With that in mind, we’ve come up with a list of places that are typical day trips but can also easily be transformed into a budget overnighter from Paris. You just need to nab a cheap bed for the night (that’s where EuroCheapo comes in).

So as much as we love Paris, let’s take a break and get out of town! Here are our 7 favorite overnight escapes:

The Bayeux Tapestry Museum is well worth the trip from Paris. Photo: Dennis Jarvis

Bayeux

In just over two hours you can reach Normandy and the town of Bayeux. (The train can be a bit pricier, so renting a car might be a better bet.) The town, known especially for its famous medieval tapestry, is charming enough to hold your attention for an afternoon.

Bayeux was the first town to be freed by the Allies in the waning days of World War II and wasn’t destroyed during the Liberation. Spend an evening in town, and the following day drive out to the Normandy beaches to explore an important piece of World War II history.

Hotels: Bayeux and the surrounding area offers nearly 50 hotels with online booking. Still, if visiting during peak tourist season (late spring to early fall), book well in advance. Search hotels in and around Bayeux

The glorious Château de Chantilly gives Versailles a run for its money with lower fees and fewer tourists. Photo: gcattiau

Chantilly

Forget Versailles. The Château de Chantilly, located just 25 minutes from Paris by train, is worth exploring for a full day. It houses a series of rooms decked out with furniture and art but draws nothing like the number of tourists at its more famous cousin, Versailles.

And there’s more than just the chateau here — be sure to stroll the beautiful gardens, and visit the stunning stables (and catch a dressage show, if you’re lucky!). The town itself doesn’t have much to boast about, but grab a bike and ride around the grounds or even as far as the tiny town of Senlis to take advantage of an overnight.

Hotels: Chantilly has only about a dozen hotels with online booking, but also far fewer overnight tourists. Search hotels in Chantilly

Prepare to be captivated by the stunning city center of Chartres. Photo: Peter D

Chartres

You can get to Chartres in about an hour by train. The standout feature here is the cathedral, stunningly preserved with many original stained glass windows. You’ll notice a disparity between the two steeples, as well – a signature feature.

The town has some pretty cool light shows at night from April to October, which means an overnight will be essential to see the city at its most illuminated. You can spend the next morning strolling along the Eure River or exploring the medieval vestiges remaining throughout the town.

Hotels: Chartres has several budget hotels available near the center of town. Search hotels in Chartres

Giverny

Take the train 45 minutes to Vernon to explore Monet’s gardens at Giverny. If you take the train, there are bikes available from the café at the station’s exist for just a few euros – a much better option than cramming onto the bus with the other tourists. You’ll bike through the town of Vernon, which has cute streets and a church that are lovely to explore.

The main attraction, of course, is nearby at Giverny, with its famous pond, Japanese bridge, and water lilies. While the garden is the main draw, there is also a Museum of Impressionists nearby that’s worth visiting.

Hotels: A small town, Vernon offers a few budget-friendly sleeping options. Book early. Search hotels in Vernon and Giverny

Lille

A major French city that’s too often skipped over by travelers, Lille is only about an hour away from Paris by TGV. Tasty foods like waffles from Meert and Flemish dishes are a welcome change of pace from Parisian offerings (even though Meert is also in Paris!).

Offering a market three days a week, several museums and plenty of architecture to explore (including the impressive Place Général-de-Gaulle), a daytrip could suffice. An overnighter, however, means you get to enjoy the city’s beer culture – it’s really close to Belgium, after all!

Hotels: A major city, Lille has no shortage of budget-friendly hotel options. Search 150 hotels in Lille

Reims

The TGV can get you to the heart of Champagne in just over 45 minutes, but with two main towns to visit, it might be best to rent a car and explore it all with an overnight trip (though drink responsibly!). All that talk of bubbly might have anticipating a hefty price tag, but it only costs around €15 for a visit to one of the regions famous “caves”, including a Champagne tasting.

Be sure to also visit the Cathedral Notre Dame at Reims, and make time for taking a tour at one of the big champagne producers, like Veuve Clicquot or Pommery. On day two, keep on tasting in nearby Epernay, where you can visit the smaller luxury houses before heading back to Paris.

