How to travel Paris in less than 300 Euros

The underlying notion I had while finalising the itineraries for the trip, “How will I manage my expenses?”. But, the passion of travel for a nomadic backpacker can never be enfeebled by financial stress. So, here’s a memoir of my 4 days voyage through the French capital, whose beauty is not only seductive but also enlightened by the rich history of Parisians. My entire trip costed 272 Euros! You can check out my Instagram page for more exciting photos https://www.instagram.com/rajarshimajumder2/

HOW TO REACH

I travelled to Paris from Strasbourg, which is approximately 500km, in bus. I booked my round trip tickets with OUIBUS which costed me 16 Euros. Needless to mention, the picturesque French villages and small towns will definitely deport you to beautiful imaginarly realm. If you are travelling by bus it will drop you at Bercy Seine, the Paris City Centre and if you are travelling by the high speed trains, you will reach Charles de Gaulle or Grand de l’East stations.

GETTING AROUND

The first thing you need to do is download the offline map of the Paris city in Google Maps. This will clearly indicate bus stations, routes, cafes, bars, hotels and hostels, tram stations and major places. The 16 tram routes highlighted in different colours will indicate which part of the city it goes with proper timings. I bought tram day-passes covering zones 1-3 for 4 days worth 22 Euros, which is the fastest and the most convenient way of travelling across the city. Occasionally, you will be amazed to see band of talented musicians playing in the long station passageways. Stop by!

WHERE TO STAY

Hostels are the most economic options while visiting Paris. I booked my stay from Hostelword.com with MIJE Fourcy Fauconnier Maubuisson at 6, Rue de Fourcy for 28 Euros/night. The hostel is located at the heart of the city and 20 minutes walking distance from Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera Bastille and Ile Saint-Louis. The reservation is cancellable any-time in charge of a small fee. They have flexible check-in and check-out time supplemented by 24-hour reception and high security, with complimentary continental breakfast, luggage storage room, Wi-Fi and linen. Rooms are spacious and clean. The nearest tram station, Pont Marie is 700 meters.      This is an excellent opportunity to interact with people from different nationalities!                                                                                                       

VISITING THE CITY

Louvre Museum The world’s largest and magnificent art museum, whose geometric pyramids will dazzle you, will take an entire day to explore if you are deeply passionate and enthusiastic about exploring the history and it’s evolution. The nearest metro stations will be Palais Royal Musee de Louvre or Pyramides depending on which part of the city you are coming from. The individual tickets will cost 17 Euros. If you want to take an audio guided tour, it will cost an extra 5 Euros and guided tours in French and English language will cost 26 Euros. You can get more information from https://www.louvre.fr/en. The museum harbours history from ancient Egyptian and Greek era to Islamic times, majestic paintings of modern art and Christian history. Don’t miss Liberty Leading The People, The Coronation Of Napoleon, The Raft Of Medusa, Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione and of course the brilliance of the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci’s Monalisa! Take the Carrousel entrance of the Louvre to see the perfectly symmetric and inverted pyramids! You can download the official “My Visit To The Louvre” app to avoid getting lost in the mammoth museum.

Eiffel Tower

The 324 meters tall engineering brilliance named after Gustave Eiffel is a sensational masterpiece. The nearest metro station is lena and the visiting time is 9:30 AM – 11:45 PM. The tickets ranges from 16 Euros to 25 Euros per individual depending on whether you take stairs or lift. Lift only till 2nd floor will cost 16 Euros, lift and stairs access till 2nd floor will cost 19 Euros, and lift till summit will cost 26 Euros. There are restaurants offering authentic French cuisines at First and the Second Floor at affordable rates. The panoramic view of the majestic city from the vertigo is something to cherish entire life! You can get more information at https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/explore

La Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

This Roman Catholic Church is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Located at the highest point of city, Montmartre, this church is the one of the beautiful place to visit to visit in Paris. The church is open from 9 AM-5PM and free of cost to visit, and the nearest metro station is Abbesses. The holy choir and the tranquillity will pacify your heart! You can find more information at http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/english/

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Popularly coined as “Our Lady Of Paris”, the medieval Catholic Cathedral is notable for its distinguished architecture and antiquity. There is a fee to visit. On April 15, the Cathedral was left in a dilapidated condition after a fire burned down the gothic architectural masterpiece. Visit to museum of Notre Dame will cost 10 Euros per individual ticket.

Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile

This is one of the most famous monuments of Paris standing at the western end of Champs-Elysees. The 50 meters tall monument honours the brave warriors who fought and died in French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars with names of all the generals inscribed on it. The visiting hours are from 10 AM – 11 PM, and ticket costs 12 Euros. The nearest metro station is Kleber. The breathtaking city view from the terrace, is worth climbing the 284 steps. Visit at the beginning of any hour, to see the Eiffel Tower lighten up owing to different occasions! You can find more information at http://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/

Catacombs Of Paris

Down the chilly passageways and ossuaries, filled with bones and remains of six million Parisians, this is not a place to visit for faint hearts. The ticket prices are 13 Euros plus addition 5 Euros for audio guided tours. The site is located average of 300 meters down the surface, is gallery of skulls and bones with a chilling history! You can find more information at http://catacombes.paris.fr/en

FOOD

There are several good places to eat at Paris, which ranges from 10 Euros to 20 Euros. My favourite place being Cafe Daguerre! You can carry sandwich breads costing 1.5 Euro to 2.3 Euro for occasional munching.

SHOPPING

All the places have their official purchase stores if you want to buy authentic stuffs. But, if you want to buy something unique, please take a stroll along the banks of River Seine, where you will find talented painters selling their paintings at rates of 5 Euros for three! And the most prized painting of that collection of mine is of “Le Chat Noir”.