Persons who wish to economize must resort to the banks of the Loire and Lower Normandy, which are both much frequented by the English, who may here enjoy the comforts of life at a third less than in one of the provincial towns of their own country. A still greater reduction of expense will be found in the retired parts of Brittany, or in the towns of Saumur and Avranches, where living is one-fourth cheaper than at Caen or Tours. These situations are, however, inconvenient, as there are neither good schools nor genteel society.
Rouen, Dieppe, Boulogne, are little cheaper than Paris.
From the following statement, some idea may be formed of the expenses likely to be incurred by a family, residing in Tours or any of the towns in the central and Northern parts of France:
Rent. An unfurnished house, of eight or ten rooms, with a garden, may be had from 30 l. to 50 l. a year.
Taxes. Payable by the tenant, about 5 l. a year.
Fuel. Three fires in winter, and a fire in the kitchen throughout the year, will cost 25 l. to 30 l. a year. The usual fuel is wood: coals may be had in some districts. They are in use in Tours, but are expensive; coke is however to be obtained at more reasonable prices.
Meat.—Beef, mutton, veal, 4 d. to 5 d.; pork, 5 d. to 6 d. per pound.
Poultry. Fowls, 1 s. 6 d. to 3 s. the couple; a goose or turkey, from 2 s. to 4 s.
Eggs. About 5 d. a dozen.
Butter. Fresh, in summer, from 9 d. to 1 s.