'Paris on a budget'

[jazz]

We all visit Paris uniquely. What I love of Paris is the 'sense' of this beautiful city...the only thing that you truly need is intense awareness. My budget has always been modest, I usually spend 30-100Euro/day, NOT including my accommodation. This amount (30-100E), depends on my mood.

[suzanne]

Luc's eating recomendation is something we have been doing for years. It is of course, easier to do when you have an apartment. We are in the habit of eating breakfast in the apartment and lunch while we are out and about. With so much fabulous take home food it is very nice to eat dinner in the apartment too. We used to buy our wine at Nicholas, which has very good prices, but have found the grocery stores have excellent wine prices.

[jazz]

Paris: Apartment or Hotel? (one week, or more).

I have stayed in both, but I prefer apartments. Apartments are much less expensive and give you a feeling of 'living' in Paris. I love to get up in the morning, have breakfast 'at home' with un cafe , to enjoy my privacy and to make a plan of the day...soon to be shifted many, many times. This also gives me a great reason for exploring the markets and the small food and wine shops. All of us tire of eating out, 3 meals a day, and it is a delight to have dinner at home, perhaps every 3rd night? This saves money as well and enhances your experience, exploring the markets and your cooking skills. You could even take a cooking course for a week or even one lunch break. www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2008/11/26/a_french_twist_on_fast_food_for_lunch/
Often, in the market, the vendors will give you a special recipe.

Apartments save much money and also give you a unique feel for Paris. I usually spend 400-600Euro(max)/week for an apartment and they have been lovely. If I were travelling with someone else, or was wealthy, I might rent some of the beautiful places that I have seen. But, I spend 8-12 hours a day out of my apartment, walking and loving Paris...at the end of each day I am exhausted and barely capable of looking at the apt. My Paris homes have been modest, lovely, and 'of character'... that is all that I need.

[sunshine817]

Apartments are also much more spacious - you have an actual place to sit and watch TV if you're so inclined, a place to sit and drink coffee, and a place to sleep...and they're not the same piece of furniture!

With kids, this is a godsend...they have room to relax and play without anyone tripping on them.

And I agree...the ability to cook for yourself, even if it's just coffee and sandwiches, is economical and sensible. Some nights you just don't *want* to get dressed and go out to eat...a poulet roti and an early bed are all you really feel up to doing, whether it's bad weather, a touch of the sniffles, or just being knackered.

[jazz]

Paris: Eating out.

Each trip I faithfully make a list of the cafes and restaurants that I MUST go to, and each time, I ignore this and find my own. TRUST yourself. Every now and then, I actually do find and eat at a specific restaurant. I love to wander in an area and if anything looks good to me, I note it down to return for lunch or dinner...as Luc and Suzanne do, I most often have the 'menu'. This is usually great value. Since I travel alone, I always have lunch out. The lunch 'menus' are less expensive than the dinner 'menus', (also great value). However, my hedonistic tendencies are uncontrollable. As I wrote earlier, my daily budget depends on my mood...on a special day I may go to Taillevent or Le Grande Vefour for their fixed price lunch of 70-9o-Euros, but this would be only once in a trip. Unforgettable!

Never ignore your basic feelings of what you love and the ambiance of a special neighborhood place, or, hole-in the wall! If you have rented an apartment, enjoy the luscious offerings of your local market and enjoy a late dinner at home.

Go to the local delicatessen, boulangerie, wineshop and fromagerie and put together a lovely picnic. Then, enjoy it on the banks of the Seine or in one of the beautiful parks...I love Le Jardin Luxembourg, Parc Monceau, Buttes Chaumont, Bois de Boulogne....or, take your picnic and munch happily as you spend 3 hours on a boat on the Canal Saint Martin.

Don't ignore the pleasures of street food! Buy a delicious crepe and walk and walk and walk.

The last month that I spent in Paris, I finally attended a dinner at Jim Haynes' www.jim-haynes.com/
I had a wonderful time. Dinner was 20Euro, a modest dinner with unlimited beer and wine. I think that the mood of the dinner changes from night to night. Essentially, it takes place in the garden, or the small 'passage'...Jim lives in one of the 19th century artists' studios. That night, a beautiful June night, I met a wonderful woman who was a concert pianist in Paris. We met later in my trip for a coffee in Montparnasse. I think this is a good and inexpensive evening for those of you who are in Paris alone. Jim is rather exceptional.

