I know, traveling to Paris has never been exactly cheap, but there have always been ways to make it more affordable. Heck, my post on 47 ways to save on your trip to Paris breaks down little tips and tricks for saving on food, museums, getting around, and so on. But the city’s hotel rates have recently gone through the roof.

We should know — my team and I have been obsessively visiting, reviewing, and ranking the best budget hotels in Paris since 2001, when I launched the site with the mission of helping travelers find the very best central hotels in Paris that are actually affordable. We’ve seen charming hotels open, close, get rebooted as private apartment rentals, rebrand themselves as 4-star hotels. We’ve seen it all.

But post-COVID, we’ve seen some of our all-time favorite budget hotels close, and others have transformed themselves into something much, much more expensive. (Ironically, the rates might double, but the location and room size always stay the same!) And we understand, to a certain degree. Running a hotel was nearly impossible for a few years, and revenues need to be recouped.

Still, over the past three years we’ve seen many of our favorite (formerly) budget-friendly hotels swing from offering rooms for about €125-150 a night to more than €250 a night.

Fortunately, there are still some hotels in central Paris with great service and affordable rates. We’ve spent a few weeks combing through and updating all of our Paris hotel listings, and testing rates to get to the bottom of what is still a great deal.

Our criteria: How do we pick our favorite budget hotels in Paris?

We’ve picked these winners by examining several criteria, including:

Hotel Location

Would most travelers consider this location to be convenient? Can you walk to popular sights and a good selection of restaurants from this hotel? At the same time, does it offer enough calm to let you sleep comfortably at night?

Our favorite locations are in the very center of Paris (Arrondissements 1-7), especially near the Louvre, the Marais, Latin Quarter, St-Germain des Prés and near the Eiffel Tower. From these locations you can walk or take a quick Metro ride to nearly all of Paris’s main museums and attractions.

Average room rate

Are rates cheaper than other hotels of the same category? To determine the “average double rate,” we compiled and averaged rates for a double room from May-August.

This one was especially hard, as room rates have skyrocketed across the city. Most of our top picks have an average room rate under $150 per night, while some truly special hotels go as high as $225. Above that amount just can’t reasonably considered “budget”. We’ve rounded up hotels with some of the best rates in the city.

Quality

How do the actual rooms and hotel services stack up with others in the same category? If this is a two-star hotel, for example, does it offer better rooms and more personal services than other two-star hotels?

User ratings and reviews

How have past guests rated this hotel? What issues, if any, have previous guests experienced with the hotel?

Room size

Yes, we’re so obsessive that we’ve compiled room size (in square feet) for all hotels and use it as a factor when choosing our list. The bigger the guestroom, the higher the hotel scores. (I mean… nearly all hotel rooms in Paris are tiny, but we’re at least able to see who the outliers are!) In Paris, we found the average hotel room spans around 129 to 140 square feet (about 12 to 13 square meters). Some of the smallest rooms squeeze in beds, desks, and even bathrooms in under 100 square feet, which makes the larger rooms (over 200 square feet) feel extremely spacious.

“Special something”

Does this hotel offer something special that distinguishes it from its competitors? Does it have a special theme, interesting owners, or fascinating history? When we’re reviewing hotels, we’re always looking for this “something special.”

And finally, we also go with our own instincts. We’ve visited and inspected hotels hundreds of times in Paris. We’re including hotels in this list that we like and feel should be shared with our readers!

Related articles: For more on hotel savings in France, check out our tutorials on how to save on your hotel in Paris, and ways to save on hotels throughout France.

The 8 best cheap hotels in Paris in 2025

Here are our picks for the best cheap sleeps in Paris, ranked by price. Read more about any hotel by clicking the “read full review” link, or click to see our complete guide to budget hotels in Paris, with more than 100 listings. If you spot something you like, make sure to review our tips on saving on hotels in France to get the most bang for your buck.

A simple but bright and clean room at Hotel de la Place des Alpes. Photo: Booking.com

Hotel de la Place des Alpes **

Neighborhood: Place d’Italie / Chinatown
Average rate: €95

If you’re looking for an affordable place to crash, consider Hotel de la Place des Alpes. This area makes accessing transportation easy and puts you in a less touristy part of the city, but that also means you may not be as close (by foot) to some of the most popular sites of the city. But you’ll enjoy the comfortable, if bare-bones, rooms and plenty of restaurants nearby, not to mention the low rates. Plus, when you’re ready to see the tourist sites, it’s easy to hop on the Metro from here.

Read full review

Inquire about a balcony room at Hotel du Pre. Photo: Booking.com

Hotel du Pré ***

Neighborhood: 10th: République / Gare du Nord
Average double: €115

With fairly spacious rooms (151 square feet) that are clean and comfy, Hotel du Pré is a solid choice that puts you conveniently near Gare du Nord. For gourmands, Saint-Lazare, an area packed with bakeries, wine and cheese shops, and other unique eateries, is also close by. Private bathrooms are sparkling clean, and some rooms even have balconies. We also loved the cozy lounge, complete with swanky leather sofas, at this hotel.

Read full review

Charming views from a super cheapo room at Hôtel Rivoli. Photo: Booking.com

Hotel Rivoli

Neighborhood: The Marais (3rd & 4th)
Average rate: €119

Sure, the rooms are a bit on the basic side here at Hotel Rivoli, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find better rates in such a central location, in the Marais. Rooms face rue de Rivoli, and if you request ahead, you may just score a room with a small terrace and views of city hall. Aside from the views, location, and low rates, this hotel is pretty simple. There’s no breakfast, but you can explore the trendy neighborhood for your morning meal. Wi-Fi is free, and there are no TVs, which makes for a pretty quiet and peaceful stay.

Read full review

Private rooms are small but stylish and affordable at the Plug-Inn Hostel. Photo: Booking.com

Plug-Inn Boutique Hostel

Neighborhood: 18th: Montmartre
Average rate: €132

Part hostel, part stylish hotel, Plug-Inn offers great rates on its doubles, plus ultra-cheapo beds in its dorms. For those booking private rooms, expect bright colors and playful patterns plus spotless, if small, bathrooms. Breakfast is even included in the room rate, making it an even better deal. However, the hostel’s location in Abbesses-Montmartre puts it in close vicinity to many great places to score cheap eats.

Read full review

A charming view from a room at Hotel Audran. Photo: Booking.com

Hotel Audran *

Neighborhood: 18th: Montmartre
Average room rate €141

The friendly Hotel Audran is another of our best budget hotels in Paris. It is a solid deal, offering renovated two-star rooms with private bathrooms along the café-lined rue Abbesses, one of Montmartre’s most charming stretches. The hotel’s 40 rooms were recently painted a bright blue, and all are equipped with a flat-screen TV, telephone, and free Wi-Fi.

Read full review

The Hotel Du Cygne is an art lover’s dream where you can stroll to the Louvre. Photo: EuroCheapo

Hotel Du Cygne **

Neighborhood: 1st: Louvre / Châtelet
Average room rate: €141

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better deal smack dab in the center of Paris than Hotel du Cygne. This charming, cottage-esque hotel offers simple but cozy rooms that stay surprisingly quiet, despite the bustling location near the Louvre. Creature comforts such as flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, and private bathrooms are available, although solo travelers can save big by booking a single room with a shared bathroom.

Read full review

Hotel de Nesle **

Neighborhood: St-Germain-des-Pres
Average rate: €149

The one-star Hotel de Nesle, tucked away among the back streets of Saint-Germain des Prés and steps from the Seine, offers affordable rooms that are painted with a sense of humor and history. The 18 guest rooms are individually painted and decorated by the owner and her son. Most of these boast lavish line drawings of famed moments in French history, including scenes of Egypt and the Orient, as well as some playful representations of Molière, Hugo and others who have lived in the neighborhood.

Read full review

The Hotel Chopin is tucked away at the end of a 19th-century shopping arcade.

Hotel Chopin **

Neighborhood: 9th: Opéra
Average room rate €159

Ready for something with an extra dose of charm? Tucked away inside a 19th-century shopping arcade, the two-star Hotel Chopin offers comfortable, spacious (172 square feet/16 square meter) rooms at great rates, but it’s the setting that’s sure to make romantics race to their fainting couches. The arcade, located along the Boulevard Montmartre near the Opera shopping district, is lined with picture-perfect stores selling toys, jewelry, and sweets. And then halfway down, you stumble upon the Hotel Chopin. Inside, things have a quiet, grandmotherly touch.

Read full review

More cheap hotels in Paris

But wait, there’s more! We have reviewed more than 100 affordable hotels in our guide to Paris. Find more hotels:

• See all reviewed hotels

• See hotels: Near the Louvre | Marais | Latin Quarter | St. Germain | Eiffel Tower | Montmartre

A note about reserving

It should come as no surprise that, given their exceptional value, many of these hotels are quite well known and are already quite popular with guests. As many of these are also quite small (at least compared to international chain hotels), finding availability can be tres difficile… especially during the high season, and especially if you wait until the last minute.

If possible, reserve far in advance. Search hotels in Paris

The post The 8 best cheap hotels in Paris for 2026 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The City of Light might be Europe’s most visited destination, but it doesn’t need to be the most expensive. Below you’ll find tips for saving on every aspect of your trip, updated in April 2025.

From getting in from the airport to saving on hotels, shopping, and eating out, we’re ready to help you save. On y va!

EuroCheapo’s Paris budget travel guide

Saving on hotels

At EuroCheapo, we’re passionate about affordable accommodations in Europe. Our founding mission has been to help readers find great, inexpensive places to sleep that will also get them closer to the local culture.

Our Paris hotel guide includes more than 100 hotel recommendations (including our favorite cheap hotels in Paris). In the meantime, here’s some quick advice to get you started:

Super cheap hotels in Paris don’t have to equal a boring stay. Just take a look at these guestroom views from Hotel Rivoli as proof! Photo: EuroCheapo

1. Save on transit by sleeping in a central neighborhood

Considering that it’s a world capital, Paris is a fairly compact city. If you have a central starting point, you can get to most of the city’s main sights by foot or a quick Metro ride. The city is divided into 20 districts, called “Arrondissements.”

Numbering starts with the first arrondissement in the center of town, which includes the Louvre, and spirals clockwise out. Here’s a map, in case you need help visualizing it. We recommend choosing a hotel in a central arrondissement, perhaps sticking to 1-9 (possibly skipping the 8th, which is a bit more far-flung and can get pricey).

Choosing a hotel in these neighborhoods (especially near the Louvre, in the Marais, in the Latin Quarter, near the Eiffel Tower, and near the Opéra) will put you in the center of the city. You’ll save on transportation, especially at night, when you would be otherwise tempted to hop in a taxi or Uber to get home.

