Before you start dialing in France, remember that your phone plan from home can add up quickly when you make calls from overseas. In order to avoid a huge phone bill once you return to the States, we suggest buying a French SIM Card and using your phone like a local. Just make sure that you bring along an unlocked phone!

(A little confused? No worries, read this first: Buying a SIM Card in Europe: The cheapest way to use a smartphone)

Remember, when you buy a SIM Card from a French carrier, you’re actually buying a small chip that contains a French phone number. You’ll then insert that chip into your unlocked phone, and then buy credits to “top it off”, which will give you some combination of minutes for telephone calls, text messages, and data for internet on your phone.

Confusingly, the French telephone carriers all offer different deals when buying a SIM Card. Most will throw in some credits to sweeten the deal. Others, meanwhile, don’t offer SIM Cards for “pay as you go” use — they’ll only sell you a SIM Card when you sign on to a monthly plan (or “forfait”). Still others, like Orange and SFR (see below), offer affordable packages made just for tourists.

We’ve combed through the options and came up with three budget-friendly SIM Cards to help you save during your trip to France.

This article was updated in April 2024 with new information and prices.

The best SIM Cards for your trip to France

An Orange SIM Card in France. Photo: Mayowa Ige

1. Orange Prepaid Holiday SIM Card

Cost: €40 (or $49.90 when bought in the U.S. before your trip)
Pros: Good deal. Reliable. Great coverage. The card can be purchased in advance.
Cons: The initial credit is only good for 14 days. (Top it off to use it for longer.)

Orange is the French equivalent of Verizon or AT&T. It’s the largest and oldest French telecommunication company in the country, and it has coverage extending to other European nations as well. Orange’s cellular coverage and internet 4G speed is unmatched because its coverage is so widespread in France.

For tourists, Orange offers a prepaid holiday SIM Card plan that costs €40/$49.90. This SIM Card gives you a French phone number and includes a credit for 120 minutes of international calls and 1,000 SMS texts (to anywhere in the world). Calls and texts within Europe are unlimited. Also, you get 30 GB of data that can be used anywhere in Europe.

Because Orange is an established company, you will find Orange stores all over Paris. If you ever run into problems with your SIM Card, you can always pop in to speak to someone — they speak English!

The only drawback? By default, the credits are only good for 14 days after your first use. To keep using your number, head to a newsstand or Orange store (“La Boutique”) and reload it to “top-up” the credits.

Note: The Orange Holiday SIM Card can be purchased in advance online for $49.90. This is a distinct advantage, as you won’t need to hunt around for a newsstand or telephone shop upon arrival.

2. SFR Prepaid SIM Card

Cost: €9.99-€24.99
Pros: Two pass options are good for up to 30 days. These SIM Cards are easy to purchase from tobacco shops and newsstands.
Cons: Limited, if any, calls and texts outside of Europe depending on the package you purchase.

SFR, known as the Société française du radiotéléphone, is the second largest telecommunication provider in France. Much like Orange, SFR is a very well-known and well-respected company.

SFR offers a few options for those who need SIM Cards in France. A basic pass offers 1 GB of data, two hours of calling and 300 SMS texts for just €9.99. More practical options include a 10 GB kit with unlimited calls and texts in France and 10 GB of 4G internet for  €14.99, a plan with unlimited texts and calls within France and 80 GB of 4G internet for €19.99, or a 5G-compatible SIM Card with unlimited calls in France and 140 GB of internet for €24.99.

Additionally, if you need to make calls to another country, you can buy a SFR Travel Sim with 60 GB of internet, 2.5 hours of international calling minutes and unlimited texting in Europe for €29.99.

All plans are valid for 30 days.

The SFR SIM Cards can be purchased in tobacco stores and “Relay” newsstands.

A Free SIM Card in France. Photo: Mayowa Ige

3. Free Mobile SIM Card

Cost: €20 for unlimited calls, texts and Internet.
Pros: Super cheap! Great for long-term visitors.
Cons: You’ll need to cancel service when finished.

Free is a new player in French telecommunications, and it has shaken up the market with an impressive price: €20 a month for unlimited calls and texts (including internationally) and 250 GB of internet.

