1. A brand new zoo experience

The zoo in the Parc de Vincennes will reopen this spring, offering modern facilities and a unique way to experience wildlife. Not far from the Chateau de Vincennes, the zoo will be the perfect addition to a day in the Bois de Vincennes for kids and adults alike.

2. Picasso comes back to life

The Picasso Museum will really re-open this June. It was slated for last year, as we so proudly announced in last year’s New Year recap. But this year we mean it. We hope.

3. Art all over town

Other exhibitions are a sure thing this year, from the Louvre to smaller galleries around town. Frank Gehry and Jeff Koons will have their turn at the Pompidou while Robert Mapplethorpe will show off at the Grand Palais. A part of the collection destined for the Louvre Abu Dhabi will be on show at the flagship location, where the Winged Victory will also be coming back after restorations. Welcome home!

4. Jump on the bus

Don’t forget the bus! Maybe 2014 will be the year of cheap weekend trips with the low-cost bus service called IdBus. For a few euros, you can select big destinations like Lyon, Milan, Amsterdam and London, or places where even the low-cost TGV Ouigo doesn’t go!

5. A new face in Hotel de Ville

Just like New York in 2013, municipal elections will usher in a new Paris mayor this year. Our dear Betrand Delanoe will not run again, having held the spot since 2001. It will be an exciting time for Paris this spring as a new leader takes his or her seat at the Hotel de Ville.

6. Guidebook expert advice

If we’re not convincing enough, maybe Lonely Planet’s endorsement will help. The popular guidebook chose Paris as the number one urban destination for this year. Surprised?

7. Les Halles revamp

All of that horrid construction in the center of the city around the historic Les Halles district will be shaping up—finally. The green canopy that will be the standout of the new construction project is set to be completed this year. Whether it’s as monstrous as it looks in images remains to be seen. The neighborhood, however, is sure to change drastically over the next few years, so visit it now while it’s in transition.

8. Swim in style

The Piscine Molitor and the Piscine at Butte aux Cailles will both reopen after years of renovation, allowing you to swim like a lady or chap from the 1920s under beautiful Art Deco ceilings and décor.

9. New event complex

The Carreau du Temple, on the site of the old Knights Templar complex, will also open this April. Another of our failed prediction from 2013 (Paris can move slow sometimes), this year the former market will host local sporting events, performance artists, and various events in a totally renovated structure.

10. Cool souvenirs

The official Paris boutique, already online, will open up a store at the Hotel de Ville—as if you needed more souvenirs? Check out the offerings on their site and stop by the shop once it opens later this year.

11. Sipping on the Seine

The Berges de Seine (opened last year) will have even more restaurants and bars this summer. It will be the new “it” spot for Parisians on the Rive Gauche, and others who dare cross the river. Head down to the 2.3 kilometers of renovated river bank to mingle with the locals at a variety of bars and cafés, including the Rosa Bonheur outpost.

12. Sainte Chapelle revealed

Sick of scaffolding? We are, too. Fortunately work will end on the Sainte Chapelle this autumn (probably December) meaning those gorgeous stained-glass windows that people wait in line for will finally be visible as King Louis IX intended back in the 1200s.

13. Food trucks on the rise

If all else fails, come for the food.  Sure, there are plenty of farm-fresh menus at high end bistros, but have you tried a gourmet burger out of a cart? Paris is bursting with food trucks right now, and 2014 is shaping up to be the year to eat on the street. And if you think you’ve eaten everything in Paris already, Burger King has come back to the French capital, so why not try a Whopper à la francaise?

14. Eiffel Tower turns the big 125

Last year Notre Dame celebrated the big 8-5-0. This year, Paris’s Iron Lady, the Eiffel Tower will celebrate its 125^th birthday. Renovations will be finished on the first floor, after two years of construction, featuring a glass floor, new exhibits, refurbished pavilions, and a more eco-friendly approach to running one of the world’s most famous monuments. So far no special party is planned, but the lights will shimmer each night, while fireworks will illuminate the landmark on July 14th, as if she needs any more pomp.

Do you have anything special on your Paris list for 2014? Drop us a tweet, find us on Facebook or just leave a comment below.

The post Paris here we come: 14 reasons to go in 2014 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. Notre Dame’s birthday

Notre Dame is turning 850 and the party is going strong. With renovations, new bells, and a platform allowing a unique elevated view of the church, there will be plenty of activity around the world’s most iconic cathedral.

Paris is very popular on Facebook.

2. Because you “like” Paris

Paris is a social media phenomenon with more likes on its Facebook page than any other city. If that’s not reason enough to come visit, then clearly you’re behind the times. Be sure to tag us in some of your photos if you do decide to come.