2. Don’t mind a commute? Save by staying outside the center

That said, if you don’t mind taking the Metro to and from your hotel, you certainly can find cheaper hotels if you’re willing to stay a bit outside of the center of town. The Metro snakes through the entire city, so you’re never really a long ride from one side of Paris to the other.

One of the most convenient lines, Line 1, slices through the center of Paris and comes every two minutes. It’s also fully automated, so it isn’t affected by strikes, which happen frequently in Paris and can shut down the other lines. So, you could stay in an arrondissement like the 11th between Bastille and Nation, which will be cheaper than a more central neighborhood, but you’ll still be able to commute quickly to the center.

3. Don’t be afraid of these super cheap hotels

Some great Paris hotels are really, really cheap (like the Rivoli, pictured above). Many of these are inexpensive because they’ve kept things simple — some haven’t even added TVs to the rooms.

But don’t let that scare you: the simplicity of these hotels doesn’t mean that they are unsafe or uncomfortable. Rather, they give you a great place to stay while saving for the rest of your trip.

• Read more ways to save on hotels in Paris and how to save on hotels in France.

Search hotels in Paris

Search all hotels in Paris for your travel dates, through our reservation partner, Booking.com.

Getting around

Paris is a big city, with hot spots that aren’t always situated around the corner from your hotel. Here’s how to get to where you need to go, cheaply.

Boarding the RoissyBus at Place de l’Opera, heading for CDG. Photo: Alexandre

4. Take public transit in from Charles de Gaulle airport

If you’re taking a long-haul flight to Paris (especially from the U.S.), you’re probably landing in the Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG). To make the 23 km trek into Paris, you have several options.

If I’m alone or just with one traveling partner, I usually take the RER train or a bus to save on cash (although not everyone at EuroCheapo agrees with me on this point). Here’s some more info on both of these options:

• Take the RER B (regional train)

It can be a bit of a grim entry to the city, but the RER takes 25-50 minutes (depending on your destination and whether or not you get an express train) and costs €13. There’s no need to reserve in advance — you can buy your ticket from one of the many machines that line the walls at the RER station attached to the airport.

These trains stop in Paris at the Gare du Nord, Châtelet Les Halles and St-Michel Notre Dame, among other stops. From here you can transfer to the Metro or possibly just walk to your hotel. (Note: Hold onto your RER tickets! You’ll need them to exit the RER and not being able to fish it out of your pocket is a lousy way to start your vacation! Not that I’ve been there…)

• Take a bus to central Paris

The “RoissyBus” is operated by the city, costs €13 per person, and takes about an hour. It departs from most terminals at CDG and drops you off at its main stop at the Place de l’Opéra.

Buses leave from CDG to Place de l’Opéra every 15 minutes from 6 am to 8:45 pm and every 20 minutes from 8:45 pm to 12:30 am. To get back to the airport, buses leave Place de l’Opéra every 15 minutes from 5:15 am to 8 pm, every 20 minutes from 8 pm to 10 pm, and every 30 minutes from 10 pm to 12:30 am.

5. Be careful with taxis from the airport

Yes, many people do take taxis in from the airport. It will cost you dearly (around €50-70 for a basic car, plus tip and luggage surcharge) and take about an hour, depending on your destination. But wait, there’s more! Extra charges will be added for driving during morning rush hour and on Sundays and holidays.

If you have a small group of people, however, the fare can be worth it. They’re also regulated and trustworthy, so you can feel safe and won’t get scammed (beyond the already high price). Here’s how to save on cabs from the airport and our guide for using Uber in Paris.

6. In general, avoid taxis for short distances around Paris

The starting fare for a taxi in Paris is €7. Thus, if you’re just going a short distance, hoof it or hop on a bus or Vélib’.

7. Buy a multipack or travel pass for Metro and bus tickets

Metro and bus tickets cost €2-2.50 each. We recommend buying a 10-pack, or a “carnet” (pronounced “car-nay”), to save money. Paper tickets are being phased out, so purchase the 10-pack in paperless form and load them onto your Navigo Easy pass. The 10-pack costs €17.35 for adults and €8.65 for children. Alternatively, you can buy a 5-day visitor pass that offers unlimited access to metro, buses, trains, and more for €76.25 per adult and €38.10 per child.

Note: the Navigo Easy pass currently only works on the Metro lines, so if you need to take an RER to go farther outside of Paris (e.g. Versailles, Giverny, or Disney Paris), you’ll need to ask an agent at the ticket counter for the right ticket.

8. Use CityMapper or Bonjour RATP instead of Google Maps

Google Maps is useful for getting around, as it will calculate routes that include Metro and RER options. However, it does not update quickly when one of the Metro lines is stopped or slowed for strikes, mechanical problems, or other issues — which happens frequently.

Bonjour RATP is the official navigation app for the Paris public transit network, and CityMapper is an alternative that includes bike and scooter options. Both can be used in English and will provide more up-to-date information and alternatives when lines or stations are closed.

9. Relax — the Metro machines are in English

The ticket machines in the Paris Metro are available for use in English, and they take credit cards as a form of payment.

10. Buying tickets on the bus are more expensive

Yes, you can buy your bus ticket from the driver (and make everyone behind you wait), but you’ll pay €2.50 and it won’t cover a transfer. Here are more bus tips for saving on your transportation.

11. Take a Cheapo city bus tour

There’s no need to pay for a sightseeing bus. Here are seven public bus lines that offer great sightseeing for the cost of a bus ticket!

12. Consider a “Paris Visite” travel card

If you plan to spend a lot of time getting around in the Paris Metro, consider buying a “Paris Visite” travel card, which offers unlimited travel on the Metro and bus system and various discounts from partnering businesses. Adult tickets cost €29.90 (one day), €44.45 (two days), €62.30 (three days) and €76.25 (five days).

13. Make sure your credit card has a chip!

Thankfully, the majority of American credit cards now employ the “chip and PIN” technology that has been in use throughout Europe for years. If, however, your card is still chipless and uses only a magnetic swipe, you’ll likely have problems in automatic ticket machines in France.  This includes machines in the RER stations at Charles de Gaulle and in Metro stations.

(If your card isn’t working at the machine, head to the ticket window. Old-school American cards will work fine when handed to a cashier for swiping.)

Choosing a bike from a Velib’ kiosk. Photo: Rachel Ludwick

14. Save by biking around town on Vélib’

Paris’ Vélib’ bike share program was one of the first in the world when it launched in 2007 and remains enormously popular today. With 20,000 bikes in the program available from a whopping 1,400 stations around the city, it’s truly massive. Once you join, you simply head to any Vélib’ station, enter your access code, take out a bike and ride off! Park it at another Vélib’ station, and you’re done.

A one-day Vélib’ pass costs €5 and covers a 30-minute ride (you’ll pay a small charge for going over the 30-minute limit). We recommend buying a 3-day pass for €20, as it covers 60-minute rides AND includes electric bikes (45-minute rides).

Sights & Attractions

Paris is home to some of the world’s most famous cultural attractions, many of which have their own “cheapo tricks” for saving a few euros.

Visit the Musee d’Orsay on Thursday night to save time — and avoid crowds. Photo: Pierre Blache

15. Get into museums for free

If you are under the age of 26 and a resident of the European Union (this includes non-citizens with student visas, au pair visas, or any visa longer than 3 months), you get free admission to most museums and cultural sites, including the ones we’ve listed below.

If this doesn’t apply to you, most of these museums are also free on the first Sunday of every month. However, you’ll have to beat some serious crowds to get in.

16. Saving at the Louvre

• Normal admission: €22 when booked online with a timed entry. Closed Tuesday. Be sure to book through the official Louvre ticket site.
• Tickets are €2 cheaper when purchased at the museum, but entry is not guaranteed — and may be refused due to overcrowding. Take this seriously. When visiting in January 2024, I wasn’t able to get into the Louvre for an entire week due to crowds. I won’t make this mistake again!
• Admission is free on the first Friday of the month after 6 p.m., except in July and August.

17. Saving at the Eiffel Tower

• Adult admission to the tip-top: €36.10, cheaper for lower level.
• Save time by buying your tickets online in advance, and avoiding the ticket line.
• During peak travel times, online tickets (especially to the top) will likely be sold out. However, they may still be available at the tower for immediate use. You’ll just have to wait in that ticket line…
• You can pay a cheaper price (€27.50) if you take the stairs up to the second level, then the lift to the top (if it’s available).
• If you’re not interested in reaching the top and just want a nice picture, get off at the Metro stop Trocadero on lines 9 or 6, which is directly across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. There you’ll find a large public plaza that faces the tower, and gobs of tourists posing for their fridge pick. Warning: There are also likely to be a gaggle of shady characters and shell-game con artists hanging about. (Walk on by…)

18. Saving at the Arc de Triomphe

• Regular admission to enter the Arc and see the view from the top is €16.
• It is completely free to walk under and around the Arc at the ground level, where you’ll also find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
• Go at night. It’s open until 11 pm (10:30 pm in fall and winter).
• Access the Arc by taking the underground walkway. You may see other tourists trying to dodge traffic and running across the busy roundabout to get to the center. This is incredibly dangerous — don’t do it.
• More tips on visiting the Arc de Triomphe

19. Saving at the Musée d’Orsay

• Regular admission: €16 when pre-booked online, which allows priority entry during your designated time slot, and allows you to avoid the ticket line. Tickets purchased at the museum are €2 cheaper — but you’ll have to wait for tickets and for entry.
• Closed Monday. The museum closes most days at 6 pm and is “cleared” at 5:30!
• On Thursdays, however, the Musée d’Orsay remains open until 9:45 pm. Buy a “Late Opening Ticket” to enter after 6 pm for €12.
• First Sundays of the month are free (but packed and require online reservation).

20. Saving at the Palace of Versailles

• Buy the Versailles Passport (€32) for access to all major parts of the palace grounds, or pay €21 for Palace only. Add another €11 for the musical fountains show.
• Pre-booking online is required for entry.
• Save by picnicking along the Grand Canal just outside the gates.
• More tips for visiting Versailles

21. Avoid crowds whenever possible

During the high season (May – September) the lines at the city’s top attractions can be overwhelming. But it is possible to plan your day so that you show up outside the peak visiting hours.

In general, go first thing or late to the biggest sight of the day, and stick to smaller sights from late morning to early afternoon. You can also use Google Maps, which updates in real time forecasting how busy a location will be. Check out our tips for beating the crowds at top attractions.

