Ways to Save when Visiting Paris

Think the City of Light is going to leave your wallet, um, “light”? Think again, Cheapos. Here are a handful of tips to help make your next visit to Paris more affordable – without sacrificing any of the fun!

Here’s an overview of the best Paris budget travel advice published on EuroCheapo. Where possible, we’ve linked off to additional information on the topic. Please note that this page is regularly updated with new information.

When to visit

Like most major destinations in Europe, Paris’ “high season” is roughly from mid-May through mid-September. When you visit during this period you’ll find the warmest weather and best chance for rain-free days, but also highest costs for flights, hotels and train tickets. The odd exception is during August when the city clears out and hotel rates, surprisingly, can drop.

If you have some flexibility in your scheduling, we’d recommend visiting just a smidge before or after this period, in the “shoulder season.” If you can visit in mid-April to mid-May, or mid-September to mid-October, you’ll find lower airfares, lower hotel rates and fewer tourists. The weather can be quite lovely, as well, with sunny days and cooler nights.

Visiting Paris in the low season would even be cheaper. This period, roughly defined as November, December (except holiday time), January (except Fashion week, see below), February and March, is also one of our favorite times. The city, which can seem overrun by tourists during the summer, belongs to the locals.

Fashion week warning: Fashionistas invade Paris and drive up prices significantly (even in our favorite cheapo hotels!) during the city’s fashion weeks. They tend to be held in late January and late September every year. Check out this site for dates.

Saving on hotels

We’ve been recommending Paris’ best budget hotels on EuroCheapo since we launched the site in 2001. We have a lot to say on the matter, and cover it in dept in our article about how to find the perfect hotel in Paris. Some highlights:

You should be able to find a comfortable, centrally-located hotel in Paris for under €100 during much of the year, especially if you book one of our recommended hotels in advance.

If you’re willing to go bare-bones (with shared bathroom, little-to-know decor, and a less central neighborhood), you could probably find something for less than €75. Here’s a list of our favorite super cheapo hotels.

When choosing a neighborhood, we usually opt for something central, as we’re big walkers and we like to hoof it to the sights, avoiding crowded transit or expensive night taxis when possible. If a central hotel costs just a few more euros a night than a less central one, we’ll always spring for a more central location. You’ll not only value the convenience, but will save on transportation charges.

Our recommended central neighborhoods for hotels are the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement), St Germain des Pres (6th arrondissement), and the Marais (3rd and 4th arrondissement).

Want to know our favorite hotels? The list changes regularly (with each visit, naturally), but includes:

• Hotel Eldorado – budget bohemian
• Hotel Tiquetonne – most popular hotel in our guide
• Hotel Esmeralda – most character
• Hotel de Nice – flamboyant in the Marais
• Hotel Jeanne d’Arc – French country house
• Cluny Sorbonne – starving artist
• Hotel Audran – Montmartre clean and cheap
• Hotel du Champs de Mars – Eiffel Tower oasis
• Hotel Paris France – convenient Republique base
• Hotel Chopin – 19th-century storybook setting

Saving on sightseeing

We’ve published many tips for saving when visiting Paris’ big attractions. These tips include:

Many state-run museums are free to visit, including the Musee d’Art Moderne, Maison de Victor Hugo, and many more.

Many museums offer free admission on the first Sunday of the month, including the Musee d’Orsay and the Louvre (October-March). Note that crowds will be huge, however, so it might pay to actually avoid this day!

Save time and skip the ticket line at the Eiffel Tower by buying your tickets in advance through the Tower’s website.

Keep in mind that other sites (Notre Dame, Basilica de Sacre Coeur), parks and gardens are free to visit.

When planning your trip, you don’t need to buy tickets to museums or attractions in advance through third-party vendors. They will almost certainly tack on a hefty commission.

Paris Museum Pass

The “Paris Museum Pass,” a discount museum card, offers admission to over 60 museums, churches and sites in Paris and the surrounding region (including Versailles). The card pays for itself if you’re planning to pack your days in Paris full with museums and tourist sites. A two-day pass is €39, a pass for four consecutive days is €54, and a six-day pass costs €69. Additionally, the card allows you to jump right to the front of many entrance lines (though, alas, not security lines). For more information, visit the Paris Museum Pass site.

All municipal museums, including the Petit Palais and the Musée Carnavalet, are free of charge for all. Check the tourist offices for other free finds.

Get the most out of Versailles.

Visiting Versailles? Get the “Passport” in advance and save money when visiting the palace, smaller buildings and gardens. Plus, you get to jump the line, saving loads of time! And when you visit, pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it outside the gates, along the canal.

Don’t forget other nearby day trips.

When in Paris, you’re surrounded by other wonderful day trip options, including Giverny, Rouen, Chartres and Reims—all reachable by train in under 1 hour 15 minutes, and all very affordable.

Saving on Food

Coffee at the counter

Cafés in Paris, like much of Europe, charge less for coffee ordered and consumed at the bar. Sure, you could drink that same coffee sitting down, but be aware that it might cost you twice as much, especially on the terrace.

Keep an eye on that restaurant tab.

Don’t get ripped off in touristy restaurants. Know what is “normal” to pay for everyday items, from coffee (€1-2) to a glass of wine (€4). Don’t pay for “flat” water in restaurants, as all restaurants are legally obliged to bring a carafe of water to your table. Bread, too, is always free.

Stay hydrated for less.