3. Nothing to sneeze at

Have a food allergy? No need to hide! Along with Helmut Newcake, Paris’s first gluten-free bakery, other food establishments are offering more and more allergy-conscious dishes, making this culinary capital even more all-encompassing. Check out Noglu, a gluten-free and often dairy-free restaurant in the 9th arrondissement. Grocery stores are also increasingly displaying their gluten-free varieties, so we’re excited to see what 2013 has in store!

The Carreau du Temple will reopen in the spring or summer. Photo: Loresui

4. New life in the Marais

The Carreau du Temple, a 19th-century covered market, is opening sometime in the spring or summer, bringing even more life into the Upper Marais district. Haven’t checked out this area yet? It’s full of great shops, cafés, and the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city’s oldest covered market. When the Carreau du Temple opens, the renovated pavilion will host a cultural center with different halls for events ranging from sports and theater to markets and art shows.

5. A new Place de la République

A new Place de la République will be unveiled, creating a more attractive journey between the Marais and the Canal St-Martin districts. Once construction is finished, the renovated plaza will boast new fountains, energy efficient lights, and an overall brighter atmosphere than of olden days.

Get closer to the Seine on your Velib’ in 2013. Photo: fgornet

6. New dedicated Right Bank bike lanes

Biking across Paris will be even easier as a path between Place de la Concorde and the Bastille will be opened, connecting the east and west of the city along the Right Bank. Currently, biking by the Louvre and the Tuileries towards either end of the city is a nightmare, but in 2013, Paris will become more of a biker’s paradise, allowing you to cruise along the river without worrying about buses and cars.

7. Last call for the food trucks?

Food will return to the table in 2013, at least it’s looking that way. The famous Camion Qui Fume and other food trucks don’t have quite the mobility that their American counterparts do, since the city doesn’t make things easy for these movable feasts. I predict that the novelty will wear off soon as Parisians and tourists alike realize that sitting down while eating wasn’t really a problem in the first place.

The Picasso Museum reopens in the summer of 2013. Photo: Heyrocker

8. Picasso comes home!

At last, at last, the Picasso Museum will reopen! Few remember when we last stepped foot inside the Marais haunt, but starting in the summer of 2013, as long as all goes well with the renovations, we’ll be able to relive the Blue Period and wrap our minds around Cubism all over again.

9. A little night music

Theatre doesn’t stop surprising us. After a hugely successful run of “West Side Story,” Sondheim’s “A Sunday in the Park with George” will be presented at the Théâtre du Chatelet April 15-25, 2013. And if Broadway isn’t your thing, the Opera Bastille and Garnier will hold stellar seasons as usual. “Hansel and Gretel” anyone?

The newest Louvre, in Lens. Photo: James Kirk

10. The Louvre through another Lens

There’s a second… Louvre? Yes, Mona Lisa’s home just wasn’t big enough to house all of the Louvre’s treasures, so the museum just opened a second address in Lens, a nearby coal-mining town. Take the train ride, just over an hour, to experience a very different and modern experience, the Louvre-Lens.

11. Bon app!

Parisians love apps. Forget reading books and newspapers in the Metro (well, not really…). Now they’re scanning the news on their tablets and smartphones. Need a pastry? There’s an app for that. Need to get to the airport? Check. Want to know where to find the nearest Vélib stand? Got it covered. There’s no telling what our smartphones will be doing in 2013.

TGV-Eco fares let you get out of town for less than €25. Photo: Gerard Stolk

12. Exhibits galore!

In 2013, Paris is still the place to be with some fun and fresh shows in the city’s most iconic museums, as well as some lesser-known ones. See Chagall at the Musée du Luxembourg (February 21-July 21), experience a collection on Miss Dior at the Grand Palais (March 22-April 3), or explore Da Vinci at Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (now on through August 18). And don’t forget the continually rotating free shows at the Hotel de Ville, including the upcoming Haute Couture exhibit (March 2-July 6).

13. €25 fares on the TGV

Trains are getting Cheapo, finally! The SCNF is introducing a new idea, the TGV-Eco, that will offer at least 1 million TGV tickets each year for under €25. The first trial will be on the Paris—Montpellier line, and include stops in Lyon and Marseille. If all goes well, this could mean good things for budget travelers looking to take a trip out of Paris for a day or two.

Your reasons to visit Paris in 2013?

What are you looking forward to in Paris this year, Cheapos? Add something to our list in the comments section!

The post Paris: 13 reasons to visit Paris in 2013 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.