The company also has smaller plans, including a €2/month plan with 50 MB of internet, 2 hours of calls within France and unlimited texts; or a €10.99/month plan with 140 MB of internet, unlimited calls within France and unlimited texts.

If you’re just getting the SIM Card, it takes about 10 minutes because Free has SIM card vending machines that you can order like a Twix bar at its shop and terminal locations. Free will send you a user identification number and password to your email, and you can pay for the SIM Card and service by just swiping your credit card in the “SIM-vending” machine.

Keep in mind that when you sign up for Free, you are technically signing up for a monthly subscription that you can cancel anytime with no fees or questions asked. Unless you’re staying in France or Europe for longer than a month, your bill should be €25 to €30 total; this includes €20 for the service and €10 for an activation fee. (Free usually has a €5 euro discount for new customers.) Just remember to cancel the subscription before you head home, or you’ll face recurring charges.

Use a SIM Card to test to your heart’s delight in Paris! Photo: facemepls

This is the best deal while traveling in France and Europe. You get unlimited calling within France, the U.S. and Canada, plus nearly unlimited data within France. You also get to enjoy 35 GB of data within Europe and abroad; this means you will still be connected if you’re traveling to other European countries during your vacation.

Keep in mind that you will ultimately have to return to a Free Paris store and request to cancel your service before you return back to the States. The agents will fill out a cancellation form for you. Then, you will have to take the form to a French post office and mail it to Free’s headquarters. The process is actually a lot easier than it sounds!

Another thing to keep in mind is that the levels of English vary within the Free offices. Still, I’ve been to the flagship location a couple of times, and I was able to cancel my mobile service with an agent who didn’t speak English just by showing him the English to French Google translation of “I’d like to cancel my mobile service” on my phone. Aside from having to wait one hour for my turn, the whole process took five minutes for him to fill out the cancellation form for me. Wait times may not be quite as long now that Free has expanded to multiple store locations. (The post office is also self-explanatory. Just make sure you have an envelope with you because, for some reason, French post offices don’t have envelopes for sale.)

Now, you’re all set to cruise the Seine and bring along Auntie Jenny in California with FaceTime!

More on SIM cards in Europe

The subject of using your smartphone while traveling abroad can be a tricky one. You can read much more about it here:

• How to use a SIM card in Europe
• How to set up your American iPhone for a European vacation
• Tips to keep your iPhone safe in Paris
• The top SIM cards for your trip to Spain
• Germany: The best SIM cards for tourists

Have you used a SIM Card in Europe? Share your favorites and tips for saving while traveling with your smartphone.

The post The best SIM Cards for your trip to France appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

However, for those times when you might want to take in the Parisian scenery above ground or just avoid the Metro stairs and crowds, then you might want to use a ridesharing app like Uber.

We’ve taken rides with Uber around the city to help you find the best deals. We’ve listed real prices from trips in the city as well as to and from the airports — both Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY) — on all types of Uber.

Read on to discover helpful tips for using Uber in Paris to save on your transportation costs.

More tips for Paris
• Our favorite budget hotels in Paris
• The best SIM Cards for your trip to France
• 10 Money-saving tips for first-time visitors to Paris

Using Uber to get around Paris

Uber is legal in France, and it is very active in Paris. However, in 2016, Uber was fined €800,000 for operating an illegal taxi service with UberPOP — a service similar to UberX — in France between 2014 and 2015. Uber has since suspended UberPOP.

Currently, here are the available and legal services that Uber is operating in Paris: UberX, UberPOOL, Berline (French version of UberBLACK), UberGREEN, UberVAN, UberACCESS, Comfort, Uber Pet, and Moto.

Price points for Uber in Paris

When traveling within Paris, Uber can be an affordable way to get around the city. Here’s a breakdown of the prices across all the Uber services within Paris for the same trip from Avenue de Clichy in the 17^th arrondissement to the Eiffel Tower in the 7^th arrondissement on a Monday afternoon (5 km or 3.5 miles):

UberPOOL: €9.37
UberX: €13-18
UberGREEN: €13-18
UberACCESS: €13-18
UberVAN: €23-33
Berline: €23-31
Comfort: €20-€30
Uber Pet: €20-€33
Moto: €50+

The cheapest option: UberPool

Editor’s Note: Uber has suspended UberPool operations in several countries, including France, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is typically the most affordable option when available.

