PARIS TRAVEL GUIDE.

Paris. Poets, artists, playwrights, writers, journalists, and more have all written about their love of this city…and it’s hard not to fall in love with Paris. It’s a place that exudes culture, sophistication, class, and style. And, like the millions before me, I fell in love with this city the first time I visited. As Hemingway said, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Paris is gigantic, with thousands of years of history. It takes a lifetime to see, and all the places listed in this guide are just a fraction of what the city has to offer. It can be overwhelming. But there’s so much history in this city, so much beauty, so much love that you once look past the cliches, you find Paris is one of the few cities in the world that truly lives up to its hype.

Typical Costs.

Hostel prices – Hostels in Paris aren’t cheap. The hostels that are closer to Paris’ main attractions are more expensive – around 30 EUR per night for a 6-bed dorm. You can find better-priced hostels in neighborhoods like Montmartre or the Latin Quarter (like 6-bed dorms starting at 20 EUR and 10-bed dorms at 17 EUR per night). During the summer high season and on weekends, prices tilt towards the higher end. Private double rooms begin at 80 EUR per night. Lots of hostels provide free linens and many offer free breakfast (which in Paris typically consists of pastries, croissants, and other baked bread with spreads like Nutella and jam to be washed down with strong coffee). There aren’t many good hostels in the city, but my suggested places are:

Budget hotel prices – You can find two-star budget hotels starting at 50 EUR per night that are within a mile or two of the city center. These hotels have free WiFi. Rooms with more amenities like air-conditioning and free breakfast start at 60 EUR. On Airbnb, you can find shared rooms in apartments for an average of 23 EUR per night, while some are as low as 17 EUR. You can find entire apartments/homes for an average of 54 EUR per night, while some are as low as 23 EUR.

Average cost of food – Expect to pay between 25-40 EUR for dinner at a nice restaurant including wine. Try to avoid the tourist areas, where prices around about 10-30% higher, if you want to save money. Luckily, buying your own food is cheap. There are many bread, cheese, markets, and meat shops throughout the city. It’s common to pick up some ingredients and have a picnic in one of the city’s many parks. Creating your own meal will cost around 9-15 EUR, depending on what you buy and if you get wine. Eating pre-made sandwiches from the city’s takeaway shops, crepes, or fast food generally costs between 6-10 EUR. If you want to eat at a restaurant (the French are known for their culinary skills, after all!), try doing a “prix-fixe” meal. It’s a set menu that offers you a deal on a 2-3 course meal for about 20 Euros. To save even more money, consider lunch instead of dinner (which, in France, is still typically 2 courses). If you’re cooking for yourself, you can expect to pay about 50 EUR for a week’s worth of groceries (basic staples), but if you find a discount grocer like Aldi or Lidl, you’ll pay way less.

Transportation costs – The Paris public transport system is one of the world’s most comprehensive and efficient. Every other block has a metro (subway) stop. A single-use metro/bus ticket costs 1.90 EUR (2 EUR if you buy it on the bus). A “carnet” of 10 single-use tickets costs about 14.50 EUR, or you can get a day pass for all modes of public transportation (bus, metro, trams, and suburban trains called the RER) for around 11.65 EUR. The day pass, called ParisVisite, also gives you discounts to some major Parisian landmarks. You can buy tickets at any metro station. (Note: There are cheaper day passes available if you are under 26, as well as discounted prices on weekends and holidays, but they are only explained on the French website. If you can speak passable French, and are under 26, you can ask for those reduced fares instead.) Taxis in the city are expensive (rides cost a minimum of 6.50 EUR regardless of where you are going) and, with the metro running late into the night, there’s little reason to take them. Uber is also a cheaper option than taxis, with a base fare of 1 EUR and costs 0.25 per min/1 EUR per km. The RER train to Charles de Gaulle airport is about 10 EUR and takes about 40 minutes.

Money Saving Tips.

Discounts at The Louvre – The Louvre is free after 6pm on Fridays if you’re under 26, and on the first Sunday of October to March. It is closed on Tuesdays. It’s located in the center of the city and has two metro stops – both marked “Louvre.” Get off at either one. If you enter from the Louvre stop, you’ll be able to skip the line.

Buy a metro card – Paris has over 300 subway stations, so it is easy to get around the city. A day pass is only 11.65 EUR. Moreover, if you buy 10 tickets or a “carnet”, it only costs about 14.50 EUR, much cheaper than the 1.90 EUR for each individual ticket. The day pass, called ParisVisite, also gives you discounts to some major Parisian landmarks.

Have a picnic – With so many beautiful parks and outdoor gardens, it would be hard not to take advantage of this. Eating in Paris is cheap when you do your own shopping. Buy some bread, cheese, and meat at the local shops and have an outdoor picnic. It’s fun and will cost you a fraction of what a restaurant would.

Paris Museum Pass – This is a prepaid card that gets you access to over 70 museums and monuments around Paris. A two-day one is 42 EUR, a four-day pass is only 56 EUR, and a six-day pass is only 69 EUR. This is perfect for the museum hopper and for anyone that wants to save money and get ahead in line. Since most people visit lots of museums in the city, you’re pretty much guaranteed to save money.

Paris Pass – This is a super-sized version of the Paris Museum Pass and is for people who are going to be doing heavy sightseeing in a short period of time. You can purchase a two-day pass for €117, a four-day pass for €173, or a six-day pass for €210. It includes a TON of sights, the ability to skip lines, and a free hop-on, hop-off bus tour (in addition to everything in the Paris Museum Pass).

Free museum admission – All national museums are free admission on the first Sunday of every month. If you happen to hit this day, be aware of potentially large crowds and long lines.

Dine out during lunch – Food in Paris is not cheap. It will cost you an arm and a leg to eat here but during lunch, restaurants do a pre-fixe menu for between 10-15 Euros. It’s the same food you would buy for dinner but at half the cost. When I eat out in Paris, I do so during lunch so I can still eat amazing French food without it eating my entire wallet!

Cook your meals – The best way to save money on the road is to cook your own meals. Many hostels, campsites, and guesthouses have kitchens. No kitchen? Pack your own container and silverware and make some sandwiches and salads on the go.

Couchsurf – There are a lot of hosts in this city and with restaurants and accommodation so much, I highly recommend trying to find a host on the website where you can get a kitchen, a place to stay, and local friend to show you around. The community here is very active and friendly!

Save money on rideshares – Uber is way cheaper than taxis and are the best way to get around a city if you don’t want to wait for a bus or pay for a taxi. The Uber Pool option is where can you share a ride to get even better savings (though you can get your own car too). You can save $15 off your first Uber ride with this code: jlx6v.

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