22. Culture fanatic? Buy a Paris Museum Card

Tourist cards aren’t always worth the money, but if you plan on spending lots of quality cultural time in Paris’ museums, consider picking up a Paris Museum Pass. The card offers free and discounted admission to over 50 museums and monuments around the city, and it lets you skip the ticket lines! Prices: €70 (2 days); €90 (4 days); €110 (6 days)

Spend a free day relaxing, sleeping or picnicking on the grounds of Jardin du Luxembourg. Photo: Phillip Capper

23. Don’t forget free sights!

The city boasts a long list of places that are free to visit. From museums operated by the city like the Musée d’Art Moderne, Maison de Balzac, and Maison de Victor Hugo (free to visit permanent collections) to most churches and parks like the Jardin du Luxembourg and even an ancient Roman amphitheater (Aréne de Lutéce), admission is always free.

24. Take a free walking tour

Free walking tours of Paris’ central sights are available from several tour companies (who do, however, expect a tip at the end). A less publicized option is the Paris Greeters program, in which local Parisians lead you on a free guided tour of their Paris.

25. Save on boat rides

Taking a boat ride along the Seine is an experience that manages to strike us as both romantic and overly touristy. However, these bateaux mouches offer a unique vantage point from which to see the city and can give your legs a break. We recommend the Vedettes de Pont Neuf, as they offer a live (not prerecorded) commentary and great discounts when booked in advance on their website.

Eating and drinking

Paris has some of the best food in the world, but it can get pricey quickly. Here are a few ways to enjoy authentic French cuisine without breaking the bank.

26. Think twice before tipping

Whether you’re dining in a restaurant or enjoying a coffee on a sidewalk cafe, a service charge has already been included in your bill. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t leave a little extra as a nice gesture, but you certainly shouldn’t leave 15-20% of your bill. A simple €1 or €2 is perfectly acceptable as an extra tip in Paris. Here are some more thoughts on tipping.

27. Save on breakfast

The breakfast that will be offered by your hotel will likely be an underwhelming and overpriced affair (think baguette, jam, and hot drink for €8-€10+). You can get the same thing (but fresher) at almost any bakery or patisserie in your neighborhood. Shop around for breakfast.

Oh, and when you’re in a café, the cost of your coffee depends on where you’re sitting. If you stand at the counter or bar, that coffee will frequently be one euro less than if you take a seat at a table. Strange, but true.

28. Water and bread are free in restaurants

No need to order bottled water. The local stuff is great and gets plunked down on your table in a cute carafe, free of charge. If not, just ask for it. “Une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plaît.” (“Oon car-aff doe, see voo play”) Ditto for the bread.

29. Splurge on a prix-fixe lunch

Go heavier at lunch and enjoy a two- or three-course meal with the locals. It’ll be cheaper than a big dinner.

Why? Restaurants throughout town offer “fixed price” deals — just look for the chalkboard out front or a sign in the window with the day’s menu (“menu du jour”). With prices that hover between €15-25 for two or three courses, you’ll even have some money left for a little vin (if it’s not already included in the deal!). Here are a few of our favorite Paris lunch menus.

Pick up everything you need for a great picnic lunch (or gourmet dinner) at any of Paris’ outdoor food markets. Photo: The LEAF Project

30. Pick up lunch at outdoor markets

Foodies will be in pure heaven in Paris, and not just for the mouth-watering restaurants and to-die-for patisseries.

Don’t neglect the outdoor food markets that overflow with fresh produce and local delicacies. Whether picking up for a Seine-side picnic or stocking up for a long train ride, Paris’ outdoor markets have you covered. Read more about our market shopping tips.

31. Go light at lunch with a baguette sandwich

The city’s bakeries (“boulangeries” and “patisseries)” do more than bake bread and pastries. They also do a brisk lunch business, selling hot-and-crusty baguette sandwiches and delicious homemade quiches, which can also be bundled up with a drink and dessert for an extra Cheapo-lunch deal. Here’s a list of our favorite sandwich shops.

32. Opt for a light dinner with a crepe or falafel

If you opt for a big lunch, you might want to go a little lighter (and cheaper) at night. Opt for a classic crepe, Paris’ ultimate street food, or grab a tasty sandwich at L’As du Fallafel in the Marais. Check out other ways to eat your way through Paris for less than €20 a day.

33. Head to the grocery store for basics

When you do need to buy a bottle of water, don’t touch that hotel minibar! Head to any of the local grocery stores. A 1.5-liter bottle of water at Monoprix or Franprix costs less than €1. The same rule applies to wine, candy, soda, etc.

And if you can’t find a single bottle, just break up the shrink wrapped plastic on a multi-pack to grab a bottle for yourself. This is common practice in France, so don’t worry about a store clerk chasing you down!

Better yet, bring a refillable water bottle and top it up from the tap. Tap water is perfectly drinkable in Paris, and there are public water fountains all over the city (more on that in tip #35 below).

34. Wine from the supermarket? Oui.

Don’t assume that the wine being sold at the grocery store isn’t up to snuff. Some of it is quite good, and yes, quite affordable. Here are some tips for buying wine in Paris.

35. Fill up your water bottle around town

Paris has more than 1,200 drinking water fountains located throughout the city where you can easily fill up your water bottle for free. And if you’re a fan of sparkling water, there’s no need to run into the store for a few bottles. The city has fountains that even dispense the bubbly stuff!

Every summer the banks of the Seine transform into a lively beach scene complete with real sand! Photo: sergio_leenen

Entertainment

There’s always something to do in Paris, and quite a bit of it won’t cost you a dime! (Or, rather, a centime!)

36. Get happy for cheap drinks

Wine might be cheap, but a cocktail in Paris can easily cost you €15. Don’t worry, be happy! Keep your eyes peeled for “Happy Hour” deals (pronounced “‘appy ‘ow!-ers”).

You’ll typically see it posted on a sign outside most bars, and they run much later than the Happy Hours you may be used to — sometimes as late as 10 or 11 p.m.!

37. Enjoy free summer festivals

When the temperatures start to climb, so do the number of free events around Paris. Free entertainment is easy to find on almost every night of the week, including music series like the Paris Jazz Festival (late June through September) to outdoor film screenings like Cinéma en Plein Air (July and August). Head to Parc de la Villette which is packed with culture come summertime.

38. Hit the “beaches” along the Seine

Every summer the Seine and the Canal St-Martin transform into “Paris Plages,” one of Europe’s coolest urban beaches. Yes, in a city hundreds of miles from the nearest stretch of coastline, you’ll find Parisians lounging about in their hottest swimwear soaking in the rays.

39. Get cheap (or free) seats to opera, dance, and classical concerts

Love world-class opera and classical music? Grab a cheap seat at the Opera Garnier and Opera Bastille, and find cheap and free concerts around town by checking out L’Officiel des Spectacles or a Wednesday edition of Le Figaro’s insert “Figaroscope” listings magazine at any newsstand: also available online!

Shopping

If you’re looking to return home with suitcases full of souvenirs, here are some methods to do that in a wallet-friendly way.

40. Serious shoppers, don’t forget your tax refund!

Do you plan on doing some serious shopping? Non-EU citizens who spend at least €100 at any one store, may qualify for up to a 12% cash refund! This is available, with different requirements, throughout Europe.

41. Hit the flea markets for cheapo souvenirs

Paris is home to several fabulous flea markets. Selling everything from new clothing to vintage cookware, these outdoor markets offer unique shopping and souvenir opportunities, often at low prices. Here are some tips for flea market success and a guide to the best flea markets in Paris.

42. “Friperies” offer cheap vintage shopping

“Friperies” are inexpensive secondhand clothing shops where you have to dig through piles of cast-offs to find a vintage pearl. Here are a handful of addresses where Parisians go for a wallet-friendly vintage fashion shopping spree.

Miscellaneous

Finally, a few extra points about Paris to keep in mind.

43. Avoid sketchy situations

With millions of tourists visiting every year, Paris also attracts more than its share of con artists and shady types. Fortunately, they’re usually pretty easy to spot. A stranger approaches you to sign something, hold something, pick something up that they’ve dropped… Just say no and walk away from these common Paris scams. No drama. Just move on. No story is better than endlessly kvetching about it later.

If a stranger approaches you speaking French, do not reply with “I don’t speak French” because they will start speaking English to you. It’s better to ignore them and keep it moving.

To avoid pickpockets, it’s good practice to keep all your valuables in pockets, pouches, or bags that zip, snap, or close! In crowded places, many pickpockets get away with your things before you even realize they were there.

44. Be smart with your phone

Plan on using your smartphone? Either get a sensible data and international calling package from your carrier back home or buy a SIM card in Paris for use in an unlocked phone. It’s simple and can potentially save you nightmarish data roaming charges.

45. Bring a guidebook!

Here’s some retro advice (ironically conveyed via the Web): bring along a Paris guidebook! Go deeper by studying up on Paris before you get there. Underline away!

46. Find free Wi-Fi

Even with a good international data plan or a SIM card, we still appreciate free Wi-Fi. Fortunately, it’s easy to find in cafes, fast food joints (all McDonald’s), parks and museums. When you’re in a Parisian café or restaurant, don’t be shy. Ask the waiter for the Wi-Fi password. If you’re a paying customer, they will happily give it to you!

47. Talk to your bank before you go

Call your bank before you leave to let them know that you’re heading on a trip to Paris. You don’t want them to block your card when they see international charges pop up.

While you have them on the phone, ask about foreign transaction and ATM cash withdrawal fees. They might have a partnership with a bank in Paris that avoids ATM fees. (Here are some questions for your bank.)

• Read more about practical ways to save in Paris

Your tips?

Have tips to add to our list? Please contribute your thoughts on ways to save when visiting Paris in the comments section below.

Note: This article was updated with additional information, research, and fact-checking by Julia Hamilton in Paris in March 2023 and by Paige Bennett in April 2025.

The post Paris Budget Travel Guide: 47 ways to save on your trip (2025 Update) appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

For those looking to save some euros, one place to begin your research is by looking at Paris’ free museums and attractions (or those with reduced admission).

It is possible, after all, to take in a lot of the city’s culture without forking over too much cash. Here’s a quick guide to a few of our favorite free museums and tips for finding discounted admission.

Related:
• 47 ways to save on your trip to Paris
• 8 best cheap hotels in Paris for 2025

Always free museums in Paris

Some museums and many public monuments are free every day. This is great to know when you get caught in the rain and don’t want to kill time in a café.

Note that some of these have a (sometimes strongly) recommended “donation” ticket. While giving something isn’t required, it’s certainly a nice gesture.

