Cheap Paris – a budget traveler’s guide

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Paris is a notoriously expensive holiday destination (and not a cheap place to live either), and people usually go armed with quite a large budget if they want to have fun in the French capital. But should you abandon the idea of visiting Paris if you’re on a budget?

Luckily, there are many tips and tricks that will help you to conquer Paris even if you’re short on funds. Besides, there’s so much more to the city besides the designer boutiques, expensive restaurants and fancy clubs!

Free things to do in Paris

Strolling in the streets of Paris is the most pleasant activity there is, and of course, it’s for free (unless you count the occasional croissant and cup of cafe au lait that you might pick up on the way). The shopping districts full of brand shops are good for a bit of window shopping, but the real face of Paris is hidden in places such as Montmartre (a bit touristy nowadays, but charming nonetheless).

Belleville district is another very nice area, very multicultural and home of two of Paris’ Chinatowns. The district has the typical narrow streets of old Paris, and it is very popular with artists and musicians because of the cheap rent. The famous French singer Edith Piaf was born in Belleville (under a lamp post, they say). If  you want a guided tour of the city but you’d rather save up some euros for a nice meal at dinner, you can go on a free tour that starts every day at St. Michel fountain (metro St. Michel) at 11 AM and 1 PM. You don’t even have to sign up for it, just show.

If you want to visit museums but you don’t feel like dishing out rather large sums for tickets to the Centre Pompidou or the Louvre, don’t despair.

There are many free exhibitions in Paris, and in addition to that, some twenty famous museums regularly have entry-free days, thanks to an initiative of the French government. Art galleries are also free, and you can see many wonderful contemporary paintings, even if you have no intention of buying anything.

Paris on a budget

There are many awesome outdoor markets in Paris, and you can find some cheap eats and many local delicacies there. You can find anything from fresh produce to antiques, and in addition to being a great shopping experience, visiting an outdoor market is also a cultural experience. There is not better place where you can observe the day-to-day life of regular Parisians.

Food in Paris can certainly be expensive if you are going to eat only in restaurants. Cuisine is definitely one of the most important elements of a Paris trip, but restaurants are not the only place where you can get acquainted with Parisian cuisine. Street food is a good alternative; you can grab a crepe that is just as delicious as the ones you get in restaurants, and you can pop into a bakery for a fresh baguette or a sandwich (the jambon et fromage sandwiches are mouth-wateringly good). Also, North African and ethnic cuisine are just as important a part of French cuisine as the traditional dishes. So grab a kebab or a gyros, and you’ll still be eating French cuisine!

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Comments on Cheap Paris – a budget traveler’s guide

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stefan wrote on December 26, 2010:

Cool!
As I was in Paris ten years ago, I found nothing cheap there

 

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