A TEACHER flew to France for lunch and says it was cheaper than a typical day out in the UK.
Claire Howard flew to Beauvais, France for a day of sightseeing and sunshine – while still being home before midnight, and spending less than £80 all in.
The 48-year-old spotted return Ryanair flights for just £27, which left Birmingham at 7:30am and returning at 11pm.
She managed to skip the expensive airport taxis, with her husband dropping her off at the airport before a £1.80 bus.
Claire says the whole excursion including flights, buses food and drink cost around £70.
“I’ve been to Paris a few times and didn’t want to travel in from Beauvais as Paris is really pricey and busy,” Claire told creatorzine.com.
“I just wanted to see what was actually in Beauvais itself for a relaxing day of wandering, eating and drinking.
“It’s exciting to go to a different country just for lunch or to explore for a day.
“It’s just a different feeling abroad – it makes it feel much more like an adventure than just going somewhere at home.”
She added that it was much cheaper than a day trip in the UK, where a trip to the cinema and lunch out can easily be £50 alone, before factoring in travel.
The English teacher spent the morning at the city’s weekly Saturday market while enjoying coffee and a pain au chocolat that set her back £4.
Then she relaxed with a drink in the town square while listening to live music before taking a £10 Uber to Plan d’Eau du Canada, a popular lakeside spot.
Lunch was an £8 French picnic of supermarket baguette, cheese and a small bottle of wine while reading and sunbathing by the water.
Her itinerary also included visits to Beauvais Cathedral and the nearby Musée de l’Oise, both of which offered free entry.
The day ended with a Pad Thai dinner at a local Thai restaurant costing around £10 before she headed back to the airport for her evening flight home.
She also bagged an £8 bracelet to help her to remember the day.
Claire says she has become hooked on cheap day trips abroad after discovering bargain flights from Birmingham Airport – and flies to a different city nearly once a month.
Just this year, she’s visited Bergamo, in Italy, Malaga, in Spain, Valetta, in Malta, Poznan, in Poland, and Porto, in Portugal.
And she’s already bagged return flights to Poland and Berlin in August for £70.
Claire said: “I’m just led by what is possible and affordable.
“I can’t take time off at all in term time but I have Tuesdays off so I do like to make use of them.
“I just love the way you can do and see so much in the same time that you might waste a day at home just watching Netflix and doomscrolling.
“I usually find the best prices four to six weeks in advance.”