As you can see in the prices above, UberPool offers the lowest prices. UberPool is where you share your ride with other guests. For example, if you want to go somewhere by yourself or with one other person, you can call an UberPOOL, and the driver may arrive with one passenger already in the car, or the driver can pick someone else while taking you to your destination.

UberPOOL is the cheapest option because you are technically splitting the full cost of an UberX with the other passengers. If you’re traveling alone or with one other person, UberPOOL is worth the discount. But keep in mind, if you are short on time, you are better off paying for a full UberX because you avoid the detour of picking up other passengers.

Also keep in mind that in the U.S., it costs $1 more to add a second passenger to your UberPOOL, and similarly in France, it costs an additional €1 to add your second passenger.

UberPOOL has a fixed price from both of Paris’ airports to Paris and vice versa. It doesn’t matter which arrondissement you go to or are picked up from, the price will be the same because Paris is treated as its own entity when it comes to airport travel.

The Uber app is widely used in Paris to get around the city. Photo: Pexels.com

Airport price points for UberPOOL

Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris (17^th arrondissement): €32.50 for 2 riders
Paris (17^th arrondissement) to Charles de Gaulle Airport: €31.50 for 1 rider
Paris (17^th arrondissement) to Orly: €32 for 1 rider
Orly to Paris (17^th arrondissement): €32 for 1 rider

Related: How not to blow your budget on a taxi from Paris airports

Worth it for groups and airport rides: UberX

UberX is where you have the whole four-door car to yourself. If you’re traveling with three or four people, then you would order an UberX. UberX is usually at least €4 more expensive than UberPOOL, but if you’re traveling with more than two people, it’ll be worth paying more to have all your party in the same car.

UberX is the cheapest option while using Uber for getting to the airport because most times, the driver won’t be picking up anyone else, so you get the benefit of UberX for the price of UberPOOL.

Airport price points for UberX

From Paris (11^th arrondissement) to Orly Airport: €29-40
From Orly Airport to Paris (17^th arrondissement): €40-54
From Paris (11th arrondissement) to Charles de Gaulle Airport: €37-50
From Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris (11th arrondissement): €36-49

Here’s a rundown of the other Uber option in Pari:

UberGREEN is the same price as UberX but it means that you will be riding in electric or hybrid vehicles. There’s no option to have an UberPOOL with UberGREEN — you will pay the full price of the whole car.

UberACCESS is the same price as UberX and UberGREEN. It means that you will be riding in a car that has wheelchair accessibility. There’s no option to have an UberPOOL with UberACCESS — you will pay the full price of the whole car.

UberVAN has room for up to six people in the ride. It is more expensive than UberPOOL and UberX.

Berline is Uber’s French version of UberBLACK. It offers high-end rides with professional drivers in a luxury vehicle. It is the second-most expensive Uber service in France.

Comfort: Uber Comfort has top-rated drivers as well as larger and newer vehicles.

Uber Pet: Traveling with one small pet? For a higher charge than the UberX, Green, or Access options, you can bring Fido or Fluffy in the Uber with you.

Moto: Uber has recently expanded its ride-sharing app for motorcycles and scooters. This is the most expensive option but can get you to your destination quickly.

Other ways to get around Paris

While Uber in Paris is a solid option, there are other ways to get around Paris besides this and the Metro.

Lyft

For those wondering about Lyft, it currently does not operate in Europe, so you can’t use it in Paris.

Taxis

If you don’t want to deal with ride-sharing apps, a taxi from Charles de Gaulle Airport or Orly Airport to Paris (and vice versa) is fixed at a flat rate. CDG is €53 for the right bank and €58 to the left bank, while ORY is €37 to the right bank and €32 to the left bank.

Have you used Uber in Paris? Tell us about your experience and what tips you use to save.

The post Uber in Paris: How to find the cheapest rides appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The development of free museum nights has really taken off across Europe, with city after city opening their doors once or twice a year for a free evening. Paris usually holds its free night each year on the third Saturday in May.

