Visiting Paris on a budget...?

Question

I am going to be in Paris for 9 days. I have been there before but my b/f hasn't so we wanna do all the tourist spots. Problem is we are on a very tight budget, specially since we are traveling with dollars.

So where are some places we can get good deals, coupons, etc?

What are some good and affordable places to have lunch and dinner. Emphasis on the word GOOD?

We would like to go to another city, mostly in spain or italy (rome/venice) which would be the cheapest way to do this?

Any other suggestions are welcome.

Answer 1

Polidor: (41, rue Monsieur-le-Prince; Metro: Odeon) and Chartier: (7, rue de Faubourg Montmatre; Metro: Grands Boulevards) are both great inexpensive restaurants with good French cooking, large shared tables and an eclectic mix of folks (lotsa' starving students!)

http://restaurantpolidor.info/

http://www.restaurant-chartier.com/www/

Galeries LaFayette: 40 blvd. Haussman; metro: Chaussée d'Antin; you must go and shop! Don't miss the Food Hall--amazing gourmet shopping--food to go, wine, champagne! Buy a picnic! (in lower level--I think under Men's clothes) They have free maps of Paris at the visitor's bureaus that have coupons for Galeries LaFayette and other.

http://www.galerieslafayette.com/interna...

http://en.parisinfo.com/

La Samaritaine: 19 Rue de la Monnaie; metro: Pont Neuf; OR Printemps de la Maison: 64, boulevard Haussmann; metro: Havre Caumartin; both fancy department stores with terrace restaurants (cafeteria/ snack bar style) with amazing (FREE) 360 degree views of Paris! Buy a coffe or cheap wine & enjoy!

http://www.paris.org/Shops/Large/samarit...

The huge Flea market (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) at Porte de Clignancourt is always fun and sports everything from 2 euro Paris tee shirts to fake Yves St. Laurent bags to priceless antiques (got my wedding ring here--1/2 block from where Edith Piaf got her start), Check out the wonderful Piaf sounding voice of Nathalie Cohen at the restaurant Chez Lousette(or something pretty darned close!)).

http://www.les-puces.com/

Sainte Chapelle is amazing, but don't pay to visit! Instead buy a ticket for a concert there and soak in the amazing stained glass windows--seated, without pushing crowds and surrounded by beautiful music--sunset is especially nice! There seem to be regular concerts featuring Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons." Find info in the cheap 40 Euro cent "magazine" "Pariscope" or "Officielles des Spectacles". Ticket entrance is through security into courtyard (as if you were going to visit Sainte-Chapelle) AND concert entrance is 1/2 block from this entrance toward the right bank.

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/par...

You absolutely MUST go by metro--it's fantastically cheap and easy. They say that you can get anywhere in Paris within 3 blocks of a metro stop. (BUT make sure that you're on it by midnight as lines start closing then.) We always get a three or five day pass (Paris Visite)--you're required to insert those little photo booth photos into the ticket case, but i've never seen anyone check....there are photo booths in the various stations, but it might be easier to just cut out a head shot of yourself (1 x 2 inches or so) and bring it with you. http://www.parisvisite.tm.fr/english/par...



Have a blast! Amusez vous bien! And say a bientot to my favorite city for me!

p.s. Rome & Venice are VERY pricey, but I've heard that Barcelona is horribly underrated and not THAT expensive RyanAir has VERY cheap flights between Paris-Beauvais & Venice(as low as 60 euro RT, inclusive) and Barcelona(as low as 70 euro RT, inclusive), but getting to Beauvais can be a problem. (Also, the "Venice" airport that RyanAir flies from is actually in Treviso & the "Barcelona" airports are actually in Reus/Girona, BUT there are good, easy, cheap Ryanair buses that go between the airports & these cities). You may also have to have your host family buy the tickets for you as it used to be a problem buying them from the States.

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/

and p.p.s. I always give this advice for folks going to Paris: You'll do much better in Paris if you AT LEAST say "s'il vous plait" and "merci"! ALWAYS "Bonjour" or "Bonsoir Madame or Monsieur" as you enter ANYWHERE and "Au Revoir" or "Bon Soir Monsier or Madame" as you leave ANYWHERE. Your experience will be amazingly better if you remember to treat the French like cats, not dogs. They can be slow to warm; they may not come to you with tails wagging, but rather may watch you warily for awhile from afar. Once they know that you think that they and their culture are the greatest thing since sliced bread, they do warm up--and amazing friendliness often follows.

Answer 2

If you're staying with family, wouldn't they know (assumung they are french natives)? Find out where the students eat, they usually don't have much money.

Answer 3

I don't know the answers to this but the website below is a good one for traveling anywhere! Also the higher the bill the more you can get out of it for dollar. Travel with 100's

Answer 4

Look on craigslist. There are alot of really cheap but nice places listed on there. They are not hotels, but apartments or flats that you can rent for usually a minimum of 3 nights a piece. My family stayed in one for a week in Paris, and we found it on craigslist. If you also want to go to Spain, I recommend Barcelona. It's near the border, and is very artsy, modern, and beautiful. It is also closer to Paris than Rome. Hope you have fun on your trip! Also, don't take the train. It is very expensive. Drive or take a bus to get from city to city. Train ticket=$200+ per person.

Answer 5

My friend just came from Paris his advice just eat pizza you will save a lot its way to expensive to eat out everyday!

Answer 6

I stayed in a hostel beside the sac la coeur....awesome location...overlooking the city