You might think that this world-class sporting event would be out of the reach of a budget traveler — but it’s not!

With tickets starting at only €15 and the venue accessible by the Metro, the French Open is surprisingly affordable if you plan ahead. Read on for tips from our recent trip to Roland Garros.

Paris travel tips:
• 50 Ways to save on your trip to Paris
• Our favorite 15 cheap hotels in Paris
• 8 Fantastic day trips less than an hour from Paris

How to attend the French Open on a budget

Full disclosure: I love tennis, so it should be no surprise that passionate tennis fans will be in heaven at Roland Garros. But even if you’ve never even picked up a racket, the French Open offers a special experience that you can only find in Paris.

With daylight stretching past 10 pm, spring is a wonderful time to visit as the city comes alive after a long winter. The people watching is amazing at Roland Garros, and if you need a break from the action on the courts, you can always splurge for a glass of Champagne and shop for fun souvenirs. And who knows? If you catch Roland Garros fever, you might even come away with making the French Open an annual tradition.

Related: When is the best time to visit Paris?

Getting tickets

I purchased a ticket on the official Roland Garros website for the first round of action when they went on sale in March. My €40 ticket got me a reserved seat with a great view in Court 1 (affectionately known as the “Bullring”) for four matches (two women’s and two men’s games). It also gave me access to 17 other courts for the whole day. And unlike American sporting events where Ticketmaster can gouge you with extra charges, the online fee was only €2 per ticket. Not a bad deal for nine hours of tennis!

If €30 or €40 is too much for your budget, you can find much cheaper options. Tickets can go as low as €15 for general admission (or even lower for students). And they’re not as hard to get as you might think. Even if you’re in Paris without tickets during the French Open, it’s worth seeing what’s available. There were several tickets available during each day of the tournament when I was there. You can check for tickets online.

The main venue at Roland Garros, Court Philippe Chatrier. Photo: Craig Nelson

Getting there

The easiest way to get to Roland Garros is by Metro. The nearest stations, Michel-Ange – Molitor or Boulogne – Jean Jaurès on the 10 line and Exelmans on the 9 line, are all about a 10-minute walk from the venue. There’s lots of security, so make sure to factor in extra time if you’re trying to catch an early match. You can check out the Roland Garros map to see all the points of entry and nearby transit stops.

Related: 8 Tips for riding the Metro in Paris like a local

Book a hotel near Roland Garros

Since the Metro is easily accessible from almost anywhere in Paris, you can stay close to the 10 Metro line near the Jardin du Luxembourg or Sorbonne . The Latin Quarter offers quick access and a classic neighborhood to enjoy.

Alternatively, you can cut your morning commute time by booking a hotel near the French Open. Not surprisingly, prices will spike during the tournament, but if you book way in advance, you can find some good deals.

Search for hotels near Roland Garros

The scene outside Court Suzanne Lenglen. Photo: Craig Nelson

What to bring (and what to leave at your hotel)

Although there is heavy security, you can still bring a bag to the event. Big backpacks are not allowed, but they do have a place to check items right outside the gates which is very convenient. You can also bring a water bottle up 1.5 liters. But leave the wine behind because no alcohol is allowed. You can read more about what is prohibited on the official Roland Garros website.

Pack a lunch

Unlike some sporting events (we’re looking at you US Open!), you can bring in food and waters. If you plan on spending a full day at Roland Garros, this will save you a suitcase full of euros. We suggest picking up a baguette sandwich, a bottle of water (plastic only), and maybe some dessert before hopping on the Metro.

However, if you don’t bring anything, Cheapos won’t be stuck. Surprisingly tasty sandwiches and salads range from  €5-9, a very reasonable price.  Throw in a beer or glass of wine for €5-7, and you’ll have an ideal Parisian lunch. You can also upgrade to Champagne, but that’s a little outside the cheapo budget. Being Europe, they add an extra euro to your bill for a beverage to encourage you to return your plastic cup for a refund. Don’t leave without getting that euro coin back!

Plan for rain and/or sun

Springtime in Paris is absolutely beautiful. But it can also bring rain and thunderstorms. Matches are frequently delayed or postponed, so be prepared for a drizzle or even a thunderstorm or two. The day I went, matches were delayed due to a steady rain, but the skies quickly cleared for the rest of the day – until a huge thunderstorm stopped the action around 8 pm.

Bring an umbrella and a jacket with you, because buying them at the Roland Garros gift shop will probably cost you more than your ticket. Also, bring sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen because the courts have very little cover. If the sun is shining, you can burn pretty quickly if you’re not prepared.

Related: What to do in Paris when it drizzles

Fans watching the action on the big screen. Photo: Craig Nelson

Soak in the atmosphere

Even if you have a seat in one of the main stadiums, make sure to walk around and see the other courts and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Grab a seat in one of the orange lounge chairs in front of the big screen to watch marquee match-ups. The day I was there, Serena Williams debuted her famous catsuit to play her first match of the tournament. And during the early rounds, you can just roam from court to court to see who’s playing. The smaller courts are an excellent way to get up close to the best tennis players in the world.