Hotels: With 65 hotels offering online booking, Reims offers a variety of budget options. Search hotels in Reims

Rouen

In as little as 69 minutes, you can arrive in the town where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. While the cathedral, famously painted many times by Monet, dominates the skyline, many medieval buildings give the town its own unique charm.

A market early on Saturday and Sunday make it worth staying the night to wander and explore. If you arrive by car, be sure to visit the charming port town of Honfleur, just 90 km away.

Hotels: A large city, Rouen offers travelers nearly 50 hotels with online booking. Search hotels in Rouen

Your favorite overnights from Paris

What’s your favorite overnight destination from Paris? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post Paris: 7 favorite day trips and overnight getaways appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But the 12th, to the east of the city and on the Right Bank (north of the river), is one of the lesser-visited districts that still has plenty of reasons to spend a day. You don’t need to add it to the top of your list, but if you’re coming back to Paris or have found a hotel there that you like, you’re in luck—we’ve mustered up 12 things we like about the 12th.

Funny how that worked out, right?

Related: Best cheap hotels in the 12th arrondissement

1. Promenade Plantée

This old elevated train track runs from the Bastille and has a path that leads to the edge of the city. Renovated in the 1990s, the gardens are an oasis of green that offer a unique experience strolling or jogging through Paris.

Related: 25 Free things to see and do in Paris

2. Bercy Village

Old wine warehouses have cleverly been converted into a shopping center, complete with a movie theater, cafés and restaurants. Bercy Village isn’t the place to be, but it’s a change from the tourist-heavy center of Paris.

3. Marché d’Aligre

An outdoor market that’s open every day but Monday, the Marché d’Aligre has it all. You’ll find fresh produce, cheese, charcuterie and a covered market that houses an olive oil vendor, a beer seller and fresh seafood among others. In the middle, there is often a flea market for other odds and ends.

Related: 10 tips for budget shopping at Paris outdoor markets

4. Blé Sucre

A bakery that is on the map, even if the location is a bit off the beaten path, everyone loves the croissants and pastries from Blé Sucre (7, rue Antoine Vollon). David Lebovitz has called their Madeleines the best in Paris. The owner used to work at the Bristol hotel (not a budget hotel) before opening this pastry shop.

5. The Bastille

The French Revolution started here in 1789, when, on July 14th, the people stormed the prison called the Bastille. While they succeeded and the uprising lives on in history books, the Bastille was dismantled. The column in the middle of the square where it once stood commemorates another uprising several decades later.

6. Gare de Lyon

One of the most beautiful train stations in the city, the Gare de Lyon is a point of pride in the 12th. And the best part is that its trains will whisk you down south to the waters of the Mediterranean, so you can either buy a ticket or watch the tanned Parisians coming off the trains and dream.

Related: Budget hotels near Gare de Lyon

7. Bois de Vincennes

One of the two enormous “green lungs” of the city, the Bois de Vincennes is a giant park that is districted into the 12th arrondissement. The historic chateau is a focal point of the woods, but it’s also good for wandering, row boating, and generally enjoying the nature you won’t find in the rest of Paris.

8. Zoo de Vincennes

Finally open after more than two years of renovations, the zoo adjacent to the Bois de Vincennes is a highlight of any animal-lover’s trip to Paris. It’s a great option for kids!

Take a lovely walk and stop for an afternoon picnic along the canal at Port de l’Arsenal. Photo: Edhral

9. Port de l’Arsenal

The pleasure boats that line the end of the Canal St-Martin before it empties into the Seine is the perfect spot for a picnic on a lazy afternoon. Grab some food at the nearby market on boulevard Richard Lenoir (Thursday and Sunday) and settle down with some wine along Port de l’Arsenal.

10. Parc de Bercy

This little park next to the Bercy Village is unlike most other gardens in Paris. It’s divided into three parts and is full of little ponds, fountains, walkways and alcoves that are both wild and romantic.

11. Sparkling water in the Jardin de Reuilly

When Paris offers water fountains, of course they have a sparkling option to go with the still. In an effort to cut down on plastic bottles used for Perrier and other sparkling waters, the city opened the first public bubbly water fountain in Paris in this garden. Have a taste, fill up a bottle and save yourself a few euros.

