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Whatever your budget, Paris can be an easy city to navigate and an even easier city to find inexpensive offerings. The following is a breakdown of some cheap travel tips to the city of Paris.
Go Hostel:
Paris is home to dozens of popular hostels. Many hostels cater specifically to student travelers and will require a student ID upon check in. However, you can also find hostels that provide private rooms for the older traveler.
One favorite for travelers of all ages is Three Ducks Hostel, located only blocks away from the Eiffel Tower. This particular hostel offers private rooms as well as communal rooms. You can also rent towels and other supplies from the main office. An additional feature is that this hostel offers a bar – an ideal way to meet other travelers on a budget and create possible connections. Cost to stay here is about 19 euros a night.
On the Right Bank of the river near the Louvre, you can find the International Hostel. This hostel only provides communal rooms to travelers, but offers a fairly substantial breakfast, including yogurt, juice and a baguette. Cost to stay here is about 21 euros a night and caters mostly to students.
If a hostel is not your preference, there are many small private hotels located in the Latin Quarter and Monmartre that will rent rooms from 40-60 euros in the off-season and 60-100 euros in the travel season. One recommendation is to find some travel buddies who are interested in renting a hotel room with you. It is easy to find travel companions at hostels, so staying at one for one night might be a viable option.
Walk: The city of Paris is rich in history and architecture. The Haussman style architecture reformed cities across the world. Spend time walking instead of using the metro or taxis. Each metro ride across the city can drain your pocket by up to 5 euros a day (that’s good food money.) Taxis are far more expensive, though relaxing after a long day of walking. Most tourists do not use the busses in Paris, as the system travels along residential streets rather than to tourist attractions.
Picnic: Picnicking in Paris is fun, especially in the warm summer months. Go to a grocery store or boulangerie to stuff your backpack with French baguettes, cheese, chocolate and wine. Not only are grocery stores a less expensive option to dining out, but you will have an opportunity to get a taste of French culture by exploring the isles and attempting to check out in French.
Take your picnic to the lawn underneath the Eiffel Tower or lay out along the Seine to do some serious people watching. You will notice that most Parisians choose to picnic instead of eat in.
Museums: Many museums are free to visit. Those that are not, such as the Louvre and Musee D’Orsay, have a free visit day on the first Sunday of every month. Most museums also offer discounts to students and seniors. Additional coupons can be found in the FUSAC magazine, located at newsstands around the city.
Thankfully, the majority of tourist attractions in Paris are cost-friendly. Take a walk down the Champs-Elysees for absolutely nothing. Explore Monmartre and Sacre Coeur without spending a dime. Check out the bookstands along the Seine River and hop into Notre Dame for free.
The majority of your expenses will likely be for food, transportation and accommodation. Most tourists would agree that scrimping on accommodation to make way for spending more money on food is the way the French would do it; it is advisable for you to do the same.
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