Budget Travel To Paris

Posted on November 6, 2019 By iheartjennychu

Dream of going to Paris but don’t want to break the bank? Generally speaking, Paris is an expensive city. With no doubt, you’ll find my Budget Travel to Paris itinerary helpful. My first time traveling to Paris, I was 14 years old and did not appreciate it. To put it in another way, my family and I were in one of those Chinese tours with about 50 other tourists. My second time in Paris was 4 years ago. After partying for 2 weeks in Ibiza & Barcelona, I didn’t get a chance to really enjoy my time exploring the city. You can say 3rd time’s a charm! I went to Paris prepared for the site seeing, croissants and French cuisine. I spent 2 full days and it wasn’t enough time to enjoy this stunning city. The weather in October was perfect, not too hot and not too cold.

Travel Cost Breakdown

FCO –> CDG (I was flying from Rome) Vueling Airlines: $39 USD
Hotel: Les Boulevard: $246/night (split between 3 people)
Located in the 2nd arrondissement, this hotel was nestled in a lively area with many bar and restaurant options

Transportation budget travel to paris

How To Get From The Airport To The City

RER Train

From Terminal 3, take the RER train to Gare Du Nord.Then continue with the metro/bus from there (10.30€)

Taxi

Since we were 3 people, we opted for a taxi. I’m pretty sure we got ripped off from the airport to the city. According to online research, taxis are supposed to charge a flat rate of 53€ to destinations in the “right bank” (above the river) and 58€ to the “left bank” (below the river). See page here.

From our experience, this particular taxi driver started the meter and charged us extra for the pickup fee and our luggages. In total we paid a little over 70€. On the way back it was a different story. Our hotel arranged for a taxi pickup and from the beginning the meter was already set to 55€. Then when we got to the airport we were charged another 7€ for an airport fee? **TIP** If you do decide to take a taxi make sure to ask about the flat rate since they seem to scam unsuspecting tourists. ALSO, not ALL taxis take credit cards so ask them before getting in or make sure to always have cash on you.

Public Transportation

Taxis: Remember that some only take cash only so ask before getting in.
Metro: You may purchase a 10 trip cartet for 16.30€. Otherwise individuall tickets are 1.90€. Tickets can be purchased at the automated kiosk or at any of the information desks down in the subway.
Electric Razor Scooters: This was my favorite way of getting around. Lime seems to be among the most popular brands and I saw plenty of them in the city. Please be aware that you can be fined up to 135€ for riding on the sidewalk, so make sure to use the bike lanes.
**TIP** Bring your gym arm band for your phone case and wrap it around your arm so you don’t have to stop and pull out your phone every time for directions. Oh yeah, and anti-bacterial soap.

What To Do/Places To See

Day 1

Arc De Triomphe – Most famous monument built between 1806 – 1836
Trocadero Gardens – for views of the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower – Access the top by taking the elevator or by walking up the stairs. Tickets sell out VERY fast. In this case, purchase in advance.
Champs De Mar – Green public space (when I went it was under construction)
228 Rue de l’ Universitè – For this view
Rue Saint Dominique
Pont Alexandre III – Charming Parisian bridge that connecting Champs Elysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower.
Dior/Louis Vuitton in Champs Elysees (Flagship stores) Bring your passport if you plan on doing duty free shopping.
Moulin Rouge – The feeling of nostalgia came over me as this is where I first consumed alcohol. To add to that, I also adore the movie Moulin Rouge with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Cabaret show tickets start around 87€.

Day 2

Galerie Vivienne – beautiful covered passage built in 1823
Les Deux Palace – controversial art installation by Daniel Buren
Louvre Museum – Closed on Mondays. Buy your online tickets here 17€
Catacombs – Sadly, we were unable to visit the catacombs hence learn from my mistake. I arrived an hour after opening. The line was wrapped around the block. Even ticket holders were waiting about 1 hour. Avoid this mishap by reserving the earliest time slot and arriving there early. Ticket information here.
Notre Dame Cathedral – Most of you already know about the fire that broke out on April 15th. As much as I wanted to see the glimpse of the progress, the entire area was blocked off.
Hôtel De Ville – City hall
Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann – This department store carries several big named brands and is known for its beautiful interior.
La Maison Rose – “The Pink House”

Surprisingly, there were still many more sites to see. Rather than trying to cram more activities into our schedule, I’ve decided that another trip back to Paris is a must.

Places To Eat – Budget Travel To Paris

Here are suggested budget friendly restaurants that got the most bang for your buck.

Le Bouillon Chartier: Casual restaurant open until midnight. Large selection and reasonable prices. For that reason, this place is VERY busy during the day.
My most memorable croissant from the chain “Eric Kayser” was a pleasurable experience that will not be forgotten. As a matter of fact, I had bought 25 croissants to fly back home with me to Barcelona.
L’As du Fallafel: You know it’s good when this is at the top of the list for one of the most reviewed restaurants on TripAdvisor and Google. Dine in sections are tiny however you can get most of these items to go.
Sacree Fleur: Reservations highly suggested.