Fortunately, there are ways for Cheapos to get their art fix without breaking the bank. Here are five of my favorite ways to experience Paris’ best art for next to nothing.

Also read: A list of free and discounted museums in Paris

1. Don’t pass on the Paris Museum Pass.

Museum passes are not always worthwhile, especially if you don’t plan on spending much of your time strolling through marble corridors hung with paintings. However, consider purchasing the Paris Museum Pass if you’re thinking of spreading out your visit to the larger collections, like those of the Louvre or the Centre Pompidou, over several days.

A four-day Paris Museum Pass, for example, will set you back €54, but it gives you entrance to most of the city’s major museums and monuments and allows you to return as many times as you like over those four consecutive days. Bonus: You get to skip the lines!

2. First Sunday of the month is free.

On the first Sunday of every month many of the capital’s museums are free, so you can ogle Degas’ “Dancers” at the Musée d’Orsay or wander through Rodin’s statue-studded garden while saving your coin for an ice cream or a glass of wine afterward.

Crowd control tip: If you do choose to take advantage of this freebie, either steel yourself for the crowds of choose a lesser-known museum, such as the Musée National Jean-Jacques Henner or the Musée National Eugène Delacroix.

Bonus: Not in Paris on the first Sunday of the month? No problem! The Louvre offers reduced-price admission on all other Sundays.

3. Take advantage of afternoon and evening discounts.

Keep in mind that the Louvre’s entrance fee goes down to €5 after 3 p.m. (Regular admission is €11)

If you happen to be under the age of 26, the Louvre is free to you on Friday evenings, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Also check out La Maison Européenne de la Photographie, a beautiful museum in the Marais dedicated to the “8th Art.” It’s free on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

4. Senior or student? Get your discount!

If you’re over 60 years old, you’re eligible for discounted admissions to most museums and monuments in Paris, so don’t be shy—flash that I.D. and sashay on through.

Youth has its perks, too: If you’re under 18, the Louvre is your oyster, all for free. (And it’s even better for residents of the European Union: The Louvre is free for everyone under 25!)

5. Be part of the gallery scene.

Art openings are a fun, refreshing way to see some art that may otherwise pass under your radar. Plus, they’re free!

Dozens of galleries dot the Marais neighborhood, particularly in the 3rd arrondissment, like Galerie Vanessa Quang, Galerie Jean-François Cazeau and Galerie Thessa Herold. These small, white-washed spaces frequently have openings, held in the evenings. Called “vernissages,” these previews usually offer a few nibbles, some wine, and plenty of art world drama.

Wandering through the narrow streets of the Marais on a summer evening, popping in and out of galleries as the sky turns first pink then lavender, and quaffing a couple of glasses of free Champagne is a favorite Paris Cheapo’s cultural night out. So go on an adventure and see what you find in this most arty of Paris neighborhoods.

The post Paris Art Museums and Galleries: 5 ways to save on art appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Many of the French capital’s cheapo-friendly hotels have upped the style stakes recently, refurbishing their lobbies and rooms and adopting a decidedly dapper feel. Here are just a few polished picks from our list of Paris hotels.

Mama Shelter

109, rue de Bagnolet
Neighborhood: Père Lachaise-Belleville
Doubles: €89 to €199

Want real style bang for your buck? Then look no further than this award-winning hotel designed by Philippe Starck. Slick rooms decked out in Starck’s signature tongue-in-cheek style feature iMacs, free Wi-Fi and microwaves, making Mama Shelter a no-brainer for those looking for a complete boutique hotel experience.

While it’s definitely not central, this neighborhood exudes hipster cool and is near the Père Lachaise cemetery and many of the city’s hottest new-wave bistros. Besides, with its swank restaurant menu created by Michelin-starred chef Alain Senderens, a laid-back little pizzeria, a hip cocktail bar featuring international DJs and a roof-top lounge, not to mention the free in-room movies and video games, you may never get back out the door.

Sleek, chic and boutique, the Jeff Hotel is an affordable option in a neat part of the ninth arrondissement. Photo by EuroCheapo.

Jeff Hotel

53, rue Richer
Neighborhood: Grand Boulevards
Doubles: €70 to €110

It’s tough to beat this small 2-star hotel for its prime location near l’Opéra Garnier. Most of the rooms have been remodeled in pleasing shades of warm gray, dusty purple and muted putty. Hardwood floors, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi and sleek baths give these rooms, some with spectacular views, an attractive, modern feel.

The Pink Hotel brings boutique style dressed up in, you guessed it, pink! Photo provided by the hotel.

Pink Hotel

20 bis, rue Dugommier
Neighborhood: Gare de Lyon
Doubles: €69 to €389

Recently renovated, this small boutique hotel offers 15 modern, clean rooms with flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, toiletries in the bathrooms and yes, tasteful pink accents throughout. A large elevator, air conditioning and a breakfast room round out the amenities you’ll find at this friendly spot a stone’s throw from the Bastille and Gare de Lyon train station.

Note: Although the Pink Hotel’s rates fluctuate wildly, it’s often possible to book a room for under €100

Fresh, funky rooms come decked out with kitchenettes at Le 300, which overlooks the lovely Viaduc des Arts. Photo by EuroCheapo.