This year, Cheapos headed to Paris should mark their calendar for May 19, 2018, when most museums will be free and museums will keep their doors open later than usual to give guests the experience of a lifetime.

Paris hotels:  Our favorite budget picks for 2018

“La Nuit des Musees”: Museum Night in Paris

While there will be more 1,600 museums participating throughout France, we’ve narrowed down a list of 10 museums in Paris that will be open. Follow this Museum Night guide to quench your thirst for adventure and art while exploring the different neighborhoods that Paris has to offer.

1. Le Musee Nissim de Camondo

63 Rue de Monceau
8th arrondissement
website

Have you ever wondered what kitchen looked like the housed the inspiration for the movie Ratatouille? The museum of Nissim de Camondo was given by Nissim’s father, Moise de Camondo, to the French government upon his death. After his son and only heir died in World War I, Moise de Camondo was heartbroken and dedicated his house to his son in order to carry on his child’s memory and legacy.

This museum will give you a history lesson of what it was like to live in the 1% in France during the early 1900s. Amenities include two elevators (one for the guests and one for the maids), a food lift (forget farm-to-table fresh, Moise de Camondo demanded kitchen-to-table fresh), color-coated tile bathrooms (green, blue, and white for dad, his sister, and Nissim), heated floors and walls, a grand staircase, and many more opulent perks that were simply unimaginable in the early 20th century.

2. Musee Gustave Moreau

14 Rue de la Rochefoucauld
9th arrondissement
website

After enjoying stunning architecture in the 8th, we’ll take a stroll into the 9th arrondissement to have a look at the house of the symbolist painter, Gustave Moreau. This three-floor museum is filled with his paintings that draw inspiration from the Italian Renaissance. Furthermore, you even get to see some of his unfinished paintings and sketches to truly experience the life of a Parisian artist of the mid- to late-1800s.

3. Musee de la Franc-Maconnerie

16 Rue Cadet
9th arrondissement
website

What’s a French vacation without a little conspiracy theory? The Museum of Freemasonry is also located in the 9th arrondissement, and it’s sure to scratch whatever itch you’ve had about the 14 US Presidents that were part of this organization. Yup, George Washington, the first president was indeed a Mason, and the Museum of Freemasonry will give you all the inside scoop on the French history of this secret society, complete with many paintings and drawings of the famous triangular Illuminati eye. You might have to unstrap your Ben Stiller Night at the Museum character for a more appropriate Nicholas Cage in National Treasure while you peruse through this museum.

Accommodations: Cheap Paris hotels in the 9th arrondissement

4. Musee des Arts et Metiers

60 Rue Reaumur
3rd arrondissement
website

Now that you have enjoyed the architecture, art, and organization of Paris, it’s only fitting that you also explore the scientific innovations that kept this city running. Located in 3rd arrondissement of Paris, this industrial museum of art and trade houses seven sections about the history of scientific instruments, materials, energy, mechanics, construction, communication, and transportation. You’ll get to explore early prototypes of carriages, printing presses, airplanes, industrial sewing machines, steam engines, satellites, locomotives, and many more technological inventions.

Visitors during Museum Night 2011 at Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature. Photo: Knowtex

5. Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature

62 Rue des Archives
3rd arrondissement
website

For this visit, we’ll need a bit of help from our Ben Stiller character from the Night at the Museum because this museum of “hunting and nature” is not so much about hunting as it is about animals and their relationships with humans. The exhibit has been heralded as one of the best-curated museum in Paris… as long as the animals don’t come back to life at night!

6. Musee Picasso

5 Rue de Thorigny
3rd arrondissement
website

Although he is a Spanish artist, Paris has a Picasso Museum that’s worth visiting. It includes over 5,000 works of art by Picasso including paper art, ceramics, sculptures in wood and metal, and paintings. The museum also houses the African art that inspired Picasso’s cubism style, as well as paintings that Picasso did when he was much older.

Accommodations: Cheap Paris hotels in the 3rd and 4th arrondissement

7. Centre Pompidou

Place Georges-Pompidou
4th arrondissement
website

The Centre Pompidou is not for the faint of heart (or legs). It is a large complex that houses three important structures: The Public Information Library, the Musee National d’Art Moderne, and Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music. Most people go for the Modern Art Museum aspect because it not only holds the largest collection of European modern art, but the top floor boasts one of the best panoramic views of Paris.