Free museums include:

• The Musée d’Art Moderne, not far from the Eiffel Tower, is one of two modern art museums in Paris. Its special exhibitions cost 5-12 euros, but the permanent collection is completely free.
• Notre Dame Cathedral, and any church (other than Sainte Chapelle) for that matter, is fair game.
• The Musée Carnavalet in the Marais, allows you to tour the complete history of the city for free. (“Donation ticket” €5.) Temporary exhibitions can cost 10-13 euros.
• Arène de Lutèce, the city’s old Roman amphitheater, is just hanging out in the Latin Quarter waiting for visitors to drop in for a picnic while watching the local children play soccer.
• You can also walk through the courtyards and outer halls of the Hotel des Invalides and check out the canons guarding Napoleon’s tomb without paying to actually go inside.
• The Atelier Brancusi displays the sculptures of Constantin Brancusi just outside of the Centre Pompidou, including the famous sculpture l’oiseau dans l’espace. The workshop is completely free to visit.
• More museums that are free every day include: Maison de Victor Hugo, Musée de la Vie Romantique, Musée Curie, the Shoah Memorial, the Petit Palais – Musée des Beaux Arts, the Musée du Parfum-Fragonard and more. Note that many of these charge admission to special exhibits, but visiting the permanent collection is free.

Along with free fireworks over the Eiffel Tower, Bastille Day means free admission to many of the city’s museums. Photo: Yann Caradec

Sometimes free museums in Paris

If you’re planning your trip like a Cheapo, come to Paris on a weekend for the first Sunday of the month when many national museums are open for free, like the Pompidou and Musee d’Orsay.

Keep in mind that some museums will only offer the free first Sunday per month in the off-season. Look at the “practical information” section of the museum website you plan to visit and it should tell you.

To celebrate the national holiday, Bastille Day, national museums, like the Louvre, are also open for free on July 14 every year. (This could also be to distract the revolutionary-minded from storming any more prisons.)

Discounted with a Paris Museum Pass

Purchasing a Paris Museum Pass (available for 2, 4 or 6 days) will provide entrance to most national museums and monuments, including the Palace at Versailles and the Arc de Triomphe.

If you are a history and art buff, the pass will easily pay for itself. All you need to do is plan your visits in advance.

For example, a two-day museum pass costs €70. If you plan on visiting both the Conciergerie prison (where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned) and the adjacent Sainte Chapelle church, admission will cost a total of €26, if purchased independently. Throw in a ticket to the Louvre (€22), the Rodin Museum (€14), and the Centre Pompidou (€15), and in two days, you’ve saved a bit of cash.

We don’t mean to oversell the pass. However, if you are dedicated to visiting multiple museums, the pass can be a very good deal.

Free for visitors under 26 years old

• EU citizens under 26: All permanent collections of national museums and monuments are free for EU cardholders under 26 years of age.
• Other residents under 26 (with carte de sejour): Many Americans and Canadians may think this law passes them up. But wait! The thousands of study abroad students, au pairs, and English assistants who have legal residency in France or elsewhere in Europe are also covered by this law. So, if you’re under 26, head to the Musée d’Orsay or the Natural History Museum, wave your passport and carte de séjour, and you’ll get a free ticket.
• Children: Children often get into places for free. However, ages vary considerably, so be sure to ask at the ticket window.

And remember that free entry usually only applies to a museum’s permanent collections and often doesn’t cover special exhibits. However, these special exhibitions often offer discounted youth tickets.

Hotel des Invalides offers daily reduced admission rates late in the day. Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

Discounts and other deals

If a museum’s entrance is not free, you can often find various discounts if you know where to look. Work up the courage to ask if the price seems steep. Youth and “under 18” visitors can usually get reductions even if you don’t have EU paperwork, so visitors can still benefit from reductions.

Also, museums often work in tandem to offer discounts. For example, if you present your ticket to Palais Garnier when you visit the Musée d’Orsay, you’ll receive a discount (if you visit within 8 days). Obviously, right? Check out the offers posted at the ticket booth.

More info

The Paris Tourism Office has a website in English that can be useful for finding up-to-date information for any museum in Paris. Search by museum name, and soon you’ll realize how much money you can save (and how many Mona Lisa mugs you’ll finally be able to buy at the Louvre gift shop!). They even have an incredibly comprehensive list of all free and reduced admission museums and times.

Looking for even more free ideas? Here’s a list of 25 free things in Paris that we love and 7 things in Paris that are always free.

The post Paris: A list of free and discounted museums appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

For starters — read through our guide!

Using data? Get a plan.

If you’re an AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile/Sprint iPhone customer and are planning, at any point during your trip, to use a data network to access the web or use emails, you are strongly advised to get some sort of plan (unless you plan to buy a SIM card in Europe for your phone). Otherwise, it will cost you. (AT&T, for example, charges a hefty $2.05 per MB without a plan. Sure, that sounds like pennies, but it gets ugly quickly!)

Click through to read more about international data and phone plans for AT&T customers and for Verizon customers.

T-Mobile (and former Sprint) customers who have signed up for one of the carrier’s “Go5G” plans are in much better shape, as the carrier offers free text messaging and data use throughout Europe and phone calls for $0.25 per minute. Note that T-Mobile does not have individual plans for international use. Instead, its usual “Go5G”, “Go5G Next”, or “Go5G Plus” plans are suitable for using abroad for data, texts, and calls and are already set for international roaming.

If you are a T-Mobile customer with a Go5G plan, congrats. You don’t really need to follow the rest of this article or change the way that your phone is set up. Just know that those phone calls will be billed at an additional $0.25 per minute.

How much data do you need?

Let’s imagine that you’ve signed up a plan that comes with 1 GB of data, unlimited texting, and phone calls at $0.35 per minute. What exactly does 1 GB represent?

As I mention in this post, here are some data use estimates:

• Sending or receiving an email (without attachment): Approx. 20 KB per email; (with attachment) Approx. 300 KB per email

• Loading 1 webpage: 1 MB per page

• Streaming music: 500 KB / minute (30 MB / hour)

• Streaming video (standard quality): 2 MB / minute

I’m going to assume that we’re all steering clear of streaming music and video while traveling (when not connected to Wi-Fi), and that your data use primarily consists of checking emails, using Google Maps and pulling up an occasional web page.

If you just stick to emails (and don’t open any large attachments), you could download or send thousands of normal-sized emails with the 1 GB plan! That’s, um, quite enough for me (especially while on vacation!).

But hey, everyone’s data needs are different. Check out AT&Ts handy data calculator to estimate how much data you require. This is especially handy if you plan to browse the web or (heaven forbid!) fire up your apps.

How to set up your iPhone for international travel

Okay, you’re ready to configure your phone. The following is how I set up an older iPhone for travel. Note that new phone models may have different locations for some of the settings listed below. We’ve included instructions for older and newer models.

Also, please note: Buying a European SIM card for your phone or an unlocked phone you purchase for travel is a relatively simple and cheaper alternative to all of this. Be sure to read our guide to this option, as well.

1. Turn off data roaming.

First things first. Turn off your data roaming to stop your phone from hooking up with a data network while traveling.

Chances are your carrier doesn’t operate cell towers in the country you’re visiting. Thus, if you need to access a data network, your phone will need to roam around and find a network with which it can work. By turning this off, you’re effectively blocking your phone from joining these partner networks.

Note: When you do want to use your data plan and access these data networks, you’ll flip this button back on. But remember, as a default, it’s best to keep this off.

Older iPhones

Go to: Settings > Cellular > Data Roaming. Turn off.

(To make it easy, the iPhone even says “Turn data roaming off when traveling to avoid charges when web browsing and using email and other data services.”)

Newer iPhones

For newer models, go to: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Roaming. Turn off.

2. Turn off Cellular Data.

When I’m traveling in Europe, I usually turn off my cellular data, as well. Even if I’ve been assured many times by AT&T that I only need to turn off Data Roaming, I still turn off cellular data, just to make sure that my phone is blocked from using data until I want it to use data. (Apple also suggests turning both off when traveling abroad.)

By turning off your cellular data, you effectively block your phone from accessing all data networks, restricting its use to placing calls and sending SMS text messages, although you can use all of your other features (apps, email, Internet, iMessage) when you connect it to a Wi-Fi network.

Note that if you flip the order of #1 and #2 here, turning off your cellular data first, your data roaming will also turn off. You can’t roam for data if you’ve already turned off your phone’s access to data.

As with data roaming, if you want to use your data package, you’ll need to turn cellular data back on, then turn on data roaming.

For both old and new iPhone models, go to: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data. Turn off. (Note that “Enable LTE” will also disappear as soon as you turn off Cellular Data.)

3. Cut off your apps’ cellular data connection.

Your apps can’t work without a data connection or a Wi-Fi network. Even so, you should go in through your cellular settings and manually turn your apps off to prevent them from hogging your data plan.

But wait, if you’re planning to already turn off your cellular data (by following the two previous steps), isn’t this a bit redundant? Not necessarily.

Don’t forget that many of us allow our apps to send us push notifications and to run on their own in the background. If you keep all of them activated, the moment that you turn on your data roaming in Paris to check your emails, they could kick into gear, tearing through your data allotment.

To prevent this, take a moment to scroll through your list of apps and turn off their data connection, one by one. (Note that you’ll need to do this prior to turning off your cellular data, as turning off your cellular data makes these buttons inaccessible.)

Once these apps have had their cellular data access turned off, they will still be usable over a Wi-Fi network. If you wish to use cellular data for these apps (for example, using Google Maps over cellular data, which I do all the time from abroad), simply turn them back on when you need them!

Older iPhones

Go to: Settings > Cellular > Use Cellular Data For. Turn off apps, one by one.

Newer iPhones

Go to: Settings > Cellular. Scroll down past the “Add eSim” section to the apps. Turn off apps, one by one.

4. Reset your statistics and monitor your data usage.

This one is fun and essential. At the very bottom of the “Cellular” page is a simple little link that states, “Reset Statistics”. Once you’ve arrived abroad, click this link and start tracking your international data usage. You’ll see your total data usage and your telephone usage at the top of the “Cellular” page (under “Cellular Data Usage”).

Keep track of your usage here and you shouldn’t come home to any unpleasant billing surprises, especially if you’ve purchased the right data package for your trip.

The only hiccup with this, unfortunately, is that the stats aren’t always totally up-to-date. It turns out that AT&T can have delays in reporting international data usage (as international carriers are actually providing you with the network and then, later, reporting it back to AT&T). I’d suggest erring on the side of caution here.

For both older and newer iPhone models, go to: Settings > Cellular > Reset Statistics. Click it.

5. Turn “Fetch New Data” to “Manual” to stop automatic email downloads.

When I’m traveling, I also turn off my phone’s ability to automatically check and download emails. Even if my data roaming is almost always set to “off” (preventing me from accessing emails), I still don’t like my phone automatically fetching anything the moment I turn the data roaming to “on”.

