Last time we were over we found that the ferry prices were very favourable compared to the drive up to Belgium. Check out the ferry prices on the way out and if, as I think, you find they are as good as anywhere else you can buy on your return journey.

You do realise that there is a limit for importing cigs from Belgium to France which is less than you can bring to UK.

Have a look at Daytripper web site for up-to-date info.

Patka

The only place I know of cheaper than Belgium is Spain - which is hardly driveable.

And yes, friends living in France have been warned that if the police find more than 400 imported cigs in your car they can confiscate them! So much for the free market.

Simple answer
The cost of tobacco in Europe is going up and up

the cheapest place we know of is Le Perthus / La Jonquera on the French Spanish border in Catalonia
Now this is a 2 day drive from the UK so it ends up being part of a touring holiday

The ferries therefore are actually as cheap as anywhere else soon it is going to be cheaper to go to Morrisons

BTW I had to stop smoking for medical reasons but it doesn't stop me looking at prices

Me and my girlfriend who are both smokers on holiday in the perpignan region went to the border town of le perthus for some duty free fags we believed the allowance was 3200 cigs each which we purchased on arrival at our car we were stopped by the french customs and excise who confiscated all the cigarettes apart from five cartons per car not per person then fined me 380 euros total loss 27*30+380=1190 euros what is the allowance and what if any is the procedure to make a claim against the french customs if they are in breach of EU law.
I went to the airport at perpignan and asked how many cigarettes i can take to the UK none of the customs officers were sure.In the past i have taken 16 cartons to the UK from france and spain with no problems has there been a change of policy.

sad pete

But you were importing cigarettes INTO France, not to the UK. I do know that the limit from Belgium to France is much less than you can import from France to UK.

I believe they were within their rights to confiscate and fine.

Patka

My fiance looks out for cheap flights to Spain. Went earlier this month to Girona with ryanair for £30, spent a couple of hours in the airport and flew back with his 3200 fags.

When he went before he went to Valencia, out with ryanair and back with easyjet. Takes up best part of a day but the savings are worth it.

According to the British Foreign Office website French regulations currently allow a maximum of one thousand cigarettes or one kilogram of tobacco to be imported from another EU member country to France. I would interpret these limits as per person.

Peter

the very bestplace to find ya cigs is not begium or france, france is same price as UK and belgium not much cheaper, the cheapest place i use is Amsterdam or netherlands in general, other than that u need to head for the cannel islands or canaries etc, mainland europe is similar prices all over, a bit cheaper on the exchange rate but not at the moment.
Remember to save your receipts or the tax man will get ya!

Hi dietcola and welcome to HT!

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Thanks

luci

ok

luci

the very bestplace to find ya cigs is not begium or france, france is same price as UK and belgium not much cheaper, the cheapest place i use is Amsterdam or netherlands in general, other than that u need to head for the cannel islands or canaries etc, mainland europe is similar prices all over, a bit cheaper on the exchange rate but not at the moment.

Much of this is incorrect information. I know from experience that France is still cheaper than the UK, and Belgium even cheaper. THIS is a most useful website for comparing the price of 20 cigarettes in the Most Popular Price Category (MPPC) -

UK £5.66
France £4.19
Netherlands £3.66
Belgium £3.29

The Netherlands are more expensive than Belgium, and over the rest of mainland 'old Europe', (not the recent entries), prices vary from £3.97 in Sweden to £1.90 in Spain.

Peter