Glamorous Paris
has an extravagant and luxurious reputation but you don’t need the Sun King’s
budget to be able to enjoy a visit to the City of Lights. Here are my top tips
on how to save money in Paris.
When to visit
Paris enjoys the
best bright, sunny weather between June and August. However, if you are looking
to keep costs to a minimum visiting between April – May or September – October
will mean you are not hit with peak prices. The weather may be more mixed at
those times but you can always plan your museum trips for the iffy days. Paris
also hosts various events that see hotel availability evaporate and prices generally
soar. If your trip to Paris needs to keep to a budget, keep an eye out for
these occasions and avoid them, especially Fashion Week.
Getting into town
If you arrive at
Charles de Gaulle Airport the cheapest way to get into the centre of Paris is
by using public transport. The RER A or B train costs about €9 and the
Roissybus shuttles to the Place de l’Opera every 10 – 20 minutes for €10.
Getting around Paris
Paris is an easy
city to explore on foot but if you need a quicker way to get between stops the
Paris Metro is easy and inexpensive to use. If you will use it a lot, save money by buying a
carnet of 10 single-use tickets (around €15), rather than buying individual tickets (€1.90) each time you travel.
Café and
croissants
Breakfast in a
Paris café is often better, and cheaper, than breakfast in a hotel. If all you
need to get started in the morning is a coffee, drink it at the bar. You will
be served faster and pay half the price of having a waiter deliver it to a café
table.
Enjoy the Prix
Fixe menu
The French take
their food very seriously as evidenced by businesses frequently closing for
lunch. Brasseries and bistros often offer a ‘prix fixe’ menu of two or three
courses for €9 - €15, representing magnificent value. Paris tap water is safe
to drink, so you can save another few euros by requesting ‘une carafe d’eau’
instead of mineral water, with your meal.
If you’d prefer
to enjoy a picnic-style lunch on a bench in a park you can get fantastic baguette-sandwiches
with delicious fillings from boulangeries (bakeries) for about €5 - €8. If you
would like some wine with your baguette the cheapest place to buy wine is in
the supermarket.
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| Menu Prix Fixe, Paris, France |
Accommodation
Paris offers a
variety of accommodation options. As a general rule you will pay more for
accommodation near the major attractions, but you may also save money on
transport, depending on what you want to see.
Paris has lots of
small family-run hotels so you can find reasonably priced accommodation in the
centre if you book in advance. Renting an apartment is another option, and may
be cheaper if you are travelling as a group. It also means you can self-cater
which can save some money, or be beneficial if travelling with children.
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| Louvre Museum, Paris, France |
Sights in the
City of Light
Paris boasts some
incredible attractions. It has everything from grand monuments such as the
Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, to art galleries holding the worlds
treasures such as the Mona Lisa in the Louvre and the work of the
Impressionists at the Musee d’Orsay.
If you are under
26 years old, and from a European country, entry to state museums is free, but you will need to provide ID proving your age and country of residence. Don’t
forget entry to churches, such as Notre Dame Cathedral is free. (There is a charge to visit Notre Dame's
tower and treasury).
If you are older
than 26, the cheapest way to visit these is to time your visit so that you are
in Paris at the start of the month because many of them offer free entry on the
first Sunday of each month. Some also open for free in the evenings, so it is worth
checking the websites before booking your trip.
If your dates are
not so flexible you can also buy a Paris Pass, which is a ticket for entry to
the museums and attractions for a set number of days. It offers savings if you plan to visit multiple attractions during a short period.
It may not be for
everybody but the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is where Jim Morrison is
buried. The grounds also host memorials for lots of French writers, actors and
musicians. There is also a memorial to Oscar Wilde.
For something
different you may want to attend a free lecture from the College de France.
Lectures are given in French and English on a variety of subjects including
physical and natural sciences, philosophy, sociology and history.
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| Jardin des Tuilleries, Paris, France |
Shopping
A great place to
buy some inexpensive souvenirs is a shop called ‘Monoprix’, which is a French
version of Target. It is also a great shop to head to if you find yourself
suddenly needing a new pair of trousers, shoes, batteries, or other traveller
needs.
If you fall in love with something in a high-end boutique store, see if you can find it in a large department store such as Galeries Lafayette, as they offer discounts to tourists.
For more unique
treasures browsing the Paris flea markets is an enjoyable way to spend a
morning. Prices are not always cheap though, so enquire and bargain before you
commit to a purchase. Keep an eye out for pickpockets if the market is crowded
though.
Nightlife
Cafes and
restaurants are often open late in Paris and in summer it is easy to eat dinner
outside and watch the world go by.
If you want to
party while in Paris get to the nightclubs early to avoid paying an entry fee.
The atmosphere will be a bit quiet initially but will not take long to warm up.
Do you have any tips on how to save money in Paris? If so, please share them in the comments below.
