However, tourists might find it difficult to navigate the many chains of supermarkets in Paris. Here are the names of Paris supermarkets to know if you’re ready to visit a supermarché.

Franprix

The chain with the most supermarkets in Paris, Franprix has at least one store in almost every neighborhood. Stores carry the brand “Leader Price,” one of the cheapest store brands available. Franprix offers decent produce, frozen selections and general grocery needs. Many locations are even open on Sundays and until 10 p.m. at night! This is by far the most popular supermarket choice.

Carrefour

The Walmart of France, Carrefour offers a huge variety of brand name and generic goods. Smaller Carrefour markets within Paris and larger Carrefour superstores just outside of the city limits are sure to please the most ardent grocery store addict.

Picard

While not the cheapest place to shop, Picard does offer an excellent selection of exclusively frozen goods (this is a good market if you have a freezer). You can get almost anything frozen for reasonable prices, considering the great quality. We recommend sampling the cupcakes at these Paris supermarkets.

Monoprix

Whenever anyone asks where to buy something, Monoprix is usually a good answer. Comparable to Target in the US, Monoprix also doubles as a great grocery store with inexpensive Monoprix brand products. Every arrondissement has at least one large Monoprix store in addition to smaller shops, called Monop’ Daily, for a quick sandwich or can of beans.

Related: Gourmet Picnic ideas for your Paris hotel room

Additional tips

Other Paris supermarkets to look out for include G20 and Coopérative U stores. And while not always as cheap, bodegas and corner markets sell small selections of food at reasonable prices (and stay open late!).

Be warned that most grocery stores close before 9 or 10 p.m. and—apart from a handful of Franprix stores—are rarely open on Sunday. Store brands are consistently cheaper than name brands, though the quality is not remarkably different. Plus, brands such as Leader Price and Monoprix now offer organic goods, so even organic shoppers can find a deal!

Related: Paris Outdoor Markets: 10 tips for budget shoppers

Your experience with Paris supermarkets

Do you have a favorite grocery store or supermarket in Paris? Tell us about it!

The post A guide to supermarkets in Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Not too long ago, Umbria–with its rolling hills covered in vineyards and olive groves and topped by tiny medieval stone villages–was touted as the cheaper alternative to Tuscany (her neighbor to the north). This is not so true anymore, as this region in central Italy has begun to show up on more travelers’ radars and prices have risen according to demand.

That said, Umbria doesn’t necessarily have to take a Tuscany-sized bite out of your wallet. Be it shoe-string or tight, here are four tips to help you stick to your trip budget in Umbria.

Time it right

The chances of scoring deals on flights, accommodations and car rentals rise exponentially by choosing a “shoulder” season (those buffer months between high and low seasons). This doesn’t mean you are stuck with the dog-days of January; shoulder season for Umbria generally includes the months of March (and some of April) and November (and some of October).

The weather can be spottier than it would be at the height of summer–with cool, crisp days interspersed with some showers—so bring clothes you can layer, and make sure you have both indoor and outdoor sights on your itinerary so you can work around anything the weather might toss at you.

Stay in an agriturismo

You can hardly spit in rural Umbria without hitting an agriturismo, or “farm holiday,” which are scattered throughout the region. These working farms offer accommodation (and sometimes small restaurants) and are a great choice for travelers counting their pennies.

Rates tend to be lower than hotels, many offer self-catering apartments so you can do some of your own cooking, and if you’re lucky and time it right you often have access to a vegetable garden, farm-fresh eggs, homemade wine, and olive oil. You also have the chance to savor authentic country life with an Italian family… an experience no money can buy.

Bring home the bacon (or prosciutto)

While we’re on the subject of the advantages of an agriturismo, let’s talk food. With access to a kitchen, you can dramatically cut down your restaurant expenditures by cooking at home and preparing picnics to take along on day trips. If you’re worried about missing out on Umbria’s fabulous regional cuisine, don’t fret; this simple fare is founded more on fresh, local ingredients than fancy preparation techniques.

Take the time to wander through the region’s farmers’ markets, local butchers, specialty cheese, pasta, and bread shops and pick up a little culture along with your dinner ingredients.

Sometimes the best things in life are free

Umbria is particularly budget travel friendly because so many of its sights are free. Almost all major artworks and architectural treasures are in churches open to the public. Much of the region’s charm is in taking scenic drives through the rolling landscape, walks in one of the region’s parks, or simply wandering the streets of its numerous picturesque hilltowns.

Umbria also has a plethora of music festivals from spring through late summer, and many hold free concerts during their program. A stroll through sleepy Spello, a drive along the Nera river, gazing upon the iconic frescoes in the Basilica of Saint Francis, watching the sun set over Lake Trasimeno, dropping in on an open-air jam session in Perugia, a picnic on Mount Subasio: all unforgettable moments in Umbria that won’t cost you a cent.

About the author: Rebecca Winke moved to Italy from Chicago in 1993 and shortly thereafter opened an agriturismo in her husband’s renovated family farmhouse at the foot of Mount Subasio near Assisi, Umbria. She spends her time taking care of guests at Brigolante, blogging about the lovely region she now calls home at Rebecca’s Ruminations, and wondering about what strange winds blew an urban vegetarian to a farm in Umbria.

The post Umbria, Italy: Tips for budget travelers appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are my favorite hot spots for picking up kitchenware, guaranteed to make you the toast of the town! So shop to it, Cheapos!

1. Let’s dish at La Vaissellerie

La Vaissellerie is a Cheapo’s cup of tea.

Beloved chain La Vaissellerie has five locations peppered throughout the city. For your bargain shopping pleasure, may I suggest starting out at the shop at 85 rue de Rennes (Metro Saint-Sulpice). Here you’ll find baskets of porcelain tableware, wedged in between towering stacks of dinner plates.

Slashed prices are usually hand-written in thick black dry marker across each dish in a Zorro-like fashion. Keep your eyes peeled for iconic French beauties such as ramekins, espresso cups, soufflé dishes, brightly colored café saucers, soup bowls, tarte and quiche pans, all costing just a few euros!

2. Get your kitsch-on at Porte de Vanves flea market

If you, too, believe that minor scratches and dents add value (for love of mana!), the Porte de Vanves flea market is definitely the hunting ground for you. Cheapos, the selection is beyond belief. Several stalls are even dedicated to cookware and table settings gone just to name a few. (Arrive early, though, because this flea market starts to shut down at noon.)

3. What would Julia Child do?

For culinary sakes, she’d haunt the aisles of kitchen-equipment specialist E. Dehillerin! “Thunderstruck!” was her description of the heated encounter. The attraction was instant, mutual, and long lasting.

Located at 18 Rue Coquillière (Metro: Les Halles), the centuries-old shop’s gleam has not dulled the least bit. Though not a Cheapo haven in the price tag sense, you’ll find the shop’s stock possesses all the right ingredients for dreamy window-shopping. So take in its vast collection of cookware in bright copper, cast iron, and glossy enamel, too, while mulling slowly over endless gastronomical possibilities.

Also, check out Julia’s photograph behind the cash register. Julia’s own kitchen, along with the actual culinary tools she purchased at Dehillerin, is now on display at Smithsonian!

Forever pinching from my favorite French Chef, this has been Theadora Brack! Bon appétit, Cheapos!

(And bravo Meryl Streep!!!)

The post Paris Shopping: Buy French kitchenware with the locals appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.