Older iPhones

Go to: Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data. Switch “Push” to “Off” and click “Manually” at the bottom of the screen under “Fetch”.

Newer iPhones

Go to: Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data. Switch “Push” to “Off” and click “Manually” at the bottom of the screen under “Fetch”.

Once switched to “Manually”, you’ll be able to check and send emails by turning on your data roaming and cellular data, then opening your mail program. Simple.

6. Turn off iMessage.

This one drives me crazy. iMessage has made it quick and easy to send messages to other iMessage users on Apple devices over a Wi-Fi network without being charged for sending a text. That’s great, but iMessage uses a Wi-Fi network to send and receive your messages, so if you’re not connected to Wi-Fi, it won’t work. Your message will just sit out there, and not get delivered until you connect to Wi-Fi.

The solution? I choose to send old fashioned text messages (through SMS) when traveling. AT&T’s International Pass includes unlimited SMS texting, so these texts don’t cost me anything extra to send.

To force your phone (any model) to turn off iMessage, go to: Settings > Messages > iMessage. Turn off.

Note that you might still encounter iMessage problems, even with it turned off. Others might send you an iMessage, but it won’t be delivered until you connect to a Wi-Fi network. When I’m traveling and expecting a text from a friend and suspect that iMessage is to blame, I sometimes send them a text to say, “If you’re trying to text me, make sure your iMessage is turned off!”

Call home for pennies (or free) with the Skype iPhone app.

7. Paranoid? Put your phone in airplane mode.

If you’ve followed the steps above, you’ve now turned off your data roaming, cellular data, apps and email from running in the background. What’s still working?

Well, for starters, your phone! You will now still be able to make and receive telephone calls (provided that you’ve called your carrier and have activated your phone for international use). You will also be able to send and receive regular old SMS text messages (if you’ve turned off iMessage).

However, this might still make you uncomfortable. Perhaps you don’t want people to be able to get in touch with you. (Don’t forget that you’ll be charged for incoming calls and for listening to your voicemail.)

If this is you (and it was me for many years, so there’s no shame), you can place your phone in “airplane mode” and simply rely upon Wi-Fi networks to use the web, send emails, and use apps. This is a great solution if you want to place calls through your Skype app, for example, and never want to pay for a call.

Traveling through Europe on airplane mode does offer peace of mind, as it takes away any insecurity that your phone is secretly drinking up your data plan. However, it can also feel quite limiting, as you won’t be able to send and receive text messages in real time (except through iMessage or Facebook Messenger when you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network), or place standard phone calls.

If this is for you, go to: Settings > Airplane Mode. Turn on.

If using your phone in Airplane Mode, note that you’ll need to then switch “Wi-Fi” to “On” and choose a Wi-Fi network.

Also in our Guide to using an American iPhone in Europe

Using an American iPhone in Europe… without Going Broke

Tips for AT&T Customers

Tips for Windows and Android Customers

Tips for Verizon Customers

AT&T vs Verizon: A comparison of international plans

Note: This article was updated in December 2024 with extensive new information.

The post How to set up your American iPhone when traveling in Europe to avoid a billing “surprise” appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

That’s because there are hundreds of free things to do in Paris, from markets to churches, parks, and concerts. We’ve pulled together our favorites below, with something to appeal to every type of traveler.

Have something to add to our list? Add your own free favorite activity in the comments section at the end of the post.

Related:
• 45 ways to save on your trip to Paris
• How to save on your hotel in Paris

Top 25 free things to do in Paris

Here’s our official “Top 25” list of our favorite sights and activities in Paris that are completely free. Now let’s explore Paris… gratuit!

1. Try to get lost

We need to start with the most celebrated (if obvious!) freebie of all in Paris… getting lost in this romantic metropolis. Pick a starting point and just go. Soak up the sights and the sounds, the sidewalk ballet, the countless stories playing out before you. Move with the flow and see where the city takes you. Chances are you’ll stumble upon a new favorite shop, cafe or lunch spot — or at least wind up with a few stories to tell. (And you’re never really lost, of course. You’re hardly ever more than a couple blocks from a Metro stop — and a quick trip back to where you started.)

2. Bridges over the Seine

We know, it sounds so cliché, but strolling the bridges of Paris is truly a timeless activity. Of course, the bridges are free to cross, the tolls having disappeared hundreds of years ago. The Pont Neuf, Pont des Arts, and Pont Alexandre III are some of the most famous of the city’s bridges.

And a warning: Don’t even think about spending money attaching one of those locks to any bridge. That’s not cool anymore, so please refrain, thanks!

3. Candy samples

Many of the city’s chocolatiers will offer you a sample if you seem keen to purchase their wares, and some extra-friendly spots encourage samples, even if you don’t have a cent in your pocket to buy anything afterward.

4. Christmas markets

We’re not rushing the seasons here, but the delightful Christmas markets in Paris are coming up soon, and they are all delightfully free to wander. Splurge on a bit of hot wine (“vin chaud”), please, but other than that, there’s no reason to do too much shopping, as prices tend to be a bit inflated for oddball items. Enjoy the atmosphere for zero euros.

5. Churches

Nearly all of Paris’ historic churches are free to enter, wander the aisles, and sit and contemplate. You will need to buy a ticket to take in the stunning stained glass of the Sainte-Chapelle (recommended) and to descend into the crypts of Saint-Denis, but otherwise, all of Paris’ Catholic sanctuaries are free to enter.

Although we are still mourning the loss of Notre Dame (which fortunately reopens its doors this December!), there are other beautiful churches like Saint Sulpice and Saint Germain-des-Prés that you can see and almost never have a wait. In short: If you see a church, stop in and see what’s behind those doors. You’ll probably be impressed.

6. Covered shopping arcades

Fortunately, several of Paris’ charming 19th-century shopping arcades (“passages”) are still open and lined with cute shops and galleries. These glass-covered passages, located mostly in the 9th and 2nd arrondissements, offer an atmospheric throw-back, rich with beautiful architecture.

Our favorites include the Passage des Panoramas near the Musée Grévin and the Passage du Grand Cerf near rue Montorgueil.

7. Eiffel Tower light show

It’s the epitome of kitsch and we love every sparkling moment of it. Every hour on the hour at night, the Eiffel Tower lights up for a few minutes, glittering wildly like the diva she is. Catch a great view from one of the bridges or from Trocadéro just across the river. And good luck with those photos!

8. First Sundays of the month

On the famous first Sunday of the month, admission to Paris’ largest and most famous museums is free. That’s quite a deal, although it also brings with it crowds and insanity. To keep your sanity, avoid any major museums like the Orsay. It’s pointless to wait in line for an hour to save a few euros.

Instead, take advantage of the free admission and head to one of the less famous museums like the Musée des Arts et Métiers or the Musée National Eugène Delacroix. You’ll get in for free and won’t have to wait in line. It’s a cheapo win-win!

9. Galeries Lafayette’s observation deck

Sure, the iconic department store Galeries Lafayette doesn’t give away its merchandise, but that doesn’t stop us from visiting the gorgeous stained glass cupola or heading to the observation deck. Take the escalator all the way to the top for a great free view of Paris, and you won’t break a sweat or your wallet.

10. Gardens and parks

From the Tuileries to the Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris’ few but formidable green spaces are all free to enter and explore. Throw a picnic in the Place des Vosges, sniff the flowers of the Jardin des Plantes or go for a jog in Parc Montsouris with the locals. No admission, no fuss. Just free outdoor beauty.

Related: Parc des Buttes Chaumont: A breath of fresh (and free) air in Paris

Spend a free afternoon visiting the final resting place of everyday Parisians. Photo: Faungg

11. Graves

No matter which cemetery you visit — Père Lachaise, Montmartre, Passy, or Montparnasse — the final resting place of famous and everyday Parisians are free to visit. These beautiful cemeteries feature stunning graves and mausoleums of some of the most famous Parisians, including Edith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, and temporary resident Oscar Wilde. But just as interesting and beautiful are the graves of thousands of normal Parisians. Spend an afternoon getting lost wandering through history.

12. Hotel de Ville exhibits

Always keep an eye on the grand Hotel de Ville (City Hall), which regularly hosts free exhibits throughout the year. The shows could be about anything from movies and fashion to history and art. Lines can get long during the weekends, so try to go during the week if possible. (Check out this page for exhibits.)

13. Mansions in the Marais

The Marais was once the home of the rich and (possibly) famous. Many mansions dating back to the Renaissance are still here, including the Hotel de Soubise and the Hotel de Sully. Many of these are now public buildings or museums that are free to explore inside.

While wandering the Marais, be on the lookout for large doors with cute courtyards that might be open to the public, like the Hotel de Marle that houses the Swedish Institute and their cute little café.

Related: A Cheapo day in the Marais

Visit the Maison Victor Hugo to check out where the great writer worked and lived. Photo: BernieCB

14. Museums

The museums run by the city of Paris are F-R-E-E whenever they’re open. The Musée Carnavalet (which reopened in 2021),the Victor Hugo House, and the Musée de la Vie Romantique (which is temporarily closed for renovations until March 2026) are just a few that we can name. Most are closed Monday — you’ve been warned.

Note that several of these museums (we’re looking at you, Carnavalet) will push you to purchase a “donation ticket” for €5, while others (like Maison Victor Hugo) will push tickets for not-free temporary exhibits. Payment is not required for entry, although, of course, donations to museums and cultural institutions are always a good idea.

Related: A list of free and discounted museums in Paris

15. Music recitals

Many of Paris’ lovely old churches offer free musical recitals, most notably the Eglise Saint-Merri next to the Pompidou Center. You’ll likely find something free and classical most nights.

16. Produce markets

Heading to an outdoor food or shopping market, like the Bastille market on Thursday and Sunday, is a great way to see how many of the locals go grocery shopping. The best part is that vendors will often toss you a slice of cantaloupe or whatever they are pushing that day. Take the samples, enjoy them, and pay nothing.

Related: 10 Tips for shopping at outdoor markets in Paris

17. Promenade Plantée

Stroll above the streets on this renovated, elevated train track. You can basically walk from Bastille to Vincennes with very little car traffic to get in your way along Promenade Plantée. It’s a favorite for joggers on the weekends and early mornings, though, so give us — I mean them — a little space, please.

Related: 12 Things to do on a budget in the 12th arrondissement

18. Royal castle

The Chateau de Vincennes, in the east of Paris, is an actual castle that was once home to several of France’s most important kings, as well as a prison for at least one other. It may not be as regal today as it was during its heyday, having been a bit beaten up over the years, but strolling the grounds is a delight… and delightfully free. (You’ll need to pay to get inside, but no pressure.)