[Roniece]

Hi Jazz... Happy New Year!
Thanks so much for this info... I have just clicked on Jim Haynes site ... what a wonderful man he is!! I will most definitely add it to my list for September.. one question though... will my limited French hinder me in attending? I am only very basic in my French conversation...but of course I do have 8months left to practice!

Also, I was fascinated about your info on Kerouac2 and looked him up in LP... now that is someone I would love to meet! lucky you !!

thanks again
Bisous de Sydney

[jazz]

Paris: You have found a place to stay, you have a sense of where to eat....and now? We'll call this post "The Rest of Paris' ...

The first thing that I do is to BUY A WEEKLY Metro Pass! You will save money. I LOVE my metro pass. (in my case, I buy the Monthly Pass). The pass is great because you will hop on and off, willy-nilly, on the metro or the bus. The pass encourages exploration, everything is free! I love that it is good for the metro, the buses, the funicular at Montmartre and and the fabulous Montmartrebus.....this is a delight...if you are tired of walking up and down in Montmartre, this is for you! The Montmartre bus runs every 20 minutes and stops frequently within the 18th Arrondissement. Just hop on and off. Buy a copy of the Paris bus guide and study it. When tired of walking, you can leap onto a bus and have a free tour of Paris. There are several routes that are fabulous, one that I love is #69. The beauty of the bus is that you are above ground and can be enjoying Paris as you recover from your exhaustion!...lovely.

I suggest a one day (or 2,3, or 17 day, cheap with time) BATOBUS Pass. This is great. Instead of paying 20Euro for a one hour tour of the Seine and/or a rip-off 50E tour with mediocre food, , buy the Batabus one day pass for 12Euro, or a 5 day pass for 17Euro....this means that from 10 in the morning to 10 at night, you can hop on and off the boat whenever you want...think of this... if you are tired out and at Notre Dame, you can jump on the Batobus on your journey to Musee D'Orsay or the Eiffel Tower....this will take perhaps 30 minutes...you can relax, and view Paris from the middle of the Seine....exquisite. www.batobus.com/english/index.htm

CANAL SAINT MARTIN: I once took this 3 and 1/2 hour tour from Bastille and I loved it....17E for 3 and 1/2 hours along this ancient canal route of Paris. Some people find it boring, I didn't. I had been running around non-stop from 7 in the morning until 2:30, when I boarded the boat. I was so tired and gratefully sat with my 'picnic'. As I write this tonight, I remember the beauty of that day...I had never been on the locks....I loved it as the boat sat deeply with 50 feet of jade green mossy walls above us...then, we rose. It was so beautiful. Lock after lock. Enfin, we arrived at the little lake, la Villette and we got off. Refreshed by the beautiful journey, I meandered slowly along the Canal, back to the Seine. Beautiful.

Les Musees de Paris...Inexpressable beauty...I love them all and have not yet explored each one. Most are free, or of little cost (5Euro?). The most popular, the Louvre, d'Orsay have free nights. Don't ignore the smaller museums...the Carnavalet, le Musee de la Vie Romantique, le Musee de Nissim de Camondo, Jacquesmartres- Andre, Musee Rodin...etc.etc.etc....they are jewels. query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9F05E3DD1038F937A25757C0A963948260

If you want to have a 'sense' of Paris and have never been, look at this site, with its 5 minute videos of different areas...
www.geobeats.com/videoclips/alldestinations/france/paris

The best guide to Paris is Pariscope: www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/france/pariscop.htm
This wonderful guide is cheap, 75cents?....you can find it at any news stand.



WALKING...this is the most beautiful and it costs nothing. Each day in Paris I walk for 6-10 hours...Each time is fresh and stimulating, each time I discover level upon level...I stop, un cafe, un verre de vin, a lunch, a dinner...these refreshments do not need to be in 'name' places.... each pause is unique and becomes part of my Paris history.

[Shoesy]

Nice tips and suggestions, Jazz. With the risk of sounding repetitious, I'll reiterate the fact that you write beautifully, and it's a pleasure to read your posts.

