A trip to Paris can get pretty expensive. Today I have 17 tips on how to visit Paris cheaply and how to save money in Paris so you don’t have to pay more than necessary for a perfect holiday on a budget.
16 tips on how to visit Paris cheaply
From flights and accommodation to free sightseeing, specific tips and tricks to help you save money in Paris:
1. Cheap airline tickets
Return tickets to Paris start at 130 € with low-cost airlines. For this price you can get tickets from Prague, Berlin or Vienna.
According to Skyscanner, tickets are usually cheapest 2 months before the planned trip. Try to be flexible and don’t stick to a specific date. The differences in ticket prices between days are high. You can fly for 70 € one day and 200 € the next day.
Generally, tickets are cheaper midweek (Tuesday to Thursday) and more expensive as the weekend approaches or during the weekend, holidays and vacations.
2. Accommodation outside the centre
HotelF1 Paris Porte de Châtillon is a very cheap hotel in 14th district, which is ideal for those arriving at Orly Airport. Metro and tram stops are just a few minutes away. Breakfast is served in the morning, and you can shop across the street at the Monoprix supermarket if needed. The reception is open 24 hours a day.
ibis Budget Paris Nord 18ème can be found in 18. district on the outskirts of Paris, making it convenient for travellers from Charles de Gaulle Airport. Metro and tram stations are just minutes away, as are shops and restaurants. The rooms are small but sufficient and with private bathrooms. The reception is open 24/7.
citizenM hotel is stylish and new accommodation in the modern La Défense district. The rooms on the upper floors offer perfect views. The hotel offers great value for money, excellent breakfast and the staff are incredibly helpful.
3. Paris Navigo Decouverte Pass
Paris is relatively large, so using the metro and public transport is unavoidable.
The Paris Navigo Decouverte Pass is a travel card that gives you unlimited travel throughout Paris in zones 1-5 (i.e. including Versailles, Disneyland, CDG Airport, Orly Airport in addition to Orlyval). It applies to metro, trains, buses, trams and cable cars.
You’ll pay a higher one-off fee, but this is often soon recouped (especially if you’re flying into Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports).
The price for the Paris Navigo Decouverte Pass is €30.75 plus a €5 non-refundable card fee. Child rates are the same as for an adult. You will need a 3 cm high x 2.5 cm wide photo to be attached to a paper card.
Important: The card is valid from Monday to Sunday. It goes on pre-sale from Friday of the previous week and you can buy it until Thursday midnight of the week you plan to use it for.
You can buy the card at almost all metro stations, train stations and airports (if the card is sold out, you can try another window or station). For arrivals at CDG airport, the easiest way to buy a card is at the SNCF ticket offices.
Another option is Navigo day cards, where you choose the number of zones you plan to travel in. More information here.
☞ Read more in our guide Transport in Paris.
4. Free museums
On the first Sunday of the month, you can visit a number of museums in Paris for free, including the Orsay Museum, the Picasso Museum and the War Museum at the Invalides. The downside is long waiting times, so it’s a good idea to arrive a little before opening time.
Free admission throughout the year for students up to 26 years of age.
5. Paris Museum Pass
If you plan to visit a lot of monuments and museums, get a Paris Museum Pass. This is an official tourist card that gives you free entry to more than 60 sites in Paris, including the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Orsay and Pantheon. The card can be purchased for 2, 4 or 6 days.
You can simply buy the Paris Museum Pass online and then download it to your mobile phone.
6. Paris Pass
Are you planning to visit more? For example, use the sightseeing bus or take a ride on the Seine? Try the Paris Pass, which you can find out more about in my
Paris Pass guide.
7. Restaurants in side streets
Don’t eat at the restaurants downtown. In our experience, the price of the food does not match the quality. Outside the touristy parts of Paris, you can eat cheaper and often better. Restaurants are required to display their menus outside the entrance, so you can get an idea beforehand whether it’s worth going in at all.
The French cuisine is great, but there are also plenty of excellent international restaurants.
8. Paris markets
Paris markets are a great way to soak up the local atmosphere. You will meet French people who have come here to shop or have something good to eat. Popular markets include:
- market on Rue Cler near the Eiffel Tower
- market on Rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter
- Marché Bastille on Place de la Bastille
I’ve marked the markets again on the map at the end of the article to make planning a trip to Paris easier.
☞ Read more: Get inspired with tips on the best places to visit in Paris (including entrance fees and map).
9. Special Disneyland tickets
Tickets to Disneyland Paris book well in advance – online booking is compulsory and you have the chance to catch special prices. In the case of Disneyland, these are huge differences.
