How to Explore Paris on a Budget?

Posted on Oct 4 2016 - 2:27am by Krishna

Paris is a dream city for most of us however it won’t be a surprise for you if we say the French capital can be pricey and tops the list of ‘world’s most expensive cities’. But there are many great travel hacks that will help you to enjoy the city without breaking your bank. Exploring the city can be a gala time as the city is so rich in its architecture and heritage.

Here are some of the tricks that can help you save the euros while exploring the best of Paris.

paris eiffel tower

Follow these simple tips that will help you to tour Paris on a budget

Food

France’s gourmet delight is the best thing that you cannot afford to miss. You can enjoy Paris’s world-famous food culture and great local restaurants while still taking care of your budget.

  • Savour the golden croissants and chocolate-filled pastries with a cup of coffee at the local bakery for breakfast
  • Look for meals priced as low as €5 which is available at the Parisian food carts
  • Go for ‘Take-away’ options in restaurants and it will cost you less
  • Visit Latin Quarter neighbourhood for fixed 3-course menus that are available at affordable rates
  • Avoid having brunch and dinners in restaurants. Lunch menus are less expensive
  • You can also buy fresh groceries from food markets and cook food at your apartment

Stay

stay in paris

Looking for a good accommodation option in Paris can cost you high. You might not know but cheap lodging and affordable Paris serviced apartments are also available which are well-furnished and equipped with all modern amenities to make your stay comfortable. You can also opt for stay with locals with couchsurfing and share a room with other tourists in a hostel.

Getting around

To enjoy the picturesque sights and iconic monuments of the city off course you need to travel a lot and for which you’ll incur heavy cost.  Here are the few hacks that can help you save a lot transportation cost.

  • Exploring the city on foot, Paris offers 5 daily Discover Walks walking tours to Notre Dame, Montmartre, Latin Quarter, and Marais for free
  • A €10 boat ride on Bateaux Mouche gives can offer you a unique perspective of the city landmarks
  • Rent out Velib bikes with €1.7 daily and/or €8 weekly passes.
  • Opt for a one-day €7 Mobilis travel card to enjoy unlimited metro rides in Central Paris that includes most of the tourist destinations

Exploring the city

We know Paris is popular for its iconic museums and monuments and architectural marvels. Do the following hacks to save the entry fee in these tourist destinations.

  • Visit Musée de Cluny and Musée Carnavalet, for free on first Sunday of every month
  • Louvre can be visited for free during November – March
  • For EU citizens aged 18 – 25, entry to these museums is free on all days
  • Buy Paris museum pass that covers entry fee to most of the museums
  • Popular beautiful garden like the Garden of the Tuileries, the Luxembourg garden, the Place des Vosges can be visited absolutely free of cost
  • The Sacré-Coeur church famous monument that is also free for visitors
  • To get amazing views of the Eiffel Tower and the city climb Arc de Triompie for a meagre fee of €8. This way you can skip the line at Eiffel Tower and still get the best views of the iconic monument by paying less
Krishna

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About the Author

I am Krishna, a traveller by heart and blogger by profession. I like to dream, meet new people, explore places and share my experiences. Currently, I am working with London-based travel company-thesqua.re that offers premium serviced apartments on rent to business and leisure travellers. The company has its presence in cities like London, Paris and New York.