How to Survive a Day in Paris with € 10 in the Pocket

“Paris is the only city in the world where starving to death is still considered an art.”– Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

One can hardly argue that Paris is an inexpensive city. SMIC (the minimum wage) in France is about € 1500 per month, which is significantly more than in most countries of the world. But the good news is that you still have a chance to spend an amazing time and have fun in this charming city, even if you have only € 10 left in the pocket! The travel tricks by Buzz Essay are at your disposal!

Tours by Natives

Free guides usually speak English, but such tours are always uncomfortable due to an inappropriate schedule and short duration. Moreover, all of the facts they report can be found on the Internet. Thus, if you do want to get some insights, be sure to order a local guide.

For example, a walking tour through Montmartre or the historical center will cost you much less than € 10. By the way, the more participants there are, the cheaper the entry is.

Budget Accommodation

There are three ways to save: Couchsurfing, rent, and hostel. In the first case, the three most important things are to carefully choose a neighbor, to read the reviews, and to ask former guests about the host. If you get lucky, you’ll spend the night for free in the heart of Paris!
By the way, do not try to stay in Montmartre – it’s quite dangerous!

Transport

If you do want to save at maximum, you’ll have to travel by walking. That’s the cheapest and the slowest way that will suit you in case you’ve planned two or three places to visit. If you’ve planned for more then be sure to rent a bike for a few euro. Parisians love to ride a bike; they highly appreciate a system of automated bicycle parking. Just rent a bike for a day and forget about public transport!

If you decided to stay for a week or longer, be sure to buy a travel card. It will cost about € 20, but you’ll be allowed to travel unlimitedly along the selected districts.

Food

Supermarkets are much cheaper than cafés. Sandwich and Coke will cost you about € 2 while in a bakery the price can be up to € 10. By the way, if you take food out of café, you’ll pay 10% less (if you do not dine in the restaurant, why do you have to pay for the service?).

A café is definitely out of the budget, but if you do want to visit one of the Parisian cafés, welcome to the Latin Quarter. That’s the cheapest students’ street behind the Sorbonne.

Attractions

Be sure to research all discounts in advance. For example, after 16:30, you can buy a ticket to Orsay museum by € 3 cheaper. Also, you can visit Louvre for free every first Sunday of the month.

If your goal is to visit as many exhibitions as you can, then buy a special ticket for at least € 30. Although it’s 3 times out of the budget, you’ll jump the queue to the 60 best museums.

Eiffel Tower

Built in 1889, Eiffel Tower is one of the most successful projects in Paris. The tower was built to be the main entrance to the Paris World Exhibition, and it was paid off during the event!

Be ready for long queues – you’ll have to wait at least a half an hour (peak loads are always at 9:00 a.m.). When you’re in, you can either spend € 14 on elevators or climb the tower by yourself for only € 5!

Champs-Elysées

Champs Elysees is known for the posh shops and bourgeois style. The must-see attractions are the Le Fouquet’s restaurant (the cheap option – McDonald’s – about € 5), premium shops (Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Cartier Benetton, etc.), and the PALAIS DE L’ELYSEE.

As you see, there are a lot of places of interest that will welcome you even without a penny. Watch the infographics and find much more opportunities!