☞ More information: Here you can find our detailed guide to Disneyland Paris.
10. No ATM withdrawal fees
Check your bank’s fees before you go to Paris. Some banks sometimes charge higher fees or don’t have such favourable exchange rates.
11. Picnic in the grass
Build your menu and eat in the grass. A warm baguette or croissant from a local bakery, accompanied by French cheese or salami. Under the Eiffel Tower. Or on the grass in front of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica with a great view of Paris. You must also try the French crepes, which are made both sweet and savoury, or the French panninis sandwiches.
12. Paris viewpoints
The view from the Eiffel Tower is unique. While I think it’s worth every euro, there are places in Paris where you can also enjoy spectacular views. Cheaper or even free.
- Arc de Triomphe overlooking all 12 avenues that radiate out from the monument – including the most famous Avenue des Champs Élysées.
- La Grande Arche Monument with a photography museum in the modern and architecturally interesting La Défense area of Paris.
- Sacré-Coeur Basilica at the top of Montmartre, where you can sit on the grass during the day and enjoy the view of beautifully lit Paris in the evening (free). For a small fee, you can climb into the dome.
- Montparnasse skyscraper which offers one of the best views of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower.
- Lafayette Gallery with a roof terrace, which is open free of charge from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00 and on Sundays and public holidays from 11:00 to 20:00.
- Cruise on the Seine will show you Paris from a completely different angle, and it’s definitely worth it. There are many sights right on the banks of the Seine – the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Orsay and Petit Palais museums, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Conciergerie Fortress.
13. Free sights
Many sights are free in Paris. For example, admire the three domes of the neoclassical La Madeleine Church, see the golden mosaic of Christ inside the Sacré-Coeur Basilica or visit the Petit Palais art museum on the Avenue des Champs Élysées.
15. Gardens and parks
There are plenty of well-kept gardens and parks in Paris where you can sit, read or chat with other Parisians. Here are some of our tips:
- Luxembourg Gardens with Luxembourg Palace in the Latin Quarter
- Tuileries Gardens at the Louvre Museum
- Gardens of the Palais Royal just outside the Louvre with its striped bollards
- Champs de Mars Park under the Eiffel Tower
- Trocadéro Gardens across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower
- Île aux Cygnes with the Statue of Liberty in Paris
- Parc des Buttes Chaumont with Gustave Eiffel’s suspension bridge and a view of Montmartre
- Parc de la Villette with modern and interesting architecture, a water canal and lots of greenery
16. Paris Cemeteries
It may sound strange to you, but Parisian cemeteries are certainly represented here. They are like works of art where many famous personalities are buried.
The most famous cemetery is the Père-Lachaise Cemetery, where Edith Piaf, Frédéric Chopin, Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde rest. Another is the Cimetière du Montparnasse near the Luxembourg Gardens or the Cimetière de Montmartre in the same district.
17. Free city museums
In Paris, the city’s museums are free all year round. These include:
- Petit Palais (Museum of Fine Arts from Antiquity to the 19th Century)
- Musée Cernuschi (Museum of Asian Art)
- Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris (Museum of Modern Art)
- Musée de la Vie Romantique (Museum of Romantic Life)
- Musée Curie with a focus on Marie Curie in the house where she lived
- Musée Bourdelle with works by artist Antoine Bourdelle
Map of Paris
A map of Paris with tips on sights, museums, places of interest, accommodation and other useful information to easily plan your trip to Paris.
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you will find a detailed map of Paris. Click at the top left of the map to see separate layers with highlighted locations. You can hide and show the different layers or click on the icons on the map to see the names of the places I mention in the Paris guide. If you want to save the map, star it. For a larger version, click on the icon in the upper right corner.
If you have a question about the article how to visit Paris cheaply, ask in the comments below. Have a safe journey!
More information about Paris
PARIS: See tips on what to see in Paris (including entrance fees, opening times and maps). Plan your itinerary for 3 days in Paris. Do you have more time? Here is the itinerary for 5 days in Paris (including a map and practical information).
The Louvre Museum is one of the best things to visit in Paris, even for those who don’t otherwise seek out art. In the following article you will find out everything you need to know before visiting Versailles.
Are you planning to visit Disneyland? Read our detailed guide to Disneyland.
Find out all about transport in Paris (airport, public transport, metro, bicycle) and more tips on prices, food and accommodation in the Paris guide. The Paris Pass is a popular way to save money in Paris – find out more about the Paris Pass.
PROVENCE: Here is a detailed guide to Provence, one of the most beautiful regions in France.