8. Musee Curie

1 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie
5th arrondissement
website

As we cross into the Rive Gauche (Left Bank), we’re met by a blast from the scientific past. Formerly Marie Curie’s laboratory, the Museum of Curie is a historical institution located in the 5th arrondissement focusing on radiological research. It holds archives and documentation about the history of radiology and oncology — the same two topics that allowed Marie Curie to become the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

9. Musee des Arts Decoratifs

107 rue de Rivoli
1st arrondissement
website

A trip to Paris is incomplete without a visit to the Art Decoratifs. Not only does it house artifacts of decorative arts and design, but it also includes must-see exhibits that explore the Haute Couture fashion aspect of Paris (think Dior, Hermes, and Margiela). Furthermore, it even has part of the actual house of French designer, Jeanne Lanvin of the House of Lanvin! The Art Deco, as it goes by for short, houses jewelry, furniture, tableware, and carpets of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. It gives visitors a chance to see how the French upper class lived.

10. Musee du Louvre

Place du Carrousel
1st arrondissement
website

It’s always high on everyone’s list, so we certainly couldn’t leave the dear Louvre off of ours. Because it’s so big, it may be more beneficial to experience the Louvre when you have a full day and use Museum Night to take advantage of the smaller Parisian museums with free admission. Nonetheless, the Louvre is phenomenal and has come to represent the epitome of Paris and the resting place of Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. And it is here, at the Louvre, in the center of Paris, that we end our Museum Night journey!

One caveat: We tried getting into the Louvre at midnight during previous Nuit des Musées only to find the entrance closed at 11 pm, so check the hours in advance. Our advice? Plan ahead. Fortunately, the Louvre’s terrace bar overlooks the pyramids. And, of course, there’s the adjacent Jardin des Tuileries, with its much more hospitable hours.

Hotels: And if you need a place to stay close to this world-famous museum, you can browse our list of cheap hotels near the Louvre.

The post Museum Night in Paris: Free admission and late hours during “La Nuit des Musees” appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

EuroCheapo has you covered with the best affordable hotels in Paris, but how can you save on airfare?

In the past, we’ve shared tips about flying on budget airlines like Norwegian, and now we’re ready to share our secrets for getting to Paris on the cheap.

Here are six proven tips to help you score the best price on a ticket to Paris!

Travel tips for Paris
• 50 Simple ways to save on your trip to Paris
• 8 Fantastic day trips from Paris
• Simple ways to save on your Paris hotel

How to find a cheap flight to Paris

Before you spend a bundle on your airfare, take a moment to see what our Paris correspondent, Mayowa Ige, does to score a low-cost flight.

1. Try a French budget airline

A few years ago, I scored a great deal using XL Airways, a budget airline that was based in France that made direct trips between Paris the US. I bought my one-way ticket to Paris (CDG) from Los Angeles (LAX) for $183. Unfortunately, XL went out of business in 2019. However, you can still get great deals on French Bee airlines with fares as low as $139.

No, you didn’t read that wrong.

Your flight won’t include any extras, so if you want to bring a bag to check, you’ll be paying extra. You can upgrade to a Smart ticket that includes a meal and a checked bag. For example, a recent search on French Bee had a one-way ticket for $178 from Newark to Paris on Basic and $248 for Smart.

Also, be sure to check out our guides to booking budget flights on Norwegian. While they’re not French companies, they do often run specials to Paris with draw-dropping low fares.

French Bee is a cheap way to get to Paris. Photo: Olivier

2. Buy your ticket during the wee hours

After living in Paris for three months, my mom decided she had had enough of FaceTime and Skype, so she started planning a visit in December 2017. With holiday markets and festive cheer in full swing, December is a popular month to visit Paris, but she managed to snag a 10-day round-trip flight with American Airlines from LAX to Paris for under $500. One 50-pound check-in bag, a carry on, and the food were included in the price.

How did she manage to score this deal?! By buying during the late night/early morning period. There is less online traffic at 1 am, so you can snag deals that “early birds” would have normally gotten by 6 am or 7 am.