19. Ruins and monuments

People don’t automatically consider ancient civilizations when they think of Paris, but we have our share of ruins, ancient monuments and other artifacts, including the Egyptian obelisk at Place de la Concorde. There are also Roman baths next to the Musée de Cluny and, a crowd pleaser, the Arènes de Lutèce, the old Roman amphitheater in the Latin Quarter. Today, locals play pétanque in the old gladiatorial arenas while tourists stop in for a picnic and to use the free Wi-Fi. Times have indeed changed!

Related: 20 Overlooked attractions to explore in Paris | Where to find free Wi-Fi in Paris

20. Street art

Who said art has to be confined to a gallery? Street art from Belleville to the Canal Saint-Martin to Place d’Italie changes semi-regularly, so there’s always something new to see. If you’re a true fan of street art, you can check out the official Paris tourism site for tips on seeing works up close.

21. UNESCO world heritage sites

Usually, UNESCO heritage sites are a big deal, but in Paris, you can stroll one for absolutely free. The banks of the Seine are considered a world heritage site, and with renovated portions like the Berges de Seine finally free of automobiles, it’s a free, world-class activity. (Unless, of course, you get distracted by the cafés and bars along the Berges…)

22. Stuffed animals

The Musée de la Chasse et la Nature is a fantastic museum for anyone interested in dead animals, but the Deyrolle shop in Saint Germain-des-Prés is a great, free-to-visit alternative. This taxidermy shop has a huge collection of stuffed animals that died of natural causes — no poaching here. Maybe you’ll leave with a little butterfly… or something larger. Who knows? (Just be careful about what you bring home!)

An endless view of the city from the tip-top of Montmartre. Photo: Craig Nelson

23. Views

You don’t need to pay to get a nice view of Paris. Forget the Eiffel Tower. You can march up Montmartre, get off the beaten path in Parc de Belleville, or take the elevator to the top of the Institut du Monde Arabe for some stellar shots of Paris. No lines, no fees, just free awesome views over the most beautiful city in the world.

24. Walking tours

We’ve written before about the free Paris tours — which are never really free — but they are a great way to get a cheapo orientation to the city. You’re expected to tip your guides, and they will make this abundantly clear during the 3-4 hour tour. A few euros is usually acceptable, but paper money always makes their day. (Trust me, I know, I was one!)

25. Year-round culture

Depending on when you come to Paris, culture surrounds you and is usually free. It might be free outdoor cinema in the summer, an open-door day at the major monuments, live concerts, a festival, a parade, a fake beach, or free macaron day.

Do your research and know what’s on when you arrive so that you can take advantage of the year-long free events that Paris hosts.

Your favorite free things to do in Paris?

Have something gratuit to add to our list? Add your favorite free thing in our comments section below!

The post Top 25 free things to do in Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

From hotels to flights, rental cars, and train tickets, there are several things to keep in mind before you hit “book”. Regular readers might recognize a few of these tips from posts in previous years (including “10 Ways to Save Before Leaving for Europe”). They’ve been included below if they’re still important today, and if they represent a budget travel faux pas worth avoiding.

Related: The best budget hotels in Paris, Venice, Barcelona, and London.

Note: This post was updated in September 2024 with new information and current pricing.

1. Don’t over-pack your itinerary with too many destinations.

American travelers (myself included) tend to over-pack our itineraries when planning trips to Europe. It’s understandable — for many, vacation days are scarce and trips abroad infrequent. There’s a natural tendency to try to jam as many cities and countries as possible into our trips, as we don’t always know when we’ll be back!

However, this can be costly (not to mention exhausting), as over-packing trips with too many destinations in too few days leads to more time on the road, and more gas or train tickets. In extreme cases, it can sabotage a trip, turning it into a blur of hotel check-ins and check-outs (with constant packing and unpacking), while watching a never-visited landscape race past the car windows. If possible, slow down. You’ll save on transportation and gain more time to explore your destinations.

Looking for a helpful itinerary? Check out our 10-day itineraries for Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

On Kayak, click into “Multi-city” to search for flights into one city and home from another.

2. Don’t race back to fly home.

When searching for flights from North America to Europe, don’t forget about “multi-city” and “open jaw” tickets. These are flights into one destination and home from another. These tickets often cost about the same amount as simple round-trip flights, but, depending on your itinerary, can save you the hassle and expense of returning to your arrival city.

For example, imagine you’re flying from Atlanta to Paris and then spending 10 days visiting France and Italy, winding up in Rome. You might instinctively book round-trip tickets from Atlanta to Paris, and then try to figure out how to speed from Rome back up to Paris at the end of the trip to fly home. Instead, click into “multiple destinations” or “multi-city” when researching flights, and search for Atlanta to Paris, and then Rome to Atlanta. You can often find a flight for about the same price as the simple round-trip airfare.

Note: If you’re planning to rent a car, “open jaw” flight can make rentals a bit trickier and more expensive. It’s almost always cheaper to pick up and drop off the car in the same location, and dropping off in a different country can add a huge fee to your rental (we’re talking about hundreds of euros). However, you could still book an “open jaw,” rent a car for travel in one country and then switch to train tickets for reaching the last leg of your trip.

3. Don’t assume you need to rent a car from day one.

Many travelers renting a car for their trip instinctively start their rental on the day they arrive, picking it up at the airport. However, if you’re planning to spend at least one day visiting your arrival city, you shouldn’t rent that car until you’re leaving town. This will help you save on the rental and parking, and help preserve your fragile jet-lagged sanity.

For example, imagine that you’re flying into Rome, spending two days visiting the city, and then heading off to explore Italy by car for a week. Start the car rental on the third day of your trip (the day you’re leaving town, not arriving). You’re going to be visiting Roman ruins and the great sights of the central historic city and the Vatican—the last thing you’re going to want to think about (or pay for!) is parking. You’ll be getting around by foot, bus, and Metro, or taxi.

The same holds for Paris, Amsterdam, London, Barcelona… really any major city with a well-preserved historic center. Driving your way around the town’s big sights isn’t going to happen (or at least it’s not going to happen twice). That car will wind up in an expensive garage.

Get the car on your way out of town. This will also give you flexibility in terms of pickup location, as rental car agencies offer a wide variety of pickup spots in most major cities, often with many options around the major train stations.

Related: Search rental cars in Europe | How to calculate the “real cost” of renting a car

The Hotel de Nice in Paris won’t show up on page one, but it’s worth filtering for.

4. Look past page one for that hotel.

So you’re searching, and searching, and searching for that perfect hotel. Remember when researching on most major hotel reservation websites that the hotel results are often ranked by those that the website wants you to book. In most cases, these “page one” results are hotels that pay the site the highest commission. It’s in the website’s best interest to show you these hotels first.

For budget-minded travelers, this often means looking past these “page one” results, no matter how many bells, whistles, and “Only 1 room left!” freak-out messages they throw at you. Filter by guest rating, neighborhood, and price, and start digging around to find the good stuff.

On EuroCheapo, we’re a bit different as we’ve already done this filtering and ranking for you (and we don’t believe in freak-out messages). We list our hotels by “CheapoFactor,” which is a formula that presents the top-rated hotels (including those reviewed by our editors) that have the lowest rates in the most central neighborhood. If you do a hotel search (in the box above or from our homepage) you’ll see these hotels by default.

Related: Our favorite cheap hotels in Paris packed with old-world charm

5. Don’t sacrifice location for small hotel savings.

If you’re struggling to decide between hotels that are within your budget, I recommend giving preference to the hotel with the more central location. Budget travelers, in particular, have a tendency to choose a hotel in a far-flung location that’s €10 cheaper than one in a more central neighborhood. I’m a strong proponent of paying a bit more for something more central, as you’ll save time and money on transportation (especially if you wind up taking taxis).

Related: How to save on hotels in Europe

You can almost always save by not using a rail pass. Above, Munich’s main station. Photo: jseita

6. Don’t assume that you need to buy a rail pass.

As we’ve mentioned in several posts throughout the years on the blog, European rail passes sold to American travelers usually don’t save you any money. Unless you’re spending most of your travel days taking long-distance high-speed trains, buying a rail pass is probably going to be an unnecessary expense.

These days, the official websites of Europe’s main railways (SNCF in France, Trenitalia in Italy, Renfe in Spain, and Deutsche Bahn in Germany, among many others) are easily searched in English and offer great deals on high-speed and long-distance trains when booked a few months in advance. Buy these tickets like the locals: Book early and get great discounts.

For example, during a recent to Paris, Munich, and Venice, I took two trips by train, one high-speed (TGV and ICE) from Paris to Munich, and one Intercity train from Munich to Venice, on a romantic voyage straight through the Alps. Booked directly through the official rail websites about two weeks before the trip, the first ticket cost €74, while the second trip was only €69. These two trips covered several countries and cost only €143 for first-class travel. A rail pass would not have made these more affordable.

Having said that, there are still some reasons why you might want to book a rail pass. They do allow for greater flexibility in your schedule — you can determine your schedule at the last minute and not worry about paying more for the ticket (although you still risk sold-out trains). And yes, if you plan to take a great number of long-distance trains, it can pay for itself. They come with some other benefits, as well, like a family discount that allows two children to travel for free with a Eurail pass-carrying adult.

Related: Read previous posts about booking rail tickets, how to book slower trains in Europe, the three-month rule for high-speed tickets, how to save on French rail tickets, and booking German rail tickets.

7. Don’t pre-book the small stuff.

It’s now easier than ever to pre-book activities in each of the cities you’ll be visiting. You can book museum tickets and passes, walking tours, boat cruises… The list is endless and quite tempting. However, try to remain calm and limit the number of smaller activities that you pre-book, as you risk wasting cash and causing disappointment.

In the fun lead-up to your departure, there’s a tendency to forget about the unplanned realities that always creep into a trip. Things happen, people get tired, blisters form, the weather doesn’t cooperate. Making plans and compiling itineraries is a great idea — but pre-booking every small attraction puts you at the risk of burning out, skipping things, and wasting money. You’re not going to know what speed you’re able to travel at until you get on the ground.

Having said that, a couple of high-profile sights are worth pre-booking, especially during high season when their lines could lead to long waits, or worse, not being able to get in (I’m looking at you, Louvre…).

