These Five Tips Can Make Paris Cheaper

If you visit France, you already know the mystic around the city of Paris, which also happens one of the most visited cities in the world, and arguably one of the most expensive. Fortunately, I’ve prepared a few tips that can drastically cut down on your expenses – and perhaps save you a little time in the process. 

Eat Local - If you recognize the name of the restaurant or boulangerie it is probably not local.  Baguettes are cheap in France and cost less than three euros. A good meal-on-the-go is a baguette and cheese, with some fruit found at the local street markets or corner shops. This is also the ideal to take into the Le Louvre. Carrefour is a local grocery store and purchasing food and snacks there will cut down on your daily expenses. To find less expensive restaurants, and more authentic cuisine, step off the main roads where small cafes will delight your senses and go easy on your wallet. Kebab shops can be found sprinkled throughout the city for a fast on the go meal that is inexpensive and allows you to eat at a local park bench.  

Museum Passes - There are more than 365 museums in Paris and each one will cost between 15 and 25 euros. Passes will offer entrance into more than 60 museums, monuments and castles and will range from 90 to 160 euros - which may or may not be a good deal depending on the number of days you plan to be in the Paris region. It’s also important to remember the amount of time you can and will spend at each attraction. It is estimated that if you looked at each item in Le Louvre for five seconds each you would spend more than five years, so you probably should plan a whole day for just Le Louvre (17-euro entrance fee). Similarly, the Chateau de Versailles (24 euros including the gardens) is a place where it is not uncommon for visitors to spend the entire day. Minors are almost always free for museums and the Eiffel Tower is rarely included in museum passes. Make a plan of what you want to see beforehand.  

Use Public Transport - Be sure to Get the Paris Visite' Travel Pass. This pass can be purchased for one to five consecutive days - and grants you access to all forms of public transportation – which includes the metro, bus, tram and the train. Anywhere in Paris proper you are never more than a three-minute walk to the nearest form of public transport and if you wander a little further outside the city your walk will peak at 8-minutes. Maps with lines and destinations, including tourist attractions, can be found at any metro or train station. And yes, there’s an app for that Yes, English versions are available. 

Visit Free Sites. Paris is a beautiful city with amazing architecture, monuments, parks, and so much more, and the best part is that not everything costs money. Visit the churches, the most famous being the recently renovated Notre Dame and Sacre Cour, the main vestibules are free to enter, though the bell tower tour comes at a price. Take a walk in one of the many parks, Buttes Chaumont, Parc Monceau, and Jardin du Luxembourg are popular hangout spots for a reason. And don’t miss Pere LaChaise Cemetery, where you can find Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison resting places as well as other famous figures, but more than random famous people, it is simply a beautiful and serene escape from the bustle of Paris during tourist season. 

Get Accommodations Outside of Paris. This tip will save you the most money. The closer you are to the city center, the more expensive your stay. The accommodation will also likely be smaller. If you’re willing to go to one of the many suburbs that bump right up against the city you will still be within walking distance to public transportation, which will take you to all the sites within a reasonable amount of time. Also, if you stay on the outskirts of the city, you are likely to pass by local pop-up markets that will give you an authentic taste of France.