This year, taking the car will cost several tens of euros more in fuel than in 2021. Le Figaro has screened many destinations.
Top start for the summer holidays: in this first weekend of July, many French people will take the road to get to their vacation spot. But the weeks to come, cherished by households, will be tarnished by inflation this year. Right from the start, consumers will feel this dynamic. And for good reason: the explosion in fuel prices will make travel by car particularly expensive.
Let’s take a journey from Paris to Marseille, approximately 775 kilometers. Ademe estimates that in 2020, a new petrol vehicle consumed, on average, 6.8 liters per 100 kilometers, compared to 5 liters for a new diesel vehicle. By taking the average fuel prices – diesel, on the one hand, SP95-E10 on the other – on June 25, 2021 and June 24, 2022, we can therefore, by a quick calculation, estimate the price differences. Obviously, each amount must be multiplied by two for a round trip.
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In one year, for example, a motorist traveling from Paris to Aix-en-Provence in a vehicle consuming diesel will thus spend 26.5 euros more, for the same journey, and 53 additional euros for a round trip. A substantial increase, around 49%, over twelve months.
Gasoline, diesel: what price differences on the same journey between 2021 and 2022?
Another example: a household traveling between Lyon and Toulon in a petrol vehicle will have to pay 13 euros more. Unsurprisingly, the longer the trip, the greater the increase will be, up to exceeding 30 euros for a trip between Lyon and Finistère, for a trip between Marseille and Le Touquet or between Paris and the Côte d’Azur, towards Nice or canes.
The toll is more expensive
These figures, which are only averages, obviously depend on factors such as the fuel consumption of the vehicle or its age. But the addition does not stop there: tolls also saw their price increase, last February, by 2.05% for the APRR network, 1.89% for the Cofiroute network and 2.19% for the ASF. You were planning to buy a sandwich and drink a little coffee to relax on a motorway service area? Rebelote: food prices have risen sharply in recent weeks, taking over from energy.
All inclusive, the car journey is therefore likely to be heavy on the wallet. Small consolation: the discount per liter granted by the executive will be extended in August and it can be supplemented according to the fuel retailers, for example via purchase vouchers at certain supermarkets or by an additional rebate at TotalEnergies.
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Few possible alternatives
Faced with soaring fuel prices, travelers may be tempted to resort to alternatives. First, going abroad by car can be a bargain, with a full tank being cheaper in many nations, especially in Eastern Europe. The palm goes to Hungary, where the liter of SP95 is at 1.226 euro. That is almost one euro less than in France. Conversely, crossing the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark or Finland will be particularly expensive.
The train also affected by inflation
Alternatively, the wise traveler can weigh the pros and cons of replacing the car by train or plane, to avoid the dreaded refueling. Be careful however, these means of transport are also affected by inflation hitting energy hard. Still according to INSEE, rail passenger transport by train saw its prices jump by 8.7% over three months and 12.1% over one year. A statement vigorously contested by the SNCF, which is based on a different methodology.
The price of the plane has jumped
The plane is not spared either: the prices of domestic tickets jumped 14.2% over three months, according to INSEE, when those of international tickets exploded by 18.5% over the same period. Over one year, the increases are 12% and 22% respectively. A clear observation, shared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which noted, in mid-June, a price spike of nearly 20% over one year, in May, all types of journeys combined.
Hotels and restaurants are also more expensive
And unfortunately it is not over. Once they arrive at the holiday destination, consumers are also likely to become disillusioned when they see the bill, which is heavier than in previous years. Prices in services have accelerated, according to INSEE. In May, over three months, the prices of hotels, hostels and similar accommodation had taken 13.6% and those of holiday centers fell by 1.4%, on the contrary. On the restaurant side, the bill is, there too, salty, up 1.6% over a quarter and 4.3% over one year. Calling on a tour operator to plan your vacation will also be expensive: all-inclusive stays or organized tours have also caused their prices to soar, by 30% in three months and 24% in one year. One thing is certain: this year, vacations will cost more, yet another reason to enjoy them as much as possible.
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