These include:

• tickets to the Eiffel Tower (book in advance through the tower’s website)
• tickets to the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay
• tickets to the Alhambra in Granada,
• the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam
• tickets to the Vatican museums
• tickets to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (again, skip the ticket line)

8. Don’t write off guidebooks.

Okay, I know that I’ll hear from detractors on this one, as it’s now fashionable to ditch heavy guidebooks in favor of apps and free information that you can pull up on your phone, tablet, and laptop. But I’m here to say that the best guidebooks out there can greatly enrich your trip and yes, can help you save time and cash by allowing you to put away your electronic devices.

When I was in Athens on a recent trip, I spent several days running around town with my Rick Steves‘ guidebook, following their informative (and often humorous) walking tours, getting restaurant advice, and gaining an understanding of how the city worked. That book was my companion, folded, dog-eared, and often tucked under my arm. Its value became doubly-obvious when I witnessed a couple in the ancient Agora trying to read information off of their iPad in the blazing hot sun. It wasn’t happening.

Relying on electronics is risky and can be unnecessarily costly. Batteries die. Sun makes it hard to read. And data charges are incredibly expensive. Don’t underestimate the value that a $20 guidebook provides.

9. Don’t forget to call your phone carrier.

As we have written in several previous posts, if you plan to use your phone abroad, call your carrier before leaving to discuss your international options. First, you should make sure that your phone works abroad and has been activated for international use. Secondly, you should discuss with your carrier the costs associated with using your phone to place calls, send texts, send emails, and access the internet.

AT&T, for example, has recently changed their international packages, and now offers an “International Day Pass”  that bundles together unlimited texting, data (to send emails and use the Web), and cheaper calling rates. These packages start at $12 per day and make good sense for anyone considering using their phone while traveling. (Verizon offers similar plans.)

“Winging it” without knowing how much you’ll be charged is not recommended. Call your carrier, get a plan if you plan to use your phone, and then make sure you set up your phone to avoid accidental data charges (in brief: turn off cellular data and restrict the number of apps that can use cellular data). And, as a plan, stick to free Wi-Fi networks for downloading and sending emails, checking the Web, and using apps.

Another option? Buy a SIM card for your phone when you get to Europe. Here’s our handy guide: Buying a SIM Card in Europe: The cheapest way to use a smartphone while traveling. We have also done the research to find the best SIM Cards to use in France, Spain, and Germany.

Withdrawing cash from ATM machines like this one in Berlin is almost always cheaper than converting dollars on your own. Photo: skohlmann

10. Don’t waste money getting euros before the trip.

Should you buy euros before your trip to Europe? Travelers waste a lot of money purchasing euros from their bank (or worse yet, from a currency exchange counter) before arriving in Europe. In most cases when exchanging money from home before a trip, you will pay dearly in fees, lousy exchange rates, or both. If exchanging a bit makes you more relaxed, go for it — just don’t overdo it.

I often arrive in Europe without a euro in my pocket. I head straight away to an ATM at the airport and withdraw cash using my American ATM card. It’s simple, and the exchange rate that I’m getting for the transaction is almost certainly better than any rate I’d get from my bank back home (especially once fees are factored in). Call your bank before you leave to ask about international ATM transaction fees, as they vary widely depending on the bank, the type of account you have (banks often wave transaction fees for premium accounts), and the type of ATM accessed abroad (your bank may have international locations or partnerships with local banks).

What if there isn’t an ATM at the airport? I’ve never experienced this. I have experienced long lines at the ATM, which has led me to use my credit card for purchases (rail or bus tickets into town, for example) until I found an ATM in the city without a line.

Related: Questions to ask your bank before you leave.

Your tips?

Have another mistake to avoid to add to our list? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post Planning a trip to Europe? Avoid these 10 costly mistakes appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

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.

But the unwritten code of conduct isn’t something that comes instinctively to the more than 4 million people who hop on board every day. In fact, each year 1.5 billion riders use the Paris Metro — that’s almost on par with New York City!

Even if you’ve ridden the subway in Chicago or New York, it’s still worth brushing up on how Parisians commute and get around the city.

Related: Will a Navigo pass save you money on the Paris Metro?

10 Paris Metro tips for riding like a local

Ready to buy a ticket and jump on the Metro? Here are 10 tips to help you fit in like a local while you’re sitting (or standing) on the subway.

1. Buy tickets in bulk

I only use the Metro occasionally, opting for a bike, and thus use the money-saving Navigo Easy pass with t+, contactless bundles of 10 tickets sold at a reduced rate (€17.35, a nearly 20% savings on buying tickets individually). You can purchase the Navigo Easy pass at all stations or RATP-approved stores, then add more tickets either in person or on your smartphone.

Local tip: If you do have a monthly or weekly Navigo pass that you simply touch to the turnstile, be sure to keep it in the bottom of your bag and try to swipe your bag across the turnstile, ensuring that the people behind you will have to wait while you swipe four or five times before the magnetic reader catches your card. That’s the sign of a true local.

2. Know when to sit and when to stand

In general, if you’re sitting in one of the fold-up chairs and staring into a sea of crotches, it might be time to get up and make some room. During peak hours, those folding seats should be off-limits. Feel free to throw the stink eye at anyone who thinks otherwise.

Also, offering your seat to an older person or a child is always appreciated, but don’t get carried away with it. Sometimes, guys, offering your seat to a 30-year-old, fit-as-a-fiddle woman could seem insulting or just kind of awkward.

3. Show generosity to performers… in the station

Generosity is a virtue, but illegality is not. It is interdit (not allowed) to perform in Metro cars, and performers usually have a permit to perform uniquely in the stations themselves.

When a performer comes on board belting out an Edith Piaf song or pumping their accordion, giving them money is supporting an illegal activity, and that’s just not cool (even if they are phenomenal). Save your coins for the respectful players in the stations that sometimes produce some amazing music.

4. Take the stares

Make eye contact — often. This is the Paris Metro, where staring is a national sport. Be warned, however, that looking at someone a few too many times will be interpreted as a come-on of sorts, as it may be intended, so be sure to look for your description on a Craigslist “missed connections” later that evening.

5. Keep it down

Do us all a favor and keep the loud discussions down. Engaging in a loud conversation or telephone call is a surefire way to stand out from the crowd. During morning and evening commutes, you’ll be the only one with your phone glued to your ear or chit chatting away at full volume with your friend. Read a book, listen to some music, or play Angry Birds, but save the drawn-out conversations for the café.

6. Be pushy

While you may have to push your way onto the Metro at any hour during the day, it’s especially common during the morning and evening commute. When the doors open, the wall of people can seem daunting, but giving an angry “pardon!” and a little elbowing will help you get aboard.
Touching isn’t balked at, so don’t be afraid to use your hand and physically reposition someone if they won’t move. Locals know the drill. And once in the train, squashed in the crush of people, you’ll often notice quite a bit of vacant space that has gone neglected. Locals love standing near the door, apparently. Laws of diffusion rarely apply.

7. Eat, drink and be exiled

Parisians eat at tables, at food trucks, or begrudgingly in the streets. Those who eat in the Metro are shunned and eventually sent to Belgium, so don’t do it. Plus, with the bouquet of aromas wafting through the tunnels, it’s not really the most appetizing of eating environments.

Know where you’re going before you get off!

8. Transfer strategically

Changing train lines once is acceptable, but annoying. Switching trains twice is sometimes necessary and really annoying. Switching three times is excessive and never required.
Know where you’re switching and where you’re going before you get off, to avoid that moment of lost panic that will signal to the pickpockets that you are, in fact, not a local. And avoid switching at the labyrinthine Chatelet-Les Halles for the love of all that is good.

9. All lines are not created equal

Locals have favorite Metro lines, but mostly they just hate certain lines. The 13 and the 4, both north-south lines, are among the most hated. Some revile the seemingly useless line 11, though it’s my personal favorite, catering to my needs. And taking the 1 is always like a trip to the UN, since it’s the most tourist-laden of them all. The 14 is a favorite because of its speed, and the 8 is often preferred to the more-crowded 9, since they generally go to the same areas.
So learn the lines using this Metro map, and be prepared to exhale frustrated and roll your eyes when someone says, “We have to take line 4!”

10. Love it

While the Paris Metro is far from perfect, it beats counterparts in New York and London by a landslide — at least this is what locals think. So when anyone disses the Metro because they have to wait six minutes for a train or because it smells like three-day-old urine, be proud and stick up for it, because love it or hate it, it’s the fastest and cheapest way to get you where you need to go in this town.

Your Paris Metro tips

Have a tip to add about the Paris Metro? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

More information

For more on the Paris Metro, visit the website of the RATP, the government agency that runs the Metro. The website offers information in English for tourists. RATP also has a handy app that provides everything you need to get around. Additionally, you can now use contactless payment methods like credit cards or smartphone apps to pay for single journeys directly at the turnstiles. Finally, if you’re currently planning a trip to Paris, be sure to swing by our guide to Paris for more articles on ways to save, plus reviews of recommended budget accommodations.

The post Paris: 10 tips for riding the Metro like a local appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But what about the train-ferry combination, the one many may recall fondly from their childhoods? It is still feasible, but these days it is not a streamlined option. You’ll need to purchase train and ferry tickets separately and finesse train station-port transportation on your own. The journey will also take 10 hours, so it’s best to leave that option to your memories. Instead, here are some more affordable ways to get from London to Paris and back again.

Related: 

• 50 Ways to save in Paris
• 21 Simple tips to save in London

Affordable Travel From London To Paris

Here are the most viable and cheapest ways to get between these two European centers.

Air: Fast but not so efficient

Though flying between London and Paris is by no means our recommended mode of transportation — the distance is simply too short to warrant the hassle, not to mention the carbon expenditure — there are a few ways to get between these two dynamic capital cities by air. These days the Paris-London route is used disproportionately for passengers connecting on to a long-haul destination, with the exception of business travelers flying in and out of London City Airport. That said, we did find one-way fares starting at $38 searching a few months in advance, but of course that doesn’t include all of the rail or taxi fares in between the airports and the city center.

• easyJet flies from London Gatwick to Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

• From London Luton, easyJet flies to Paris-Charles de Gaulle. You can find one-way fares three months in advance for as low as £30 (about $38).

• From London Heathrow, Air France flies to Paris-Charles de Gaulle with fares as low at £77 ($99), while British Airways flies to both Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly for as low as £47 ($60).

Rail: Comfortable and quick

The only direct train linkage from London to Paris these days is the Eurostar, which travels between London’s St. Pancras International and the Gare du Nord in Paris 15-17 times per weekday. The trip usually takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, with maximum speeds of up to 186 mph. However, Eurostar started rolling out brand new trains in late 2015 that can make the journey in only 2 hours at speeds of up to 200 mph.

