A trip to Paris, France can be a very expensive venture, but it doesn’t have to if you follow this advice. When you go to Paris is very important. The cheapest time to go is during the off-season which runs from Mid-September to Mid-April. During this time, airfare and hotel costs are literally slashed in half. The City of Lights is also less crowded and comfortable.
To find the cheapest plane fares, try out the following web sites:
- www.airfare.com
- www.sidestep.com
- www.kayak.com
The cheapest way to stay in Paris are the hundreds of hostels situated throughout the city. Although the rooms are small and you will likely be sharing the space, spending 10 - 20 bucks is a lot better than parting with one or two Ben Franklins. If hostels aren’t your thing, then stay at a hotel stationed in the outer neighborhoods of Paris. These hotels are considerably cheaper because they aren’t as close to the big attractions as the others. They are also a lot quieter for the same reasons.
When it comes to transportation, avoid Taxis at all cost. Not only are they expensive, but the drivers will try to take you along the lengthy, scenic route. Forget the buses because traffic makes them unreliable when it comes to following the timetable. Furthermore, the timetables themselves are extremely complicated to begin with . The best way is to use the subway, called the Metro, to get from place to place then rely on your feet for the rest of your way. The cheapest way to travel on the metro is to purchase a carnet of ten tickets. However, if intend to use the metro a lot on a particular day because of vast the number of sites you intend to visit, it’s best to buy a Mobilis pass. It allows unlimited travel for one day.
When it comes to food, it is always cheapest to go to a grocery store or market to prep your meals and chow down for a picnic at one of the several parks. When going to a cafe, keep in mind that the final cost of your meal will depend on where you eat it. It costs more for a sandwich eaten at a table than one at the counter. It costs even less if you decide to eat it standing at the counter. The cheapest way is to simply grab the sandwich and leave. Lastly, avoid going to full-fledged restaurants. These are the notoriously expensive restaurants you always hear about. Do it once to taste true French cuisine if you must, but that’s it.
When it comes to visiting the City of Lights there is no greater deal than the Paris Museum Pass. Not only does it cover nearly all the famous landmarks and museums, it allows you to skip the three-hour-or-more lines and head straight in. With this pass, you can explore the Louvre and other places at your leisure without having to cram it all in one session. Whatever you do, don’t buy it on-line. The pass is half the price in Paris and can be bought at any metro station, landmark, or museum.
The one thing to avoid in Paris is shopping. Everything is ridiculously expensive in the realm of shopping and can easily be bought for less in the United States. There’s nothing wrong with buying a souvenir or two. Just be careful or you’ll watch your money going down the drain very quickly.
Following these guidelines, you can look forward to a more affordable trip to Paris, France.