[Roniece]

yes, I totally agree with you Shoesy... our lovely Jazz does indeed know how to write love the info on GEOBEATS.... thanks again Jazz

[mossie]

Many thanks Jazz, you have a way with words and make some sensible suggestions.

I have to admit being a cheaper skate than you. I always stay in the 19e at Le Laumiere for 58 euros a night. A good clean basic two star hotel which is well run and only yards from Metro Laumiere, also buses 60, 48, and 75. And the best park in Paris, the Buttes Chaumont,

I only stay 4 nights commencing on a Thursday and buy the reviled Paris Visite for 5 days, currently 28.30 euros. This gives me the opportunity to hop on and off any form of transport as the mood dictates. I use the paperback l'Indispensible 3 plans par Arrondisement, which gives very detailed maps of streets, Metro and buses, even tells you where all the markets are and which days they open. I used to walk many miles but now my ancient legs need more frequent rests than cafe stops can give.

Like you I look upon lunch as my main meal, as one often finds the lunch offerings are cheaper than at dinner, for the same item. I love finding a small bistro filled with locals so I can just sit back, try to eavesdrop, and soak up the atmosphere. Sometimes one can even strike up a conversation with an interesting person. My main problem is my lack of French, I start a conversation OK, but the other party thinks my Fench is OK and comes back with a quickfire answer and I'm lost. Generally they have some English so we can muddle through. I do like to try my luck with French and hope for the best, it does get you further than just a bare "Parlez vous Anglais?"

[geordy]

One thing I always check out before or upon arrival is if there are exhibitions at the Hotel de Ville. They are free and they have W/C's! ;D

Sometimes there have even been two at the same time, one entrance on Rue Rivoli, one around the corner. They are often multi-media(pictures, photos, videos, music, costumes/clothing) and/or interactive. The one on Yves Montand had a little cafe setup. (I bought a 2 disc YM cd after that one!)

And they run for at least a few months so there is rarely a line!

[holger]

All great tips on being in Paris and watching costs. Depending on season and weather, I like to sit on a bench with my lunch by the Seine and eat, watch the activities on the water and collect my thoughts. Or sometimes, just relax and read.

It is also fun to walk the passages in bad weather and window shop and people watch. Many have wine bars or cafes so you can also have a beverage and sit down for a while.

This will be the first trip with an apartment and we are looking forward to doing the many things described. Having had apartments in London and Copenhagen many times, it does help economize. But even in the lovely hotel we used in 2006 and 2007, there are ways to just enhale Paris without spending tons of euros.

On our first trip in 1957, we walked almost everywhere. Ate at a restaurant for taxi drivers, had many meals with eggs in various forms and over 4 days spent very little but saw and did loads of enjoyable things. Have to admit that being young didn't hurt. My idea of a budget experience is somewhat different today so many years later.

[geordy]

We still just get the carnets. As long as we are fortunate enough to be to be good walkers , and living in large cities walking as a form of transportation is second nature. And as we know..walking is one of the pleasures of Paris...noticing little things..or big ones..that just please the eye, the heart, soul, stomach! ;D whatever. And I generally come back with a few left over tickets for the next time .

We save the Metro(usually.... here in NYC we find most people fall into bus or train groups..kind of like dog or cat people! I've always been a train..though now incorporate a crosstown bus ride through Central Park most days in my commute..look out the window, look out the window..I'm usually the only person around me doing so...everyone else has their face in some sort of gadget!! )) to save time, for longer distances, bad weather...

I don't even buy an unlimited monthly pass here because I don't want to be tempted to use it just to make it pay for itself! And I try to avoid public transportation as much as possible on weekends because I have to do it , with transfers, on weekdays!

[tallyhotravel]

geordy, thanks for mentioning/reminding me of the exhibitions at the Hotel de Ville. I never think to check that in advance, rather just happening upon them if I'm in the vicinity. I'll try to find the link to check that out right now for my trip in three weeks.

[Jody]

Thanks from me too. I always forget at them. God I hope we can squeeze a trip in this year. I don't know if I can hold out until next spring

[kerouac]

The Pavillon de l'Arsenal (metro Sully Morland) also has excellent free exhibits, usually concerning architectural issues in Paris.

[cigalechanta]

traveler.nationalgeographic.com/2008/03/free-city/paris-text