The experience feels a bit like air travel, with its security checks and passport control in both directions. Because the UK is not part of the Schengen Area, passengers go through passport control prior to boarding their trains. Traveling from Paris to London, passengers first exit France through French passport control and then enter the UK via British passport control. In London, passengers will officially enter France in the station, submitting passports to French passport control before boarding their train to Paris.

From London, return Eurostar London to Paris fares begin at a very reasonable £41 round trip ($52) (between midday and midnight on a Monday; anytime on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday; and between midday and midnight on a Saturday). Booking nonrefundable tickets as far as possible in advance (up to 120 days) is your best bet for finding this low-cost fare. The cheapest tickets sell out first, so the earlier you book, the more you save.

Bus: Long but super cheap

The bus is usually the least expensive way to travel between Paris and London. It also takes much longer than a flight or the train. BlaBlaCar Bus and FlixBus are two major bus lines traveling between the two capitals. French BlaBlaCar Bus takes between 7.5 and 9 hours. The FlixBus journey takes between 9 and 10 hours. Both lines advertise free Wi-Fi and electrical outlets.

One-way FlixBus (formerly Eurolines) fares begin at £25 ($32). The FlixBus terminal in London is Victoria Coach Station; the Paris terminal is Bercy Seine.

BlaBlaCar Bus (formerly OUIBUS, and before that, iDBUS), a subsidiary of French train company SNCF, is a more comfortable option, with good legroom. Fares begin at around £25 for a one-way journey — promotional one-way fares and overnight trips can dip even lower. The BlaBlaCar Bus terminal in London is Victoria Coach Station; the BlaBlaCar Bus Paris terminal is Paris-Bercy.

What’s your preference?

How do you prefer to travel from London to Paris? Have any tips on ways to save on any of the transport options listed above? Share your tips with us in the comments section!

The post The cheapest way from London to Paris: Planes, trains & buses from £25 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Before you hit “book” and reserve your hotels for your upcoming trip, keep the following tips in mind in order to score the best rate possible. After all, you’ll sleep tighter when you save a few euros.

How to Save on Hotels in France

Ready to save? Check out the following advice to save on hotels in France. Note: If you’re only spending time in Paris, be sure to check out our guide to saving on hotels in Paris. You may also want to check out our larger Paris budget travel guide.

1. Your hotel budget goes much further outside Paris.

First-time travelers to Paris often gasp when they first walk into their hotel room. “That’s it?” they stutter, as the door hits the side of the bed.

Yes, for the most part, affordable hotels in Paris have very small rooms, when compared to rooms that you’ll find in smaller towns in France or even in other European capitals (the average hotel room in Berlin, for example, is much larger than in Paris).

To top it all off, that tiny room in Paris can be quite expensive. It could cost you €175 … or more … and that would still be a good deal for Paris.

Fortunately, as you head outside the major French cities (especially Paris and Nice) into smaller destinations and the lovely French countryside, things change dramatically for the better. From Brittany and Normandy to Provence, hotels for the most part offer a better value (and have larger rooms!) than what you’ll find in Paris.

Related:

• Heading to Paris? Read our guide to saving on hotels in Paris.
• See our recommended budget hotels in Paris
• France itinerary: 10 days from Paris to Marseille

The Vieux Relais et Commerce, a Logis hotel in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire. Photo: cjp24

2. Sleep in a village inn or on a farm.

When traveling through France’s smaller towns, villages, and countryside, you’ll see plenty of hotels, but you’ll also see signs for other types of accommodation, including “chambres d’hotes” (guestrooms), “gites” (guest houses), and “Logis” (a network of small inns).

Logis (formerly Logis de France) is an association of independently-run rural inns, most of which offer fine regional meals in addition to accommodation. Logis sends undercover auditors to test out the guestrooms and restaurants at participating hotels, and classifies them by assigning a number of chimneys (for the hotels) and pots (for the restaurants). Logis serves a wide variety of budgets, offering everything from tiny cheapo-friendly village properties to extravagant chateaux, but nearly all have an abundance of charm.

Another French favorite is the “farm stay”, a sort of rural bed-and-breakfast option (although many offer delicious dinner options, often with locally sourced food). The best part? These can often be booked for less than a standard hotel! Check out the Gites de France website for more info. (I once spent a week at a gite in the Charente region of France and loved it so much I nearly moved in.)

3. Stars can be overrated.

I’ve written about this before, but it’s worth repeating: Be savvy when considering a hotel’s star rating. Stars are a classification given to the hotel by a tourism board or government agency, and reflect the services, amenities, and room size — they do not reflect the quality of the hotel or its user rating.

Many hotels game this system by adding lots of extra “stuff” to the room in order to get bumped up to the next star category. For example, a standard two-star hotel can throw in a hairdryer, cosmetic mirror, and safe in the closet… and suddenly get bumped into a three-star. But it doesn’t mean it’s any better.

And conversely, there are some perfectly good hotels can’t add certain services (like an elevator or a breakfast room) because of zoning laws, and thus get stuck in two-star territory.

So be smart about this and don’t strictly limit your options to only one star category. A charming two-star hotel may very well offer a much better experience than a hum-drum three-star hotel.

A cheapo-friendly Hotel F1 located north of Avignon. Photo: catorze

4. Try a French budget hotel chain for a surprise-free night.

Sometimes you simply need sleep for the night. In France you’ll find several budget hotel chains competing for your reservation. Unsurprisingly, many of these are located outside the center city, in industrial-feeling shopping districts, or just off major highways. We’re not talking cobblestone streets here.

Two of the largest budget chains are:

Ibis: The largest economy hotel chain, by far, is Ibis, which is owned by French mega-hotel operator, Accor. There are about 1,800 hotels around the world (mostly in Europe). Ibis operates three categories of hotel: regular old perfectly-pleasant Ibis, swankier Ibis Styles, and super cheap Ibis Budget (formerly Etap Hotels). I’ve stayed at all of these and am happy to report that they’re clean and do the job.

Hotel F1: Accor now owns and operates the even cheaper F1 hotel chain (short for “Formule 1”) that line the main French highways, near aiports and city outskirts. When we’re really just looking for a clean bed, we’ll stay at an F1, as rooms are clean and seriously cheapo… from €22, with free parking. Note that many of the cheapest options share bathrooms and may require you to bring your own towel (or buy a cheap one from the reception).

5. Watch out for extra charges.

When searching for hotels in France and comparing your options, be sure to see what’s included in your room rate.

• Is Wi-Fi free? It should be at this point, but there are still some hotels charging for it.
• Is Breakfast included? (Usually the answer is no. See my next point.)
• Do you need a late checkout? Compare the hotels’ policies.
• Is parking offered? Is it free? (More on this below.)

Note that in France a tourism tax, called the “taxe de sejour“, is charged per person per night. This charge is almost never included in the room rate that you see when you book your room, but is mandatory for hotels located in most tourist destinations in France.

6. Ask what’s for breakfast before you pay for it.

A hotel breakfast in France is usually a bit less robust than what many North American travelers are expecting. (Unlimited waffles for breakfast? Ha! Dream on!)

A typical French hotel breakfast includes a choice of pastry (usually croissant, sometimes also pain au chocolat) and part of a baguette, butter and jam, coffee or tea, and juice. Possible additions include fresh fruit, yogurt (and muesli), hard boiled eggs, cheeses, and fruit. In all but the ritziest four-star hotel buffets, you can forget about omelets, bacon, sausage, etc.

You’ll be asked at check-in if you’d like to have breakfast. As the options are usually pretty limited and breakfast is almost never included in the room rate, it’s best to ask in advance what the breakfast consists of before committing to it. Or, at the very least, only commit to one day of breakfast if you’re staying for several days. You can test it out, and then see if you can do better elsewhere. You’ll most likely find a nearby cafe that offers something even better at a more reasonable price.

Related:How to save on breakfast in Paris.

Where you gonna park? Driving into the pedestrian heart of Angers, France. Photo: alainrouiller

7. Driving? Think about parking when choosing your hotel’s location.

When choosing your hotel’s location, consider your parking options. I’m always a fan of sleeping in the old center cities of French towns. In Avignon, Bordeaux, Carcassonne, Chartres, Aix-en-Provence… I tend to look for hotels that are in the historic old town (“centre ville”), and sometimes within the old walls, too. It’s where all the action is, including the top sights, restaurants, and activities.

While these central spots are often convenient for those arriving by train (many stations are within a quick walk of the old center cities), those arriving by car might have an expensive surprise awaiting them. Be aware that many of these historic centers are pedestrian-only zones, and hotels in these areas almost never offer free parking for guests.

This shouldn’t dissuade you from choosing a hotel here, of course, as parking options will be offered by the hotel — however, you’ll most likely have to pay top dollar for it. Garages inside the “old centers” tend to be the most expensive anywhere. When comparing hotels, you might find hotels within a quick walk of the old center that offer free onsite parking. It might be worth the walk to avoid an overpriced garage.

Related:Tips for renting a car and driving in France

8. Should you book early or last minute? It depends.

As I wrote in my article about when to book hotels for the best rates, if you have your eye on a particular hotel, book it. If it’s a popular, top-rated property, or you’re visiting during the high season, you should just go ahead and secure a room as far in advance as possible.

However, if you’re more flexible about where you stay and you’re not traveling during peak travel times or when a local festival or business conference is happening, you could take a chance on scoring a last-minute deal. It only makes sense to play “wait and see”, however, if you do preliminary hotel searches and see lots of availability for your travel dates. If you see only a few hotels available, you’d be better off booking something right away, as waiting could force you to stay in a far-flung location or pay through the nose.

Another option is to book a fully refundable hotel, and then play wait and see. You’ll be able to upgrade to a better option as your travel dates approach if one presents itself, and cancel your old reservation.

9. Finding super high rates? Be wary… and be flexible.

If your hotel searches are turning up surprisingly expensive rates, you might have stumbled into festival or conference dates. (This is a regular issue travelers face when unwittingly booking Paris trips during fashion weeks.)

Try adjusting the dates back or forward a week. If you see a big change, visit the website of the city’s official tourism office to determine if your visit is coinciding with a special event or business conference. If you have flexibility with your itinerary, it might be wise to change course and visit at another date.

10. Book on EuroCheapo!

Naturally, we can’t wrap up the article without mentioning that EuroCheapo offers reservations at thousands of cheap hotels in France through our reservation partner Booking.com. Sleep better knowing that you’re not blowing your budget in your sleep.

• Do a search on our homepage for your destination or in the search box below.
• Check out our recommended hotels in Paris, Nice, Lyon, Marseille and Strasbourg.

Your tips?

Have a tip about ways to save at hotels in France? Share with us in our comments section below!

This article was edited and updated on April 30, 2024.

The post How to Save on Hotels in France appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.