3. Travel during the off-season

With the way the American work and school cycle is structured, vacations typically occur during the summer and major holidays, and this peak season usually means higher airfare prices. It will almost always be cheaper to go during the off-season, although sometimes you can find deals if you go during the beginning or end of the peak season.

You should also pay attention to European work and school cycles. In April, students get a 10-day vacation for Easter holiday and so inter-European flights may be slightly more expensive than normal because of the influx of students traveling.

Related: When (and when not) to visit Paris

The departures board at Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Photo: Pedro

4. Buy two one-way or open-jaw tickets

If you can’t beat the system, at least try to trick it! Buying two one-way tickets can cost the same as a round trip, and can actually work better for your travel plans.

For example, if your trip starts in Lisbon and ends in Berlin (with a stop in Paris along the way), you could buy a one-way to Lisbon, and a one-way home from Berlin, which saves you the hassle and expense of getting back to Lisbon to fly home. (In addition to one-way tickets, you should also check “open jaw” tickets that let you fly into one city and home from another.)

For a sample trip in early 2020, a one-way flight from LAX to Charles de Gaulle would cost $200. Then, a one-way flight from Berlin to LAX would cost $244. Meanwhile, a round trip from LAX to Paris and back would cost around $600. So, if you choose the one-way routes, you would be saving time and money in the long run because you won’t have to pay to return to Paris in order to fly back to the U.S.

5. Sign up for airline newsletters

Sale fares to Europe go fast… and if you plan to snag a steal, you need to know about it as soon as possible. One of the best ways to stay on top of the deals is to sign up for airline newsletters. Check out this guide to the best airline newsletters to subscribe to.

6. Change your language settings

If you’re planning on hopping around to different cities in Europe once you’re in Paris, you might want to check the different prices based on your language settings in your app or browser.

For example, I noticed that when I bought my tickets in Spanish, the euro prices were a bit cheaper than when I bought my tickets in English with American dollars. Since I was looking for inter-European flights, the savings were only $30-40 dollars, but considering that a round-trip flight from Paris to Madrid in mid-March 2018 is €42, you could end up saving quite a bit!

Your tips

Have you been able to find a cheap flight to Paris? Tell us your tricks and tips in the comments below.

The post 6 tips for scoring a cheap flight to Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Now that 2018 is here, you can start making your plans to visit the City of Light. In previous years, we’ve talked at length about the delicious reasons for visiting Paris, charmed you with sightseeing tips, and expounded on everything from the best flea markets to fun day trips.

With 2018 here, we’ve combed through the listings of upcoming events to pick out a few highlights.

More budget tips for Paris:
• 50 Ways to save on your Paris vacation
• When is the best time to visit Paris?
• How to save on your Paris hotel

10 Reasons to visit Paris in 2018

So book that cheap airfare, reserve your room at one of our favorite Paris hotels, and mark your calendars for these exciting 2018 events in Paris!

1. Music to your ears

February & March 2018

With the new Mama Mia movie coming out in theaters in July 2018, it only makes sense that you should warm up your vocals and practice the lyrics to Abba’s greatest hits at a comedic musical in the City of Lights. Abba Mania shows begin on February 3rd but tickets are on sale now. If slick hair and black leather jackets are more your style, Grease will also be showing in Paris through the summer.

On the other hand, you might have noticed that the entertainment media has been a little quiet these days. That’s because Paris has been hosting a well-known American artist who goes by the pseudonym of Lady Gaga since October 2017. She will be performing in Paris until February 21, 2018.

If you’re planning a summer trip, fear not, Lady Gaga is not the biggest name that Paris has to offer. Ed Sheeran will be in Paris in July 2018 to bless your ears with his melodic voice.

Lastly, we’re sure you didn’t fly all the way from the U.S. only to enjoy American or British artists, right? A very popular French artist, Oreslan, will be having his concert in Paris from March 15, 2018. He is very popular for his short but catchy song, Basique.

Related: Paris Nightlife: How to save on bars, clubs & culture

2. Printemps du Cinéma

March 2018

Once you arrive in Paris, it’s only logical that you take advantage of the plethora of foreign films that Europe has to offer. The National Federation of French Cinemas created Le Printemps du Cinéma, a three-day film festival (Sunday – Tuesday) where you can see movies in various small cinemas around Paris. The best part? Tickets are just a mere €3.50!