Related: Why you should never buy water in Paris

12. Aquarium de la Porte Dorée

Built for the Colonial Exposition of 1931, this aquarium now houses 5,000 animals including crocodiles. It’s right next to the Bois de Vincennes, making it a great afternoon activity after exploring the greenery.

The post Budget Paris: 12 things to do in the 12th arrondissement appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Easy to reach

First, the 12th is home to some very important transit hubs for the Metro, the RER and even the TGV. The busy Gare de Lyon and its annex, Gare de Bercy, as well as the Place de la Nation and the iconic Place de la Bastille all play host to swarms of travelers, commuters and tourists on their way to and from Paris and its many sights.

Great dining 

Second, the emergence of numerous affordable quality hotels and the large number of good restaurants and cafes in the peaceful neighborhood provides visitors with very attractive gastronomic and leisure options. And these are only growing as an increasing number of business travelers choose to stay in the 12^th.

No shortage of entertainment

Third, various places of great artistic, “green”, historical, sporting and commercial appeal add some interesting allure to the 12th. For example, the avant-garde Opera Bastille, the Cinémathèque Française in Bercy; the Musée des Arts Forains; the unique combination of the Viaduc des Arts and the Promenade Plantée; le Bois de Vincennes (the largest public park in Paris); the Palais Omnisport de Bercy; the Bassin de L’Arsenal and the cozy shopping center Bercy Village are all in the radar of locals and visitors alike.

Unique shopping options

The arrondissement is also renowned for its specialized commercial quarters that mix modernity with history. These are devoted either to the fabrication or restoration of certain traditional crafts (i.e. furniture at the Faubourg St. Antoine) or to shops selling more contemporary items (i.e. electronics and computer items at Boulevard Diderot and rue de Charenton; hip boutiques at rue de Charonne).

Budget hotel picks

The number of very good affordable hotels in the 12th arrondissement is indeed high and, I believe, deserving of perhaps attention by EuroCheapo’s editors. Here are some of my picks (which I’d encourage the editors to check out for consideration in their guide to cheap hotels in Paris):

For a property of its quality, the Hotel du Printemps’ rates are almost impossible to beat.

Hotel du Printemps
80 Boulevard de Picpus
Doubles from €108

Its past guests have justly called Hotel du Printemps “the hotel with the best value around Paris.” How else would you label a hotel “de charme,” with such an outstanding staff; offering comfortable, clean, and nicely decorated rooms; situated in a leafy boulevard near the Metro, RER and numerous restaurants? And all this with prices starting as low as €92 for singles and €108 for doubles?!

Hotels with half of these qualities in Paris typically charge two or three times those prices. Additionally, whenever you need to write to hotels requesting for rate information or reservations, the Printemps is among the first to reply, in a thorough and transparent fashion, along with its neighbor, the Lux Hotel Picpus.

Lux Hotel Picpus
74 Boulevard de Picpus
Doubles from €60

This little gem of a hotel is one of a select group of properties in the city that always ranks at the top of “quality/price” rankings by guests. It provides room service, minibar, ensuite bathroom, hairdryer, safe, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV and phone—all in an ultra-clean and charming environment. Additionally, the Lux has one of the most professional staffs of any property in its category.

And would you believe that its rates start at €60 for singles and doubles? Indeed, there’s not a better candidate for the “SuperCheapo” category.

The Hotel de la Porte Dorée offers nifty décor at prices that don’t sting.

Hotel De La Porte Dorée
273 avenue Daumesnil
Doubles from €126.

Located in the vicinity of the Bois de Vincennes and just outside a Metro stop, the Hotel De La Porte Dorée is rightly celebrated for its comfortable rooms, which are individually decorated, air-conditioned and soundproofed as well as equipped with free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV and ensuite bathroom. This tastefully decorated property also has an elevator.

Grand Hotel Doré
201 avenue Daumesnil
Doubles from from €130

Close to Daumesnil Metro station, this is another comfortable property staffed by courteous, friendly and resourceful people and equipped with a lift. Fully renovated, it’s run by one of the oldest families in the Paris hotel business and offers a 24-hour reception and rooms with private bathroom, free Wi-Fi and a satellite TV. Rooms from €130 per night.

