It's going up and it doesn't stop going up. Monday morning, in Toulouse service stations such as Esso Express and Avia in the Rangueil district, a liter of diesel was priced at €2.40 and unleaded 95 at €2.20. A symbolic bar crossed with pain, under the effect of geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and the war in Iran which continue to push prices up.
In the city center of the Pink City, the Total brand, Allée des Demoiselles, even had its curtains closed, a victim of its success or a lack of supply. Elsewhere, jaws clench as they unhook the gun. Faced with this new outbreak, 20 Minutes went to ask drivers the question directly: to what extent can the wallet withstand the increase? What must they sacrifice in order to, pardon the expression, hold on? If certain journeys remain obligatory, it is the “bonus” journeys, these little daily or weekend pleasures, which skip one after the other.
No more market, no more weekends and even less bonus
For Sylvain and his family, the economy is based on a well-established tradition. “The L’Isle-Jourdain market… It was our little family outing on Saturday morning, about forty minutes from home. It’s a great market that we love, but with the price of gas, it’s a loss-making trip. So for now we’re canceling, we’re going to the city center markets,” regrets this Toulouse resident we met at the pump. And take the TER to Gers? “It’s making things difficult for vegetables…”
The smiling Henriette does not escape the crisis either. If she works in the city center and favors soft mobility, the impact on the family budget is direct. “My husband works in Colomiers, so we can see the difference clearly. In addition, he is a truck driver. We told her that the profit-sharing bonus this year would not be paid,” she laments. “So yes, we cancel weekends, we try to save money where we can, we are much less spontaneous… Like all French people. »
“I’m going to have to change gym”
These trade-offs also affect daily life and leisure activities. Louna, driving her old Corsa, did her calculations: “I'm going to have to change gyms. I had a really great one on the outskirts, 20 km from my house. It was worth it until now, but not anymore. » 20 kilometers one way, the same on the return: at more than two euros per liter, the cardio session is expensive.
For younger children, the strategy consists of anticipating and finding alternatives. Matthéo, a medical student, has just paid €83 to fill his tank, “in case it goes up again”. His solution, in the meantime, remains ecological: the train. “I have trips that I have had to give up doing, yes. Otherwise, I take the train, if I can, if it’s possible because I still have the youth card. I’m a student but I’m lucky to have a salary, but still, it stings,” he explains, grimacing. But for Samia, there is no alternative to her problem, unfortunately: “I can no longer take car trips to scream and sing at night to relax after a bad day. I’m going to shout in the street as a pedestrian so it will cost me less,” laughs the 21-year-old young woman who has to do without her catharsis.
Living near work? A solution to continue enjoying a little
In all these small sacrifices, only Carole displays a serene smile when refueling. His recipe? Have anticipated the crisis. “I purposely set up close to my work three years ago, precisely because fuel was already increasing. Now, I'm happy: I hardly use my car anymore, which allows me to keep these short trips for my leisure or to see friends without really seeing the difference. »
A luxury for Carole that has become rare in France since the start of the war in Iran. For the majority of motorists encountered this Monday in Toulouse, it is time to systematically calculate before turning the ignition key and taking out the credit card. Good for the planet, no doubt, but less so for morale and the little pleasures of everyday life.
