As shocking as it sounds, you can enjoy a trip to Paris without spending an outrageous amount of money, writes Elise Norton
It’s no secret that a visit to chic Paris can burn through your Europe travel budget – but it doesn’t have to be this way. The French capital isn’t all haute couture and haute cuisine, and a bit of planning and local savvy can make all the difference when it comes to enjoying a séjour in the City of Light without breaking the bank.
What’s more, saving your Euros doesn’t mean missing out on the sights, sounds and flavours of this vibrant metropolis – it might even help you discover the “real” Paris.
Saving your Euros doesn’t mean missing out on the sights, sounds and flavours of Paris. Photo / mxx on Unsplash
If you’re budget conscious and don’t mind a bit of a queue, plan your Paris adventure to coincide with the first Sunday of the month. This is when some of the city’s most beloved museums open their doors for free – say hello to exploring the Musée d’Orsay, Louvre, Musée Rodin (along with many others), without spending a euro. If you’re lucky (and youthful) enough to be under 26 and a citizen of an EU country, these museums are always free – be sure to gloat to your friends handing over their bank notes.
If you’re determined to make museums the mainstay of your trip, it might be worth considering investing in the Paris Museum Pass. At €62 ($108.60) and €77 (NZ$134.85) for a two-day and four-day pass respectively, this can feel like quite a chunk of cash to part with in one go, but it could save you money if taking in the city’s cultural riches is a priority.
The main hall of Orsay Museum (Musée d’Orsay in French). Photo / 123rf
Take the stairs
Though many thrifty travellers opt to look at the Eiffel Tower for free, rather than paying to go up it, if making the ascent up the iconic structure is on your bucket list there’s hope yet for an economical excursion: take the stairs. Trust us when we say the view from the second floor is spectacular – a ticket to this viewing platform, via the stairs rather than the lift (which also usually means far less time in line), will set you back just €11.80, compared to €29.40 to take the lift to the very top.
Find your favourite Paris park
The ultimate in free activities, no Paris trip would be complete without a wander through some of its beautiful and varied parks. If manicured elegance is your thing, the quintessentially Parisian Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin des Tuileries will hit the mark, whereas the waterfalls, cliffs and hills of the less formal Parc des Buttes-Chaumont make for a relaxed urban escape in nature. A little further out of the centre, the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes are packed with easy walking routes that will make the city feel more than a few miles away. Prefer your parks with a side of culture or high-octane fun? Check out Parc de la Villette, which is home to theatres, a symphony hall, an equestrian centre and the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, which is the largest science museum in Europe and even boasts its own indoor skydiving simulator. Not exactly a park, but nonetheless a much-loved public space, the gargantuan (and really quite beautiful) Père Lachaise cemetery is a popular spot for a stroll – look out for the graves of Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf, among many others.
The Luxembourg garden on a spring day. Photo / 123rf
Getting around in Paris
Explore on foot
One huge advantage for money-conscious travellers in Paris is the relatively compact size of the city centre – something that cannot be said for many global capitals. A number of the most iconic landmarks are found within a relatively walkable distance, meaning if you’re short on time and want to tick off a number of hotspots within a day, conquering Paris is a mere balade (stroll) away.
Not sure where to start? A walk in the Champs de Mars to admire the Eiffel Tower (where else could a whistlestop tour begin?) can be quickly followed by a peek at the Arc de Triomphe, from where it’s a straight shot down the famed Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde and Jardin des Tuileries, next to which you’ll find the Louvre. From there, follow the river and you’ll shortly hit Île de la Cité, home to Notre Dame. Congratulations: you’ve conquered some of Paris’s most famous spots, without a taxi fare in sight.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that some metro stations – particularly compared to in other cities like London – are very close together, and definitely don’t warrant the cost of a train trip between them. On Line 4, for example, which serves such key stations as Saint-Michel Notre-Dame (near the famous cathedral), Gare du Nord and Châtelet, stations are on average just 424 metres apart!
Notre Dame is a famous cathedral in Paris located on the Île de la Cité. Photo / 123rf
Save money with the Navigo Easy Pass
Paper tickets are being phased out on Paris’s transport network, and are already at a premium. Get ahead of the curve and download the Bonjour RATP app on your phone and invest €2 in a Navigo Easy Pass, which allows you to buy digital single tickets and carnets (collections or books of tickets) for a better price. It pays to plan: working out how many tickets you might need over the course of your visit will save you some euros, with a single digital ticket (covering metro lines, Zone 1 RER lines, most Île-de-France bus lines, tram lines and the Montmartre funicular) setting you back €2.10, while a carnet of 10 is just €16.90. There are unlimited travel cards available, but unless you’re constantly hopping on and off the metro, they might not offer the best value for you – thankfully, transport operator RATP publishes its prices online, making it easy to make informed and financially savvy decisions.
Get a great deal on Paris accommodation and food
Live the ‘real’ Paris
An often cost-effective option for lodging in Paris is Airbnb. You can find a variety of private rooms or entire apartments that often offer better value for money compared to traditional hotels – plus, staying in an Airbnb allows you to live like a local and save extra cash by cooking some of your own meals and picking up a baguette from the boulangerie for breakfast, rather than forking out for a hotel buffet.
It’s hardly surprising that not all that many Parisians live right next to the Louvre or on the Champs-Élysées. Of course, there are sometimes bargains to be had in the heart of the city’s historic centre, but for a more reliably good-value (and in some ways more authentic) stay within the limits of the Périphérique (the ring road that encircles Paris), the 11th, 19th and 20th arrondissements are great neighbourhoods to begin the search. The key is ensuring good connections by metro, RER or bus.
Airbnb can offer cost-effective lodging options that allow you to live like a local. Photo / 123rf
Tuck into tasty (and well-priced) meals
When planning your meals in Paris, keep in mind that the best restaurant deals are nearly always found at lunchtime, with many eateries offering an affordable formule (set menu) or plat du jour (dish of the day). Beyond these special offers, brasserie chain Bouillon serves up delicious and inexpensive French cuisine in locations throughout the centre of Paris, often with impressive interiors to boot.
As is often the case, exploring the rich food cultures of the city’s immigrant communities can be both economical and extremely worthwhile. Top dishes to seek out include tagine at Les délices du Maroc, couscous at Le Taïs, and sumptuous Syrian grills, salads and hummus at La Rose de Damas.
For more things to see and do in Paris, visit france.fr/en
