25 FEBRUARY 1966, Page 26

While Oriental sun and sand countries exert a stronger pull,

it is still to France that the vast majority of holidayers abroad go. Over one and a half million last year made the Channel crossing, to find in many cases that they had underestimated the cost, for France is expensive. Tourism and the Guide Michelin have pushed up the price of starred cuisine, and the wise motorist buys himself as well a copy of the Relais Routier (I 9s.), which lists truck-drivers' favourite eateries, the Guide Auto-journal (5 francs from 43 Bd. Barbes, Paris 18e), which lists 'Les meilleurs tables de France a moins de 12 francs,' and the Logis de France (15s. from Hachette, 4 Regent Place, Regent Street, London, WI), which lists 2,000 mainly rural hotels of strict standards and reasonable prices.