Buy your water at the supermarket, never from a sidewalk vendor or the hotel, where you’ll pay several times the supermarket price. And when your water bottle runs dry, fill it up with cool spring water at any of the city’s 108 historic “Wallace Fountains.”

Remember the outdoor food markets!

Shop in Paris’ outdoor markets for fresh produce, snacks and lunch. Swing by before they close (usually in the afternoon) to find the real deals. Ask at the hotel for your neighborhood market’s location and times.

Supermarket wine is not taboo.

With aisles devoted to all sorts of regional French wines, Parisian supermarkets like Monoprix and Franprix are acceptable places to buy a bottle (or several) for dinner or a picnic. If you want to ask questions or are looking for something specific, however, head to a wine shop, or caviste. Nicolas or Le Repaire de Bacchus are two such chains found all over the city.

Getting around town (for less)

Riding Bikes

In August 2007, Bertrand Delanoë, the incredible, amazing mayor of Paris made it easy to be green by launching Vélib’, a public biking initiative that allows bikers to borrow a bike from one of 1,800 pick-up spots around town and in surrounding cities, and drop it off at any other center within 30 minutes. (If you need more time to get there, you’re charged by the half hour thereafter.) See our article on Velib’ for more information.

Taxing Taxis

Don’t take a taxi from the airport. Full stop. And avoid taxis during rush hour, when walking is usually faster.

Rent a car on the way out of town

Having a rental car in Paris expensive. You’ll have to keep it parked, and garages are not cheap. Furthermore, the recent (wonderful) addition of bike lanes and pedestrian-only streets have made driving around town slower than ever. So, please avoid the impulse to drive around town. You’ll only make yourself upset.

If you are renting a car for your trip, do so on your way out of town. Many travelers instinctively book a car from the time they touch down in a city–this is not necessary. Instead, take a bus or train in from the airport, spend a few days (without a car) in Paris, and then pick up a car on your way to your next destination. Rental car offices and pickup points exist all over town–including in most train stations.

Save on shopping

Soldes!

“Soldes,” a sign you’ll see in shop windows, means “SALE!” French merchants are allowed to sell their wares below cost in January and July. This is the perfect time to pick up the authentic French fashions you’ve always wanted without destroying your personal finances.

Save on nightlife and entertainment

Discounted Theater

Half-priced theater tickets in Paris are available to budget theater goers. Stop by one of the kiosks on the Place de la Madeleine or in front of the Gare Montparnasse. Reward your efforts by seeing a show in the recently renovated Opera Garnier, or the modern Opera Bastille for as little as €12, or even as little as €5 for a last-minute standing place at the Bastille. For more information on discounted opera tickets visit the official Web site of the Paris Opera.

Take in a free concert or a free movie.

Enjoy the free Sunday afternoon concerts in churches around Paris. Pick up the “Pariscope” listings magazine at any newsstand for times and addresses. During the summer, for example, head to the 19th arrondissement to enjoy an open-air movie (“Cinema en Plein Air”) every night of the week (except Monday). You’ll get to hang out with locals AND it’s free!

More ways to save

Stop by the tourist office

We always recommend heading straight on over to the tourist office as soon as possible. Tourist offices are always loaded with information on discounted and cost-free events, free maps, coupons and guides to the city.

The Bureau d’Accueil Central, or Office de Tourisme et des Congres de Paris, is located at 25 Rue des Pyramides in the 1st Arrondissement. It is open daily from 10 am. until 7 p.m. from November 1 through April 30, and from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. May 2 through October 31 (closed on May 1).

There are satellite branches at the Anvers on the median strip facing 72, boulevard Rochechouart (open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.), at the Gare de Lyon (open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.), the Gare du Nord (open daily from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.), Place du Tertre in Montmartre (open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.) and at the Gare de l’Est (open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.).

Senior Discounts

Senior travelers will find some discounts in Paris. Be sure to carry your passport to offer proof of your age. Sometimes, seniors must be members of a particular association in order to receive discounts. Members of the AARP get discounts on hotels, airfares and car rentals. They can be reached at in the United States at 1-888-687-2277 or visited online.

Student Discounts

The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the most widely accepted form of student ID and provides discounts on sights, accommodations, food and transportation. Some museums in France offer admission discounts to ISIC members. Applicants must be working toward a degree at a secondary or post-secondary school and must be at least 12 years of age. The card costs US$25 and is valid until the end of the year issued. All cardholders have access to a 24-hour emergency helpline. In the US call 1-888-920-5985 or visit the ISIC online.

For non-students 25 years and younger, the International Youth Travel Card, IYTC, also offers many of the same benefits as the ISIC. The card costs US$25 and is valid for one year from the date of issue.

Travelers with student cards, such as ISIC and IYTC qualify for big discounts from travel agencies. Most flights from budget agencies are on major airlines, though peak season deals might be on less reliable chartered aircraft.

Phoning Home

We don’t need to tell you not to call home from a hotel telephone, do we? Didn’t think so. (It could cost as much as the room. We’re not joking.) When using a phone booth, you’ll need to use a “telecarte” to make a call, rather than inserting coins. The best place to buy a telecarte is at a tabac or a newsstand. Avoid France Telecom cards. They’re too pricey! Instead of France Telecom, try Delta Multimedia and Kertel. Alternately, ask for a telecarte “avec un code.”

Checking E-mail

Many hotels and cafés have free Wi-Fi (and, in a pinch, so does McDonalds). If you haven’t brought your laptop with you, there are many Internet cafés in Paris, particularly in student areas.