-guide.co.uk/wine-and-beer-outlet... Wines from 99 cents to 1000 euros a bottle. They speak english and are very helpful. 10 mins from Calais on the motorway. When Eurotunnel have their £22 day return offers, it's a no-brainer. We go to the Carrefour right by the tunnel.
We usually get 3 or 4 cases of French reds, which cost around 1.30€ - 1.75€ a bottle.
Drinkable whites are a bit more expensive, but still under 3€.
Find me a red (drinkable or otherwise) from a UK supermarket costing under £3 (or under £4 come to that). It's nigh on impossible.
Bring back enough and it will more than pay for the trip, as long as you're reasonably close to a crossing point. We also have a very nice lunch in Calais while we're there...
There is absolutely no point in going to France and trying to buy Australian/Californian/Italian etc. wines cheap. There has never been big savings to be had on these. Buy the local plonk the locals buy and you won't be disappointed.
Edited by FurtiveFreddy on Wednesday 12th December 15:00
Another Carrefour day tripper here
I live in South East London, so it's a shortish drive to Folkstone, Eurotunnel crossing, spend a nice day along the northern coast (Dunkirk etc.), have a good lunch, then Carrefour and back home.
I tend to stock up on non-Champagne sparkling wines, where is more variety at better quality and lower cost compared to the UK. Cognac seems to be quite a lot cheaper, possibly due to lower taxes (?) Plus general quaffing stuff, anything that looks interesting/unusual, usually from smaller producers that don't export. And dessert wines (e.g. it's hard to find Bonnezeaux in this country but Carrefour tend to have it).
All French stuff, there's no real advantage on anything else.
I find it's still worth it although the price differential has narrowed recently, plus it's a nice day out.
I live in South East London, so it's a shortish drive to Folkstone, Eurotunnel crossing, spend a nice day along the northern coast (Dunkirk etc.), have a good lunch, then Carrefour and back home.
I tend to stock up on non-Champagne sparkling wines, where is more variety at better quality and lower cost compared to the UK. Cognac seems to be quite a lot cheaper, possibly due to lower taxes (?) Plus general quaffing stuff, anything that looks interesting/unusual, usually from smaller producers that don't export. And dessert wines (e.g. it's hard to find Bonnezeaux in this country but Carrefour tend to have it).
All French stuff, there's no real advantage on anything else.
I find it's still worth it although the price differential has narrowed recently, plus it's a nice day out.
For drinkable red you'll save a lot. I'm partial to a good claret, particularly Lalande de Pomerol, which is £16.50 a bottle in Tesco. A nicer one in E Leclerc a couple of weeks ago was under 5€.
Re the nanny state comment, that won't make any difference to a decent bottle of wine at 9 units x 40p.
Re the nanny state comment, that won't make any difference to a decent bottle of wine at 9 units x 40p.
Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff