But the typical beer experience in France is a bit different from the one in North America or the UK, ranging from how pints are typically ordered and served to the types of popular beers on tap. Read on for the basics on what to expect when ordering a round in the City of Light

Related:

• 6 Tips for buying wine in France
• Buying a Sim Card in France
• 50 Ways to save on your trip to France

Tips for ordering French beer

1. Small or large?

In France, you don’t just get to choose the type of beer you want, but also the size of the glass. Your bartender will ask you if you want “un demi” (a half-pint that costs about €3 to 4), or “une pinte” (a pint that costs €6-8). The demi almost always costs half what the pint costs. If you’re not a big drinker, or simply want to pace yourself, the demi can make a good option, but the pint might save you a bit if you plan on drinking more than one demi.

2. Beer always comes with a glass

If you order a bottled beer, the bartender or server will always give you a glass to pour your drink into, whether you asked for one or not. This small cultural difference between France and the United States shocked an older French acquaintance of mine on a trip to Louisiana when, after ordering a bottled beer in New Orleans, the bartender just plonked down the bottle and left. “You always serve it with a glass,” he said to me, sighing, “because, it’s just, that’s just what you do.”

Bars always serve beer in a glass. Always. Photo: Matt Seppings

3. Cost depends on your seat

While the cost of beer in anglophone countries only depends on the beer type you’ve ordered, in France, the cost can also depend on where you decide to sit. If you choose a seat at the bar, your drink will cost about €1 cheaper than if you decide to sit at a table. And in some establishments, such as posh restaurants on the Champs-Elysées, your drinks will cost a few euros more if you sit outside. So when going for a drink, just keep in mind that if you find a great seat, you might be paying a bit extra for the privilege of being there.

Related: What you can expect to pay in Paris — and how to pay less!

4. Keep an eye out for happy hours

A welcome relief in one of the most expensive cities in the world, happy hours offer discounts on drinks in many bars and pubs around town. Establishments offering a happy hour usually advertise that fact on a chalkboard or easel just next to their entrances, making them easy to spot.

Related: 10 tips for saving on dining in Paris

Keep an eye out for happy hours like this one in the Latin Quarter in Paris. Photo: Elaine

5. Would you like syrup with that?

In France, sugary fruit syrups are not just for lattés. The French are known for mixing a variety of syrups with their beer. Popular offerings include peach, strawberry, lemon, ginger, black currant and mint. You can also order a beer with a shot of grenadine — just ask for “un tango“. It costs about €.20 to .50 extra to get a shot of syrup.

6. “Picon” mixes in citrus

Typical of the Paris region and in much of northern France, “picon” is an aperitif made from fresh oranges and distilled alcohol. It is also commonly mixed with beer. Ask for “une picon biére” at a bar and you’ll get a sweet drink with a hint of citrus. It will only cost you about €.50 to €1.50 extra.

7. “Panaché” mixes in lemonade

Called the “panaché“, this drink is half beer, half carbonated lemonade. A variation, called the “Biére Monaco“, is the same thing but with a shot of grenadine included. If you find yourself sitting on a terrace on a hot summer day, this mixture can be a really refreshing relief from the heat.

Pelforth is a classic brew from northern France. Photo: Clayton Parker

8. So, what’s on tap?

If you check the tap at just about any bar, café, bistro or restaurant in Paris, you’ll almost always find the following:

Kronenbourg 1664: A light, crisp lager produced in Alsace.

Grimbergen: From the Flanders region of Belgium, this brand makes a wide variety of popular ales and wheat beers.

Pelforth: A brewery which makes a famously light pale ale of the same name, produced in the northern French region of Nord de Pas Calais.

Other beers that make frequent appearances include the Belgian wheat beer brand Leffe, the Belgian pilsner Stella Artois, and Dutch lagers Heineken and Grolsch.

Related: Tasting the unique beer culture of Lille for less

9. Christmas beers

Some breweries whip up a batch of warming, hoppy specialty beers for Christmas, known as “les bieres de noel”. Brasserie Schutzenberger and Meteor, two brewers from Alsace, produce popular bieres de noel that can be found in bars and in supermarkets come December.

10. Traditional French beer from the Calais region

Known as “biere de garde“, these amber or gold-colored brews generally have a malty taste and have high alcohol content. Some well-known biere de garde brewers in France include Trois Monts, Jenlain and Brasserie Castelain. While not found quite as often on tap in Paris, they can be picked up at most supermarkets or in specialty beer or wine stores.

Bonus Cheapo Tip: If you want to do a beer tasting in your hotel room, however, this would be the cheapest way, with a 75 cl bottle of most domestic beers costing less than €3 at the supermarket.

Related: A guide to Paris supermarkets

Santé!

The post Paris: A guide to ordering beer in France appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Our guide to saving in Paris

• All Paris articles
• Saving on Paris transportation
• Best budget hotels in Paris
• 10 Costly mistakes that tourists make in Paris

1. Buy Métro tickets in bulk

We’ve covered this before (including in our post on 50 Do’s & Don’ts in Paris that will improve your trip), but it’s worth repeating. If you’re relying on the Métro, bus, or tram for transportation, think ahead and buy those tickets in bulk. Single ride tickets in Paris, known as “t+” tickets, cost €1.90 and can be used for one ride on any bus, tram, Métro, or express train (RER) within the city limits. You can transfer between metro lines with one ticket but you can’t transfer between different buses with one ticket.

However, it is definitely better to buy a bundle of 10 single ride tickets, known as a carnet (“carn-nay”), rather than buying them one at a time. Carnets, which are priced at €14.90 each, resulting in a 21% savings off the single ride price.

Note that paper tickets are slowly being phased out by 2021, but you will still be able to buy the 10-ride carnet with the new Navigo Easy card.

Read more tips about riding the Métro like a local.

With unlimited rides, a Navigo pass can be very helpful for a longer trip to Paris. Photo Emily J.

2. Consider a Navigo Pass if you plan to ride a lot

If you’re staying in Paris for at least a week and plan to use the Parisian transportation system extensively, the unlimited weekly pass, called the “Navigo Pass”, could make your trip more budget friendly. It costs €22.80 and can be purchased at any Metro station window. However, you must also purchase the physical card itself, which costs €5 and is reusable.

The Navigo is an electronic chip card that you swipe on a turnstile, and it provides weekly or monthly unlimited rides on all Paris transportation options — everything from the Métro to the bus to the RER commuter rails. But while it’s a deal for some, this card could be more of a hassle than a convenience for others.

Read more about the pros and cons of Navigo and how to buy one.

3. Staying in the suburbs? The Navigo Pass probably makes sense

If you’re staying outside of the Paris center, you’ll likely save a bundle on your hotel costs (for example, at these 14 hotels in the nearby suburbs), but with prices that range from €2.75 to €8 for a one-way ticket to central Paris from the suburbs, the RER commuter rail can get pricey if you buy single ride tickets.

However, things are much cheaper when you use a Navigo pass, which offers travelers commuting to Paris savings from a few cents to a few euros depending on their location. This is because in 2015 the city of Paris decided to charge a flat fee for Navigo passes across all five Métro zones. So no matter how far from the center you are, you’re always charged the same rate of €22.80 per week.

Staying outside the city center but not sure what train zone you’re in? Find the nearest RER stop on this Paris zone map.

A map of the RER system in Paris.

4. Don’t judge distances by the Metro map

The Paris Métro map can be deceptive. Distances between stations all look relatively uniform on the map, but vary greatly on the ground. In fact, there are a lot of stops that are only a two- to four-minute walk from each other — which means in some cases you could get to your destination quicker (and cheaper!) on your own two feet.

Save on unnecessary trips by looking at a non-Metro map. For example, keep a copy of this modified Métro map on your smartphone or in your pocket. It indicates how long it takes to walk to each Métro station. This map, created by professional transport planner Guillaume Martinetti, shows the real distance of how close (or far) Metro stops are from each other.

Riding a Velib’ bike through Paris. Photo Kim

5. Hop on a bike

Renting a bike is as cheap as the Métro in Paris, €1 for 30 minutes (and cheaper for a day- and week-long passes), thanks to a bike share program called Velib’. In addition to being dirt cheap, biking around the city allows you to get to where you want to go while sightseeing and exercising at the same time. Gazing at famous streets, buildings, and parks is easy and fun while you’re pedaling along.

You can rent a regular bike for €1 for 30 minutes or an electric bike for €2 for 30 minutes. It costs the same price to top up for another 30 minutes for each type of bike. If you’re under 27 years old, the first 30 minutes ride with a mechanical bike is free and it’s €1 with an electric bike.

Keep in mind, however, that although there are some nice bike routes, there are also some streets without designated bike lanes. To check and see if riding a bike is a safe option, take a look at where you’re staying and where you’d like to go on this Velib’ map. Bike-only lanes are featured in turquoise while lanes shared by both bikes and buses are in pink.

6. If you’re under 26, save with the “Ticket Jeune Weekend”

When it comes to getting discounts, young people visiting Paris have it pretty good. Not only can you receive discounts on museum admission, but also on transportation. The Ticket Jeune, which can be bought at any Métro, bus, or tram station ticket window, allows anyone under the age of 26 daily unlimited rides on the Parisian transport network over the weekend. This includes rides on the Métro, on the bus, on trams, and on the RER, the commuter express train network.

For zones 1 to 3, which covers the metropolitan area and a bit of the suburbs, you’ll pay €3.85 per day. That’s a little more than two single ride tickets, so it’s definitely worth it if you know you’ll be using the transportation system more than twice in a day, or if you’re staying outside the city center in zone 3, where single ride prices are €2.75 each. But keep in mind that this discount is only available on Saturday, Sunday and during bank holidays.

7. Hail a taxi during the weekday

While public transportation in Paris is much cheaper than hopping in a cab, there will be times when you need to get home from an out of the way location or late at night. Another scenario? You need to haul yourself, two kids, and luggage to the airport in time for your flight. Sometimes taking a car in Paris is just worth it.

For daytime travel within Paris between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm, Monday through Saturday, a taxi (at €1.07 per kilometer) is usually cheaper than an Uber ride. For nighttime travel within Paris between 5 pm and 10 am, Monday through Saturday, a taxi will cost €1.29 per kilometer. On Sundays, taxis taken between midnight at 7 am will cost €1.56 per kilometer. However, keep in mind that there’s a minimum charge of €5.60 for any taxi ride, and €1 is added to your charge for every item over 5 kg you bring with you in the car.

Read more on cost saving tips on taking taxis in Paris, and take a look at EuroCheapo’s primer on taxis in the central Paris area.

8. …Or order an Uber at other times

If you take a taxi at other times (nighttime, early morning and Sundays) and/or you’re planning to travel outside the central Paris area, you can be charged up to €1.56 per kilometer (see the taxi section for more details). In this case, Uber Paris presents a few options that might be slightly cheaper. Uber options are as follows:

• The UberX service is €1.05 per kilometer with a €6 minimum ride. UberX cars are usually mid-range vehicles that are advertised as no-frills rides.
• Uber Berline, at €1.55 per kilometer and a €15 minimum charge, is more typical of an airport limousine service and uses high-end cars.
• There’s also the way roomier UberVan service, featuring — you guessed it, vans — at €1.55 per kilometer and a €15 minimum charge.
• Finally, and most cheaply, consider taking advantage of the UberPool program, which can knock the typical price of a journey down by €10 to €20  as long as you’re willing to share the car with another passenger or two.

While UberX and UberPool are a little less expensive than the traditional taxi, it can be hard to order an Uber without a smartphone. If you run into data issues and either didn’t bring or can’t use your smartphone, then a traditional taxi makes the most sense.

For more Uber tips, check out our guide: How to find the cheapest rides using Uber in Paris

Bonus Tip: Try the Paris Visite Pass

For the ultimate tourist transportation, you might consider getting the Paris Visite travel pass. It allows you to use all the public transportation networks in Paris without any limitation. You can purchase a 1 day, 2-day, 3-day, or 5 consecutive day pass.

There are two zone divisions: Paris (zone 1-3), which costs €38.35 for the 5-day pass for an adult, or you can purchase the Greater Paris Area (zone 1-5) for €65.80 for a 5-day pass for an adult. The zone 1-5 pass could end up saving you money in the long run because it includes the cost of traveling to both Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports, Disneyland, and Versailles without paying extra. It costs €7.10 for a roundtrip ticket from Paris to Versailles, it costs €15.10 for a roundtrip ticket from Paris to Disneyland, and €10.30 for a one way trip from Paris to Charles de Gaulle airport. All this would be included in the Paris Visite.

The pass can be bought at the metro station counter or the metro station ticket machines. Find out more about the Paris Visite pass here.

Your tips

Have more suggestions about ways to save on getting around Paris? Share with us below!

The post Paris Transit Tips: 8 ways to save on the Metro, buses & taxis appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

With many appealing places only 20 to 40 minutes away from the center of Paris, it’s quick and easy to get out and explore. It’s also very cheap if you take the Metro or RER train with most fares less than €5.

Whether you fancy checking out a new nearby city, visiting a spectacular church, an ancient chateau, or chowing down on a French picnic in a newly discovered park, here are 8 fun and affordable day trips to get out of Paris.

The trips

Click below to read all about our recommended day trips from Paris. (Approximate travel times from the Chatelet Metro and RER station in central Paris.)

