Alexandra Jaegy (special correspondent to Belle-Île-en-Mer), edited by Solène Leroux 3:26 p.m., July 18, 2022, modified at 3:26 p.m., July 18, 2022

With inflation, it's not easy to organize a vacation.

Some places are even less financially accessible than before.

This is the case of Belle-Île-en-Mer, in Brittany, an island which previously housed more people from the middle and working classes for holidays.

To cope with inflation, the French are saving money on the holiday budget.

The latter drops by 8%, according to a recent study.

So it's not easy to organize an exotic holiday, like in Belle-Île-en-Mer, the most popular of the Breton islands.

It's starting to get complicated for families to come and spend a few days there.

In the port of Palais, the main town of the island, on the 6 p.m. ferry, it is already time to leave for Pas-de-Calais for Agnès and her family.

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This year, they had to tighten their belts.

"Instead of leaving for 15 days, we only leave for ten days. Before, we paid 1,400 euros for 15 days, and now we are at 1,700 for ten days", she explains at the microphone of Europe 1. What implies "a little bit of sacrifice" concedes the tourist: "We are careful, we spend less, we go to restaurants less."

And for good reason, Agnès also has to pay 120 euros for a return boat trip for four people.

2.30 euros per liter on the island

The simple fact of coming to Belle-Île is already expensive, for tourists as well as for seasonal workers.

Valentine is a waitress in a creperie for the summer and admits, "coming here is a price".

"When I come from Paris, a train ticket is 110 euros, plus the boat. If you want to spend your car, it's around 350 euros round trip, it's really a budget", assures you -she.

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Gasoline costs 2.30 euros per liter on the island.

The most privileged can, since this summer, take a nine-seater plane that connects Rennes to Belle-Île for 300 euros round trip, a sign of the upscaling of tourism.

This is the only reason for satisfaction for the waitress: "On tables, you can afford a tip of up to 90 euros."

Towards a better regulation of rentals?

In comparison, the local population gives “either no tip, or between two and eight euros maximum”, she says.

But Valentine's tips could soon drop.

Two weeks ago, the regional council of Brittany asked the government for better regulation of seasonal rentals.

Prices could therefore soon be more controlled.