A group of mums travelled to Marseille for 72 hours after bagging return flights for £17 – and dashed home in time for work. Anne-Marie Moss, 45, escaped to Marseille, France, with her mum pals - Jill, 50, Elisabeth, 50, and old school friend Rachel, 45 - on May 14, 2023.
The friends soaked up the sun and spent their three-day break cruising around the coastline, eating at a circus-themed restaurant and on a Segway tour of the city. They spent £97 each for their hotel for two nights, £20 for parking and used £108 spending money for all the activities and food.
The mates had three full days in the French city before arriving back in Manchester on May 17 at midnight - getting back in time for work and school runs the next day. For Anne-Marie this is her ninth cheap getaway in two years – and the friends are already planning to return.
Anne-Marie, a receptionist at a mental health hospital said: "We went on a cruise visiting the Calanques on the Marseille coastline. "We ate at a fantastic circus-themed restaurant.
"We went on an open deck bus tour and on a Segway tour of Marseille which had some scary moments driving through the busy streets of France. We visited the beautiful Notre Dame and the cathedral.
"The weather was really nice."
Anne-Marie has been snapping up cheap flights for quick getaways since December 2021 - after taking a trip with her daughter, Trinity, 20, and her friends to Kraków, Poland for just £16. Since the mum has visited Poland six times - always securing a cheap return flight - as well short breaks in Romania and Palma, Spain.
Anne-Marie has been expanding her travel group as she goes - with more of her mum and school friends joining in. She said: "I originally went away with Rachel, an old school friend, last year and since then our 'holiday group' has expanded with others wanting to join us on our trips.
"As long as you're nice and up for an adventure come along. You’ve got to be up for things. We don’t relax by the pool.”
This time around the friends decided to try a new destination - Marseille, France - packing in as much adventure as possible. Anne-Marie said: "We loved the boat trip visiting the Calanques National Park, the waters were crystal clear.
"The Segway tour was the funniest and most enjoyable part, neither me or Jill had ever been on a Segway and decided to do a three-hour tour around Marseille. We got to visit a lot of the beautiful sites, riding around the ports and it was such a laugh.
"We had a couple of scary moments as the pathways got quite narrow and steep, but we absolutely loved it. Rachel and Elisabeth went on a three-hour bike ride around the coast and covered 18 miles and they both really enjoyed that."
After missing out on a kayaking trip that was cancelled because of stormy seas the pals are already looking to go back. Anne-Marie said: "We want to try and get back in June and do the kayaking trip we missed this time and also the sunset cruise as both of these trips were cancelled due to the rough sea."
Cost of the trip -
Flights - £17 return each
Hotel - £97 each for two nights
Airport parking - £20 each
Spending money - £108 each
Anne-Marie’s 48-hour escapes -
December 2021 – Kraków - £16 flights each, £100 accommodation - £25 each
March 2022 – Kraków – £35 flights, £50 accommodation
April 2022 – Kraków and Tantra Mountains – £35 flights, £90 hotel, £120 on activities
May 2022 - Tantra Mountains for three days - £120 each
June 2022 – Kraków and Tantra Mountains – £22 flights, £120 each on activities
Dec - Tantra Mountains – £35 flights, Accommodation - £100
Feb 2023 – Bucharest, Romania – £116
March – Palma - £110
May - Marseille, France - £242
Total - £1,236