1. Saint Germain en Laye

Travel time: 30 minutes.
Highlights: Middle-Age royal residences.

2. The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

Travel time: 25 minutes.
Highlights: Gothic cathedral that’ll knock your chausettes off.

3. Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

Travel time: 20 minutes.
Highlights: One of the country’s largest Medieval chateaux and nature escape.

4. Chateau Malmaison

Travel time: 40 minutes.
Highlights: Napoleon and Josephine’s “modest” countryside getaway.

5. Parc de Sceaux

Travel time: 25 minutes.
Highlights: Picnic-ready park, masterfully designed by Le Notre.

6. Island of the Impressionists

Travel time: 25 minutes.
Highlights: Feast inside a Renoir painting on an island in the Seine.

7. Saint Maur des Fossés

Travel time: 25 minutes.
Highlights: Picnic next to Medieval ruins.

8. Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

Travel time: 30 minutes.
Highlights. Dance and drink like it’s the Belle Epoque.

Getting there

With many lines on the Metro system extending past the Parisian border, visiting surrounding areas is in some cases as easy as hopping on a Metro or a bus line that enters another city. The Metro and bus cost the same in suburban areas as they do in Paris: €1.80 for a single ride.

Another option for quick getaways is the RER, or the Reseau Express Network, a group of five commuter rail lines. Here’s a look at the RER network map.

RER Ticket Prices

Mostly used by locals for getting to work in the Paris region, this commuter rail network is reasonably priced. The RER network stops are grouped into five zones (Paris is zone 1). While the price varies depending on the line and where you depart, if you buy a ticket from the center of Paris to a station in zones 2, 3 or 4, you won’t pay more than €5 for a one-way ticket, while in zone 5, your ticket won’t exceed €10.

Aside from single ride tickets, the Navigo Découverte card, daily Mobilis ticket, Paris Visite Pass, and Paris Passlib’ offer unlimited ride options on both the Metro and the RER for a flat fee.

Related: How to save on money on Paris transportation

Getting tickets

To ride the RER, you can buy single ride tickets at the same kiosks inside the station where you buy Metro tickets. But never throw away your tickets after using them, as many RER stations require that you run the ticket through a turnstile again in order to exit at your destination.

The post Paris: 8 fantastic day trips less than an hour away by train appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The ruins of a 9th-century abbey can also be found in the center park of this city, known as Le Parc de Saint Maur, including archways, a stone tower and a cellar. Also in the park are ruins from a 19th-century Italian-style manor.

To enjoy Saint Maur to its utmost, consider assembling a picnic lunch from the traditional French shops situated the main road leading away from the train station, Avenue Charles de Gaulle, which include a bakery, a butcher, a cheese shop and a wine shop. After gathering whatever cheese, lunch meats, drinks and baked goods that suit your fancy, tuck into your hearty French lunch among the ruins in the park.

Logistics

Travel time:
25 minutes from central Paris

How to get there:
Take the RER A to Le Parc du Saint Maur

Travel cost:
€2.75 from Paris RER station Chatelet Les Halles

See the map below for directions.

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

• Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

• Chateau Malmaison

• Parc de Sceaux

• Island of the Impressionists

• Saint Maur des Fossés

• Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

The post Saint Maur des Fossés: Paris Day Trips appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Unfortunately, swimming in the Marne is prohibited nowadays, but a recent guinguette revival has people flocking to the riverside to dance and drink anyway. Older couples are just as common in these places as younger ones.

The theme of dance nights vary and can include traditional French waltz nights, complete with boater hats and accordions, as well as salsa nights, line dancing, old school ’80s rock nights and more. Try La Guinguette de l’île du Martin Pêcheur in Champigny or Chez Gégène in Joinville le Pont.

Logistics

Travel time:
30 minutes from central Paris

Travel costs:
€2.75 from Paris RER station Chatelet Les Halles

How to get there:
Take the RER A to Joinville le Pont or Champigny.

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

• Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

• Chateau Malmaison

• Parc de Sceaux

• Island of the Impressionists

• Saint Maur des Fossés

The post Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne: Paris Day Trip appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

This boater-hat happy place, called La Maison Fornaise, serves up traditional French cuisine on an island in the Seine. Eating at this restaurant, combined with a stroll along the sunlit island and a visit to the attached impressionist museum, is a perfect fix for anyone interested in impressionism and the Belle époque period in France.

But be aware that due to the restaurant’s popularity, it’s important to call ahead and make reservations, even if you just want to grab a drink on the terrasse.

