How to Rock Paris on a Budget

A few years ago we took two of our teen girls to Paris for spring break and had an awesome time. We were on a budget, so we researched cheap things to do in Paris and were quite successful.

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Paris on a Budget: I Love Paris!

When we first decided to go to Paris. I was wondering whether we could do it “on the cheap”. Turns out we could! Sharing our discoveries with you, so you too can do Paris on a budget! So many cheap things to do there.

Spring in Paris on the Cheap

Spring in Paris! We enjoyed every single moment, the budding and blooming trees, the birds everywhere, the well-known attractions and lesser known ones. And knowing we are in the same city where many famous artists lived and worked, like Ernest Hemingway.

Frankly, we have been to Paris in different seasons also, so keep an open mind for travel dates. Paris is never boring, always tons of things to do!

Save Money by Using Airbnb

We stayed at an airbnb, which was an apartment close to a metro station, so that it was easy to get around, especially since we got an unlimited ride card for public transportation.

Getting an apartment meant having a kitchen and eating in part of the time, saving a lot of money on meals. One night we were eating leftovers, and one of the girls remarked “Yes, we are eating a meal with just leftovers. Although it may sound boring, when I realize we are eating leftovers in PARIS, I get all excited!”

An unexpected benefit of having the metro card and the apartment was that there often were people selling fruit at the exit of the metro when we came home at the end of the day. Cheap and flavorful!

Or Use Hilton Honor Points to Stay for Free

Alternatively you can use your travel hacking skills and stay for free in a Hilton Hotel using points. We have done that a few times and saved a lot of money that way. Even better when combined with a Hilton Free Night Certificate.

Warning! Whatever You Do: Do NOT Play the Shell Game

When you are in a vacation mode, maybe relaxed after a glass of good wine, you might come upon a street scam, called the shell game. Usually three cups and a ball and a talented scammer who will convince you that you can get easy money. There is only one way to win the shell game…

Best (mostly) Free Things To Do in Paris

Although I loved all the places we visited, here are some of my favorites. Most of them are free or worth the cost of admission because of value for money.

Look Down on Everyone: The Eiffel Tower

Designed by the same person as our own Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower simply is a must-see. Because our airbnb was close to there, we walked there our first night and relished the thought that we had arrived! Another day, we visited the top of it at night, and loved seeing all the lights around us. It wasn’t easy trying to figure out what was what.

Musee de l’Orangerie on a Budget

We love Monet’s waterlilies. So Musee de l’Orangerie is my favorite Paris museum, even higher on my personal list than the Louvre. It is more intimate and quieter. The children got in for free and if you time your visit right, anyone can.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat.. Board a Boat on the Seine

To get a totally different view of Paris, consider taking one of the boat trips on the river Seine. It’s a great way to see many of the famous buildings and get good pictures. Not to mention that you get to sit down and relax for a bit.

Best boat rides in Paris.

This trip was before I got diagnosed with MS, so I didn’t know why I was so exhausted all the time, but I totally needed to sit down more than the average bear.

Jardin des Tuileries

Located between between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries has ‘everything’. An arch, gardens, playgrounds, goats instead of lawn mowers, water, ducks, ravens. Visiting this park will give you a breath of fresh air and time for contemplation in a busy city.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. Open again!

Before the fire in 2019, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris was one of the highlights of our Paris visit. Since entrance was free, it was worth waiting in line for the opportunity to experience old Paris history. Back then, you could visit the bell tower for an additional fee, but we just did the main building.

When we walked in, we felt the drop in temperature and the quiet surrounding us. Easy to imagine all the famous and everyday people who had attended masses here. This cathedral had witnessed so many historic events, from the revolution to the German invasion during the second world war.

In 1991, this cathedral became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Paris, Banks of the Seine”. The site includes bridges, quays and the banks of the River Seine, along the historical part of its course.

After the fire, they finally reopened the cathedral in December 2024. Don’t miss the gargoyles on the building’s exterior. While waiting in line, I had a great time photographing them.

Iconic Cabaret and Vibrant Night Life: Moulin Rouge

Of course, you might wonder why you should visit Moulin Rouge, infamously known as an area for ladies of the night. Well, growing up in the Netherlands, going to the red lights district in Amsterdam was a big tourist attraction. When we visited the Moulin Rouge, we discovered the same kind of vibe. I felt we couldn’t visit Paris without going to the Moulin Rouge 😀

And another interesting tidbit came up in our family history. My Dutch great grandmother was protestant but had a baby with her Jewish boy friend. Back then they could not get married so she had two kids out of wedlock and eventually ended up as a so-called “public woman”… Admiring her for her strength and resolve to provide for her children even if it was hard for her.

Les Invalides: Admire Napoleon’s Tomb

At Les Invalides, you can visit Napoleon’s tomb and a military museum. The tomb has lots of pomp and circumstance, the museum is an interesting overview of military history. Because we were late, so got kicked out before we had fully appreciated the place, but enjoyed all that we saw. We will just have to go back some day.

Tranquility in Luxembourg Gardens.

Don’t miss out on the Luxembourg gardens, another amazing park. When we visited we enjoyed seeing all the spring flowers, watching people and we even found a geocache!

Thrift Stores in Paris: Fashion on a Budget

On top of all the other attractions, the girls discovered that Paris has many thrift stores where you can buy amazingly fashionable clothes for almost no money. Once they discovered this, they visited at least one thrift store every day.

So the public transportation card came in handy to reach their destinations. When they got lost, they figured out how to get back on track. During their shopping expeditions, they got more and more comfortable speaking French and they had a superb time.

Affordable Fine Dining

Sometimes you might want to dine in a Michelin rated restaurant but don’t quite have the money to do so. This is where Michelin “Bib Gourmand” comes in. The Michelin inspectors basically searched for superior food at affordable prices (less than 40 Euros for a full menu) and share their finds with us.

And if you want to splurge one of your night, go visit La Closerie Des Lilas, one of Hemingway’s favorite hangouts!

Conclusion: Cheap Things to do in Paris

All in all it was a great vacation, where we enjoyed having our own apartment and discovering Paris in a relaxed and fun way, even on a budget. What are your favorite things to do in Paris? Please share in the comments.

More Paris on a Budget

• Important tourist scam warning: How To Beat the Shell Game !
• Hang out with the Lost Generation at La Closerie des Lilas;
• Explore the Montparnasse neighborhood in Paris;
• Find out about affordable Michelin restaurants in Paris: Bib Gourmand;
• Find out geeky Van Gogh facts and then seek out some of his paintings in Paris;
• Explore Paris;
• Visit Monet for Free;
• Stay in Paris for free using your Hilton Honors points;
• Or use a free Hilton weekend certificate.

Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites you should visit

World Heritage Sites in the Americas

• Sian Ka’an Biosphere in Mexico: where the sun was born;
• The Everglades: both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve;
• The Statue of Liberty in New York City, USA;
• Take an Alaska cruise and visit Glacier Bay National Park;
• Go watch whales in Quebec City;
• Puerto Rico Does it Better! Old San Juan and fun facts about Puerto Rico

World Heritage Sites in Europe

• Paris around the Seine;
• Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam: right in the middle of the historic Canals District;
• Passau, Germany, often the start or end of a Danube river cruise;
• Matera, Italy: the oldest continually habituated place in the world, also called the City of Caves;

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