We’re there, so how are you going to get there?
Half the nation’s summer holidays were decided last night as the Republic of Ireland booked their place at Euro 2016 with a brilliant 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The tickets for the tournament, which go from €25 to €145 for the early matches, won’t go on sale until after next month’s draw, when Martin O’Neill’s men will find out both their opponents and the locations of their group games in France, but that shouldn’t stop you from starting to plan your trip to the continent.
Details on the requirements
Getting there
Naturally, the first port of call should be to airline websites, but reports suggested the likes of Ryanair had already begun increasing prices for flights during the finals.
Do you think @Ryanair will get those planes that you can stand on in time for France? #allaboard #EURO2016
— James O’Mullan (@jamesomullan) November 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/nbrez/status/666363715982368768
Ryanair flights to France next summer have already started to rise in price. #COYBIG #keepingdreamalive
— Henry McKean (@HenryMcKean) November 16, 2015
Fans claiming that Ryanair flights for France increased in price as Jon Walters' penalty hit the net. Not like Ryanair to do that
— Travel Extra (@TravelExtraIre) November 16, 2015
This morning, a trip to Paris Beauvais, departing on June 9, the day before the opening game of the tournament, and returning on June 23 after the completion of the group stage, will currently see you contributing €231.98 towards the stabling of Michael O’Leary’s horses to Ryanair’s annual turnover, while the same trip on Aer Lingus is already a mighty €420.98 (and that’s before you book a bag).
Those are direct flights, however, according to Expedia, it is possible to get to Paris for as little as €203 if your are happy to spend a few hours getting to know the terminal buildings in Frankfurt and Zurich.
Of course, the finals will be spread across the length and breadth of France – for example, if Ireland are drawn in either Group B or F then none of our games will be in the capital.
Matches will be held as far north as Lille and Lens, in the south west in Bordeaux, the south east (Marseille/Nice) and in the heart of the country (Lyon/Saint-Etienne).
Ryanair flights to Nice will set you back €258, while using Bordeaux as your base for the fortnight will set you back €349 with Aer Lingus.
Of course, with the tournament practically on our doorstep, travelling by air is not the only option for the green-clad hordes.
Irish Ferries run services from Dublin and Rosslare to Cherbourg and Roscoff, and a return journey for you and your three buddies from Wexford to Cherbourg (June 9-22) is a fairly reasonable €602. Rivals Stena Line have seen many of their French sailings booked out.
Alternatively, you could hop on a flight/ferry to the UK and take the train to France. Taking your camper van through the Channel Tunnel will set you back around €260 return, while passenger tickets on the Eurostar train from London to Paris start at around £80 (€115) but are only available from six months in advance.
Staying there
Once you’ve booked your travel, the next thing you’ll need to sort is accommodation, and here’s where the Joxers amongst you will really start to make hay.
As anyone who enjoyed on a caravanning holiday to France in their youth will know, campsites are plentiful in France.
A pitch at five-star campsite La Croix du Vieux Point, situated north of Paris towards Lille and Lens will cost €420 for two (€588 for four) for the duration of the group stages.
For those looking for a roof over their heads, there are a small number of hostels in or around Paris that can put you up for around €40 a night, while those seeking a little bit more from their lodgings can already expect to fork out more than €120 a night for a three-star hotel.
Wait, how do I get hold of a camper van?
Well, the easiest option would be to rent one in France – a luxury four-berth motorhome will set you back about €1,200 for two weeks – but then you still have to pay for flights as well as your campsite.
Alternatively, you could head to Done Deal and pick yourself up a bargain like this beauty, on sale in Cork for €650, but we reckon you could probably pick it up for €600 with a full tank.
Along with your €600 ferry and another €600-ish for campsites and your travelling quartet can start your fortnight in France for just €450 each. It might be a tight squeeze, but you’re all good friends, right?
Booze
French wine is cheap. Very cheap. The supermaches will be your friend.