Logistics

Travel time:
25 minutes from central Paris

How to get there:
Take the RER A to Chatou-Croissy

Travel costs:
€4 from Paris RER station Chatelet Les Halles

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

• Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

• Chateau Malmaison

• Parc de Sceaux

• Saint Maur des Fossés

• Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

The post Island of the Impressionists: Paris Day Trip appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The Parc de Sceaux is a large French style park designed by landscape architect Andre Le Notre, whose portfolio includes the gardens at Versailles and chateau Chantilly.

Full of symmetrical plant arrangements, canals, fountains, Roman-inspired statues and waterways, this is one classy French garden. Overlooking the scene is a large country home dating from the 19th century.

It now houses the Museum of Ile de France, which includes paintings, ceramics and furniture that showcase the history of the region. What’s more, the gardens and the museum are both completely free.

Logistics

Travel time:
25 minutes from central Paris

How to get there:
Take the RER B to Parc de Sceaux

Travel costs:
€2.75 from Paris RER station Chatelet Les Halles

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

• Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

• Chateau Malmaison

• Island of the Impressionists

• Saint Maur des Fossés

• Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

The post Parc de Sceaux: Paris Day Trip appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Tour the chateau to learn more about this time period in France, including the art and the décor, as well as the day to day activities of Napoleon and Josephine, two of the most powerful people that lived during the time.

While you can take a bus to the chateau, if you enjoy walking, consider taking the RER A to the stop Rueil Malmaison and taking the 40-minute walk to the chateau. Walking will bring you through quiet streets with some surprisingly beautiful homes. See the map below for walking directions.

Logistics

Travel time:
40 minutes from central Paris

How to get there:
Take Metro line 1 to La Défense, then take bus 258 to the “le Chateau” stop or take the RER A to Rueil Malmaison, followed by a 40-minute walk

Costs
Travel: Either standard Metro/bus ticket or €4 from Paris RER station Chatelet Les Halles
Admission: The entrance fee is €6.50 for an adult

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

• Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

• Parc de Sceaux

• Island of the Impressionists

• Saint Maur des Fossés

• Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

The post Chateau Malmaison: Paris Day Trip appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But this large, awe-inspiring cathedral, with flying buttresses and gargoyles galore, could be said to rival Notre Dame in size and aesthetics. Finished in 1144, it’s also considered to be the first Gothic church ever built. With that, plus the fact that there is never a tourist crowd to contend with, this cathedral is more than worth the trip out of Paris.

The church itself is free to visit at all times, but there is a €8.50 entrance fee to the crypt, which houses the final resting places of several French kings.

Market

Also located near the cathedral is a bustling market, le Marché de Saint Denis. Since the city of Saint Denis itself is a blend of French, African, Middle Eastern and South Asian cultures, this market has a wonderful multicultural feel, with a variety of food and fabrics for sale from all over the world.

The market is open three days a week, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, from 7:30 am to 1:30 pm. It’s also quite inexpensive, a delightful contrast to the steep prices seen at many open air markets in Paris.

Logistics

Travel time:
25 minutes from Central Paris

How to get there:
Take Metro line 13 to Basilique de Saint-Denis

Travel cost:
Standard Metro ticket

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

• Chateau Malmaison

• Parc de Sceaux

• Island of the Impressionists

• Saint Maur des Fossés

• Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

The post Saint Denis Cathedral and market: Paris Day Trip appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Touring this chateau reveals not only various medieval chambers but also remnants of the old prison, including a reproduction of the Marquis de Sade’s cell. If you look closely, you’ll also notice old graffiti dating from 1789 on the walls of the chateau, likely etched there by bored prisoners. You can also visit the airy medieval chapel next door, inspired by the Sainte Chapelle in Paris. Ticket prices are €8.50, with everything free the first Sunday of every month from November to March.

Behind the chateau you’ll find the Parc Floral, a park sculpted with a variety of flower species, blooming in all different colors in the springtime.

Besides the main attractions, Vincennes itself is an attractive, walkable city with a plethora of shops, bakeries and restaurants. Numerous festivals also take place in Vincennes, either in the center of the city of Vincennes or the park. This year, for example, if you’re a jazz aficionado, Vincennes is hosting the Paris Jazz Festival this June and July.

Logistics

Travel time:
20 minutes from central Paris

How to get there:
Take Metro line 1 to Chateau de Vincennes or take the RER A to Vincennes

Travel costs:
€2.75 from the Paris RER station Chatelet les Halles

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

• Chateau Malmaison

• Parc de Sceaux

• Island of the Impressionists

• Saint Maur des Fossés

• Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

The post Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral: Paris Day Trip appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.