During my strolls, I encountered players being interviewed, French celebrities taking selfies with fans, and an overall feeling of joy. The staff was very helpful at every turn, even to a fan like me who speaks very little French!

Pick up a souvenir

You can’t go all the way to the French Open and not bring something back home to remember your tennis experience. There were several souvenir and apparel shops set up around the grounds. I looked past the expensive shirts and accessories to choose a tote bag and some colorful, old-school wristbands that cost about €10 each.

Strolling around Roland Garros is just as much fun as the tennis. Photo: Craig Nelson

Plan your escape route

If you stay until the last match (usually around 8 or 9 pm), be prepared for a long and slow walk back to the subway station. If you have dinner reservations or evening plans, you might want to beat the crowds and leave a little earlier. For the easiest subway route, the Roland Garros website suggests, “When leaving the stadium, choose Michel-Ange Molitor station (lines 9 and 10) to avoid the queues that often build up at other stations.”

If you plan on just wandering the neighborhood and finding an affordable restaurant, don’t stop at the first place you see. Many of the restaurants near Roland Garros are nice but spendy. Luckily, I walked a little bit farther until I stumbled upon Le Village D’Auteuil, a lively bistro with classic French eats at reasonable prices.

Your French Open tips

Have you been to the French Open? Tell us your tips for visiting Roland Garros.

The post Paris: How to experience the French Open on a budget appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

You might wonder why the site of a sporting event ranked high on my list of must-see attractions in this “city of art and culture”, but this is no ordinary tennis stadium. Host to the French Open, one of the four majors of the sport, Roland Garros is rivaled only by Wimbledon in history and charm. (All apologies to partisans of Melbourne and Flushing Meadows.)

A view over the practice courts at Roland Garros

With its leafy campus outside of the city center and just adjacent to the massive Bois de Boulogne park, Roland Garros is a pleasant spot for an urban escape.  During the French Open, of course, the scene is probably much more hectic, but we were visiting the complex while all the stars of tennis were busy at the U.S. Open back in New York.

Touring Roland Garros

I had expected the tour to include a stroll through the striking red-clay courts that tennis fans know so well, and perhaps a visit to center court. Rather, the hour-plus tour was a sweep of the entire campus, including visits to the press boxes, media rooms, and players’ locker rooms, finishing up with a visit to the French Federation of Tennis Museum.

Your 2013 French Open champion, Brendan Linard! (Or so I got to pretend.)

Visitors can sit in the press room and pretend they won the championship, while an audio recording of the most recent final adds the proper ambiance to the center court visit.  And no, unfortunately you don’t get to walk on the clay court itself (the groundskeepers would be beside themselves).

Filled with history and interesting anecdotes about players ranging from Suzanne Lenglen to Steffi Graf and Rafael Nadal, the tour will be appreciated by any tennis fan visiting Paris. Even non-fans will feel the historical significance of the complex.

Tours cost €10.50 per person (€8.50 for children and students) and a combined tour/museum ticket runs €15.50. English-language tours depart at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (plus Tuesdays and Thursdays during French school holidays). Check out the Roland Garros website for more information.

Free and cheapo visits

If you’re not willing to dish out for a tour, but you still want to take in the scenery of the Roland Garros campus, access is perfectly free for most of the year. You won’t get to see center court or the other auxiliary attractions, but the grounds themselves are worth the trip on the Metro.

During the French Open, of course, you’ll have to pay to get into Roland Garros.  There are ways, though, of getting your tennis fix on the cheap.  During the tournament (mid-May to early June each year), evening tickets start at €12. These get you access to the outside courts from 3 p.m. on or the show courts from 5 p.m. on. You might not catch a marquee match-up, at least in whole, but you’ll still get to see the pros duke it out on the challenging clay courts.

To get to Roland Garros, take Metro Line 10 to Porte d’Auteil.  The entrance is a 10-minute walk down Avenue de la Porte d’Auteuil and Avenue de Gary Bennett.

Where to eat

Our trip to Roland Garros began with a delightful brunch in the garden of the quaint and convenient Le Roland Garros restaurant, where we gorged ourselves on charcuterie, merguez and eggs “a la coque” (soft-boiled). The restaurant unfortunately does not offer Cheapo-priced meal fare, but the idyllic atmosphere might be worth a decently priced cocktail plus charcuterie, antipasti or a dessert (each at €8 – €10).

More information

This post is part of a series sponsored by Atout France – USA, the French Tourism Development Agency in New York, which is highlighting youth travel in France. On our recent trip, we traveled from Paris to Montpellier, inspecting accommodations, activities and sights that appeal to youth travelers.

For EuroCheapo’s advice on the best places to stay in Paris, check out our list of budget hotel recommendations.

The post Tennis and history on the outskirts of Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.