The recently renovated Hotel de Reims offers exceptional value.

Hotel de Reims
26 Rue Hector Malot
Doubles from €100

A favorite budget place of travelers who use the busy Gare de Lyon, the quiet, friendly and recently renovated Hôtel de Reims offers all the customary creature comforts and consistently gets laudatory comments by past guests on account of location, service, and staff. A very good value for money, its doubles start at just €100.

Sport Hotel
258 Avenue Daumesnil
Doubles from €111

The Sport is a very sought-after hotel in the Bercy quarter, close to a Metro station. Regularly praised for its location and overall comfort as well as its superb breakfast, cleanliness and peacefulness, and professional (even “fantastic”) staff.

Le Quartier Bercy Square is a well-priced hotel that offers a convenient location near the Omnisport.

Le Quartier Bercy-Square
33 boulevard de Reuilly
Doubles from €98

A stylish property, close to a Metro station and to the Omnisport, this hotel receives high marks for its comfortable and modern rooms, its helpful and professional staff and its overall tidiness. Double rooms start at €98.

Hotel Bel Air
6 rue de la voûte
Doubles from €135

This comfortable design hotel is also located in the Bercy quarter and within walking distance of the Bois de Vincennes and the Château de Vincennes. Each soundproofed and stylish room is equipped with a flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, a safety deposit box and an ensuite bathroom with free toiletries and a hairdryer. In addition, the property has a nice garden and its guests can access a kitchen area with various useful facilities.

Alfa Hotel Nation
12 Rue Guénot
Doubles from €47

This hotel—officially located in the 11th arrondissement but geographically gravitating resolutely towards the Place de la Nation area—is a popular budget sleep in the “SuperCheapo” vein. Located on a quiet residential street, it’s not only cheap but cheerful. All of its rooms are accessed by a lift and have ensuite bathrooms. They are all equipped with free Wi-Fi as well.

Doubles start at the astonishing price of €47 (those with TV are slightly more) and triples at €65! Its faithful clientele commend its excellent value, relaxing atmosphere, cleanness and special deals (for example, a seventh night is offered free to those guests that stay for six nights). And we thought it couldn’t get cheaper!

More hotels to consider

The list doesn’t stop here. Below are several more hotels in the 12th that consistently get high marks:

Hotel Viator
1 Rue Parrot; Doubles from €124

Exceedingly well located, just a five-minute walk from the Gare de Lyon, this clean and comfortable hotel is another find in the area. Guest rooms at the Viator have a private bathroom and are equipped with flat-screen satellite TV and a telephone. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.

Hotel Palym
4 Rue Emile Gilbert; Doubles from €105

Another good, tidy budget hotel with a prime location near Gare de Lyon. A great value.

Hotel Nouvel
24 Avenue du Bel air; Doubles from €98

A charming and comfortable little hotel near Place de la Nation, the Nouvel has been run by the same family for three generations. Among other nice details, its garden provides a quiet oasis. A real bargain.

Hotel Jules Cesar
52 Avenue Ledru-Rollin; Doubles from €111

This tidy and snug little hotel with soundproofed and air-conditioned rooms, located between Gare de Lyon and Place de la Bastille, offers a solid value.

Hotel Helvetia
28 Boulevard Diderot; Doubles from €80

Yet another convenient budget option near Gare de Lyon, the serviceable Helvetia offers en suite accommodation, an elevator, and rooms equipped with TV and free Wi-Fi.

Hotel Corail
23 Rue de Lyon; Doubles from €95

Praised for its professional staff and low rates, this is another cheap option near the Gare de Lyon.

Hotel Adriatic
6 Bis Rue de Lyon; Doubles from €85

A popular budget hotel in the proximity of the Gare de Lyon and the Place de la Bastille. A solid value.

Do your stay in the 12th?

Do you enjoying staying in Paris’ 12 arrondissement? Tell us why you choose it–and where you choose to stay. Leave a comment below.

The post Paris: Our “under the radar” list of the 12th arrondissement’s best budget hotels appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.