3. La Verticale de la Tour Eiffel

March 2018

Sometimes when we return from vacation, our pants feel a little bit tighter. We blame all of those crêpes and pain au chocolat. You can work off some of those extra pounds at the challenging experience known as the Vertical Race of the Eiffel Tower. Participants have to climb all 1,665 steps of the iconic landmark. Some of the best racers have completed the steps in under eight minutes. If you do decide to embark on this epic stair-master, please be aware that EuroCheapo is not responsible for any shrinkage in your waistline!

4. Cinéma du Réel

March & April 2018

You’ve probably heard of the star-studded Cannes International Film Festival in the South of France. But did you know that Paris has its own low-key version known as La Cinéma du Réel? This Parisienne international documentary film festival started in 1984, and it features outstanding works of non-fiction. The festival takes place at several locations throughout Paris and the tickets are around €6 per person.

Explore the fashion world at Yves Saint Laurent fashion house. Photo: Yann

5. Yves Saint Laurent Museum

May 2018

Okay, we confess: Even if we can’t always afford it, one of the reasons we love Paris is for its renown taste in luxury. Yes, that was us you spotted taking a very touristy picture with the lit-up Chanel letters at the store on 47 rue Vieille du Temple. And yes, that was also us taking another photo next to the spectacular Louis Vuitton store at 2 Place Vendôme.

From Dior to Hermes, the French haute couture industry is unmatched. In order to give us commoners a look inside the bourgeoisie lifestyle, the Museum of Yves Saint Laurent is hosting the inaugural exhibition until September 2018. You can see more than 50 designs that Saint Laurent curated during his career through accessories, sketches, photographs, and films. This museum is unique because it is located in the actual house that Yves Saint Laurent used to live in! Tickets are €7.

Related: Free and discounted museums in Paris 

6. Sales, everywhere!

June to August 2018

In the U.S., people line up for hours in the freezing cold, all in an effort to brave the crowds while searching for a great Black Friday deal. Here in Paris, we prefer to keep things a bit more gentil. Thus, by law, stores are required to have sales twice a year. There’s one during winter (January 10th to February 20th) and one during the summer (June 27th to August 7th). When it comes to sales, the French don’t play around — during these periods, you can get deals that up to 80% off!

Related: How to save big and shop in Paris on a budget

7. Bastille Day

July 14, 2018

Bastille Day is the biggest holiday in France. Known as  La Fête Nationale in French, this literally translates to the National Celebration. Bastille Day is a very important day in France because it marks the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. In Paris, there is a big military parade on the Champs-Élysées in front in the morning, and then a brilliant fireworks display on the Eiffel Tower.

Visit museums for free all night long during Nuit Blanche in October. Photo: Isabell

8. Nuit Blanche: An all-nighter in Paris

October 2018

Les Nuits Blanches translates into  “pulling an all-nighter.” Every year for 12 hours, anyone can get access to a number of galleries, art installations, museums, and street shows, all for free. In addition, certain metro lines will remain open past the normal closing hours, so you can stay out late. This year, it’ll take place from October 6th to 7th.

9. Paris Chocolate Fair

October & November 2018

Stop! Step away from the Ferrero Rocher and step into Le Salon du Chocolat. From October 31st to November 4th, the Paris chocolate fair hold’s the world’s largest event dedicated to chocolate; it features chocolate made by 500 participants from 60 countries, including more than 200 renowned chefs!

10. New Year’s Eve on the Champs-Élysées

December 2018

Join one of the biggest parties in Europe when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st. Les Parisiennes take their laisser-faire attitude very seriously, and as a result, the metro runs all night and is free of charge, plus, the bus service from both Orly Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport is also free to everyone arriving on the 31st of December! Now, you really have no excuse but to book your ticket to Paris and join the crowd on the Champs-Élysées when they ring in 2019. In fact, New Year’s Eve on the Champs-Élysées will be much more memorable than Times Square because, in Paris, it is absolutely legal to carry and consume alcohol on the streets. Santé!