Le 300

11, rue Moreau
Neighborhood: Bastille
Doubles: €84 to €135

Another pick not far from the Bastille area is this gem of a hotel offering guests the convenience of in-room kitchenettes and the trendiness of a boutique-style atmosphere. Rooms, or “studios” as they’re called, are decorated in fun, vibrant colors, with modern furnishings and views on the elevated Viaduc des Arts garden. The bright breakfast room, with its outdoor patio in summer months, also has a view of this pretty, tree-studded park. The location, while not central when looking at a map, is actually very convenient, with access to three different Métro lines.

At the Grand Hotel Leveque, you can find comfortable, affordable rooms without sacrificing style. Photo by EuroCheapo.

Grand Hôtel Lévêque

29, rue Cler
Neighborhood: Near the Eiffel Tower
Doubles: €95 to €170

This solid value-for-money sleep is undergoing a floor-by-floor facelift. For a stylish stay, opt for the “Superior” rooms, with their voguish wallpaper and luxe furnishings. Bathrooms feel spa-like with complimentary toiletries and a pleasant, modern aesthetic. The reception and breakfast room are equally sleek. For a left-bank base close to the Eiffel Tower, this place, on a charming market street, is a bargain-seeker’s winner.

Want more?

Check out our guide to cheap hotels in Paris for clean, quality, cheapo-friendly hotels and hostels reviewed by our experts. If you’ve got questions, or even your own recommendations, feel free to leave a comment below.

The post Paris: 5 Budget hotels with boutique style appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The French cherish that time of day when they’ve finished up with work, obligations and errands and can relax with friends over a drink or two to “open the appetite” before moving on to the more serious matter of dinner. Most restaurants that don’t exclusively cater to the tourist crowd won’t begin serving dinner until 8 p.m., so settling down to a beverage and perhaps some light finger foods is the ideal way to finish off the day and kick-start your night.

Cheapo-friendly aperitif spots

Finding cheapo-friendly spots to enjoy one (or more) of the delicious apéritif drink options is not always easy, especially in high-traffic tourist areas and the more chic neighborhoods like Saint Germain des Près, the Champs-Elysées or the Trocadéro near the Eiffel Tower.

If you’re looking for an apéro experience that’s easy on the wallet, check out some of the bars and cafés in parts of town that are more “fly” than “flush.” Many of these neighborhood haunts have adopted the decidedly American institution of Happy Hour, offering cheapo drinks and food during those twilight hours.

El Café Bar
45 rue Rodier, Paris 9th
Neighborhood: “SoPi”

South of Pigalle, or “SoPi” as it’s become known, which is roughly hemmed in by the Saint Georges, Anvers, Pigalle and Blanche Métro stops in the 9th arrondissment, is quickly becoming the go-to quartier for hipsters, musicians, and start-up players looking to see and be seen. The vibe in this ‘hood is studied-cool, so pull that trilby down over one eye and grab a seat at El Café Bar.

While it may not be much to look at from the outside, one glance at the fashionable crowd seated on its patio will tell you you’ve found the right place. With a steady buzz of conversation, a guitar in the corner just waiting to be strummed, and Pastis priced at a mere €2.20 to quaff alongside the wooden boards heaped with finely sliced Iberian ham and hunks of cheese from the Pyrénées, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d somehow wandered into a village café in the South of France.

La Perla
26, rue François Miron, Paris 4th
Neighborhood: Marais

The area that straddles the 3rd and the 4th arrondissments is home to über-cool, bohemian boutiques, trendy restaurants and Paris’ gay neighborhood. While it may not be a Cheapo’s first destination, you can still find deals on late afternoon drinks and snacks.

Stroll down to the bottom of rue Vieille-du-Temple to La Perla and snag a table, either on the patio basking in the sinking sun or inside the lovely bar for €5 cocktails from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Bonus: A bowl of free chips and salsa is brought to every table, and refills are only €1.90. Or go for a big platter of nachos for €9.50 that will easily satiate two peckish revelers.

Tribal Café
3 cour des Petites Ecuries, Paris 10th
Neighborhood: Faubourg Saint Denis

“Faubourg” is an old French word that means village. Any time you find yourself in an area of Paris called a faubourg, you’re actually in what was once a village outside the city limits back when Paris had walls circling it. The Faubourg Saint Denis is a working-class neighborhood that’s on the rise as journalists, artists and fashion industry-types buy up the relatively affordable real estate and camp out on lazy afternoons with friends in the local bars.

For that village feel, get out your map or GPS and find cour des Petites Ecuries, a cul-de-sac home to several friendly little watering holes.

A favorite is Tribal Café, where everyone comes for the easy ambiance, the €3 pints, and free—yes, free—plates of mussels and fries on Wednesdays and Thursdays and platters of couscous on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s hard to beat those prices, so come early to stake out your table!

Other neighborhoods

There are plenty of other neighborhoods, such as rue Oberkampf and the Canal Saint Martin in the 11th, Ménilmontant in the 20th near the Père Lachaise cemetery, and Buttes aux Cailles not far from Place d’Italie in the 13th, that boast friendly spots advertising slashed drink prices during l’apéro. So, if the price is right, take a seat—you may just discover your own Happy Hour hot spot.

Read more!

Looking for more advice on the “aperitif experience” in Paris? Check out these posts: Local aperitifs and the locales to try them and five summer drinks to try in the Marais.

Also, if you’re heading to Paris soon, be sure to swing by our Paris guide for information about recommended budget hotels, and many more articles on ways to keep it cheap.

The post L’Aperitif in Paris: 3 trendy “happy hour” spots for Cheapos appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.