How To Travel To Paris On A Budget

Travel isn’t always fun or glamorous and can actually be stressful at times, but it’s my passion (even more than collecting Tieks).

There is a favorite quote of mine that talks about not caring what travel puts you through if you truly love it. That is exactly how I feel. I would spend all day road tripping or in a plane, boat, bus or train if it meant I could explore someplace new in this world, even for a short time.

Earlier this year I created a virtual vision board, and one of the main themes was travel.

Not just any kind of travel though, spontaneous travel is my favorite kind.

I get such an exciting rush when I find a budget friendly travel deal, especially last-minute.

One of the places I yearned to travel to most in the world, and also the main focus of my vision board, was Paris, France. Fortunately, thanks to my late night airfare searches, last month I was able to take this incredible trip I had been envisioning. Since I often receive comments about how lucky I am to be able to travel so much, I wanted to share with you how to travel to Paris on a budget.

Budget Friendly Airfare to Paris

Plane ticket prices play a huge part in helping me decide where to travel to next. I have learned over the years that the best airfare prices are found by going directly to a particular airline’s site and not through a third-party. Make sure to sign up for multiple airlines websites so you can get notified when they have specials or promotions. You can also check out my post about finding the best airfare prices. 

Skiplagged is a wonderful website and app that I look at multiple times a day so I can see not only when airfare prices are at their lowest, but it also provides you with alternative airport options.

Between utilizing both Skiplagged and booking my flight directly through the airline’s site (Norwegian Air for my Paris trip), I was able to get round trip direct flights to Paris for around $350.00. Skiplagged showed me in seconds that if I flew on Norwegian Air out of Newark’s airport (instead of Philadelphia), and flew into Orly Airport in Paris (instead of Charles de Gaulle), I could save hundreds of dollars on airfare.

Where To Stay In Paris On A Budget

Now I know this may give some people anxiety, but since I am more of a spontaneous traveler, that means sometimes waiting until right before a trip to decide where I am staying.

When figuring out how to travel to Paris on a budget, be sure you check out different hotel websites to compare price, location and amenities. I waited until about 2 weeks before we left to actually book our hotel since prices seemed lowest then. My favorite tip is to find a hotel that offers free amenities such as full breakfast and wifi as that is a huge savings.

Check your credit card to see if they offer any discounts for hotel stays. Also, if you are a rewards member of a particular hotel chain, see if they offer any member deals or if you can use reward points to cover your stay.

I am a Marriott rewards member, so we were able to stay in the beautiful Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel for about $800 total ($400 each).

Our 4-night stay included a delicious buffet breakfast every morning plus free wifi. The best part of our hotel was that it’s location is only 3 blocks away from the Eiffel Tower, which is simply magical, especially at night.

How To Get Around Paris On A Budget

Although I greatly missed the comfort and luxury of my Kia Sorento, for the most effective and inexpensive way to get around Paris I recommend skipping a rental car and utilizing Uber instead.

With Uber, there is no need to worry about driving around, especially if you are unfamiliar with Paris, or have to deal with paying for gas and parking. I found Uber to be cheaper than taxis in Paris, plus there is no need to worry about having money on hand since you simply pay directly through the app on your phone.

Where To Eat in Paris On A Budget

Paris has the most delicious boulangeries, patisseries, cafes and more. You pretty much can’t walk down the street without finding somewhere delicious to grab bread, cheese, wine, macaroons and more.

My top tip for saving money on food in Paris is to find a hotel where breakfast is included. Since we received a full breakfast with our stay, I ate a hearty meal between 9-10 each morning and even took a croissant to eat later on the go.

We also found lots of lovely cafes where you could get a very filling ham and cheese on a baguette complete with a glass of wine for under $15 (around 12 euros).

Le saint Severin, which is located in the 5th arrondissement, was one of my favorites to sit out front at and indulge in a late lunch/early dinner, while getting a view of the beautiful Fontaine Saint Michel.

Now that I have given you a taste of how magical and more importantly budget friendly a trip to Paris can be, it’s time for you to start planning your own European getaway.

Remember that in order to get the most affordable prices when traveling to Paris flexibility is key.

Have you ever visited Paris? Do you have any tips to add for how to travel to Paris on a budget?

 

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