The post 10 Reasons to visit Paris in 2018 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

And there’s no need to empty your wallet trying to dine like Louis XVI. Parisians have mastered the art of exploring their city’s cuisine without breaking the bank.

Bon appétit!

More tips for dining in Paris

• 8 Dinners in Paris for €10 or less
• 10 Tips for saving on dining in Paris
• 5 Meals to try before you leave Paris
• All posts on saving on dining in Paris

Paris cheap eats itinerary

From a classic Parisian breakfast to their famous crêpes, here’s a dining timetable to follow to keep your costs in check.

Note that this eating itinerary doesn’t include wine or beer, but a few glasses of delicious house wine won’t add much to your budget. You also don’t have to worry about tipping in Paris most of the time, especially in cafes and markets.

Here’s how you too can explore French food like a Parisian for under €20 a day.

9 am. Breakfast: Croissant & coffee

The key to a Parisian breakfast is to be light and quick. Life in France starts later than the US, most businesses don’t even open until 9 am, and “early birds” get to work around 9:30 am. As a result, an emphasis is placed on a short and efficient breakfast.

To start your day like a Parisian, walk to one of the local bakeries or many grocery stores you’ll find on every block like Franprix, Monoprix, G20, or Carrefour. Grab a freshly made apple croissant or a pain au chocolat for €1 and an espresso (“café” in French) for another €1.

Breakfast total: €2

Related: 6 Breakfast pastries in Paris beyond croissants

Rotisserie chicken is a delicious lunch option in Paris. Photo: sk

12 pm. Lunch: Rotisserie chicken

After the powers of the French espresso start to wear off, you’re ready for lunch. This is your time to explore the creativity of French cuisine — the rotisserie chicken. Pop into a local rôtisserie shop or seek out a Franprix (or another supermarket) to pick up a piping hot rotisserie chicken and savory potatoes. At the market, they go for as low as €3.90.

Rotisserie chickens are a way of life for Parisians, and you’ll see many Parisian cafes and restaurants lined with rows of slow-roasted rotisserie chicken, with the potatoes waiting patiently at the bottom of the oven to be seasoned by the juices from the meat.

Of course, these aren’t just ordinary potatoes, these potatoes are also cooked with white wine and seasoned to perfection. One pack can feed two people and the quality is always fresh and tasty. Supplies can be limited, so make sure you visit the store during lunchtime or you might find yourself out of luck!

Lunch total: €3.90

Related: The best affordable set menus in Paris for lunch

3 pm. Snack time: Sweet or savory crêpe

What would be a Parisian menu without the classic sweet or savory crêpe? For this, you have multiple options because Paris is full of crêperies.

Oddly enough, one of the best sweet crêpes that I have had was purchased right next to the Eiffel Tower. When you come out of the Trocadero Metro station on line 6 or line 9, there’s a crêpe stand that sells freshly made crêpes for €3. As you munch on the sweetness of the crêpe, don’t forget to look up, as you’ll have one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower right in front of you.

If you prefer something savory, in the 5th arrondissement, there’s a crêperie that makes the most delicious savory crêpes in Paris. The crêpes at Chez Niko’s on 44 Rue Mouffetard are filled with gooey cheese, grilled onions, seasoned ground beef, tasty potatoes, and much more! This is not a crêpe for the weak. You cannot walk and eat this crêpe at the same time (trust me, I’ve tried).

Afternoon snack total: €3

Sitting down to dinner in Paris. Photo: Geoff P

7 pm. Dinner: Classic French cuisine

After a bit more exploration, you’re ready for dinner. In the 6th arrondissement, there’s a restaurant that serves classic French dishes at bargain prices. Le Petit Olivier (82 rue du Cherche Midi) offers a two-course dinner (and lunch) menu for only €10.

You can choose from a wide variety of authentic French cuisines like escargot, steak, fish dauphinois, duck confit, and many more options that’ll have your tongue wishing you had paid better attention in your high school French class!

Dinner total: €10

One-day total

Total Paris dining budget for one day: €18.90

Do you love dining in Paris? Tell us your secrets on how you save in the comments below.

Proof of the €3.90 roast chicken and potatoes! Photo: Mayowa Ige

The post Paris Cheap Eats: How to eat your way through Paris for less than €20 a day appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.