pariswat

I AGREE WITH LAST 2 POSTS.

justineparis

I think all the suggestions re saving money in Paris are not needed.. because OP has made it clear that they do not care for museums or historical sites much and definitely want to enjoy more natural scenery.
For those requirements you can not compare Paris and Switzerland.

WeisserTee

If you want to save money in that part of Switzerland, rent a holiday apartment and do your own cooking. Wengen doesn't really have any great restaurants. Try to find an apartment that has a full oven and a fridge with a freezer -- you will find that gives you many more money-saving cooking options. For example, you can often find whole chickens on sale at the local Coop or Migros stores (we prefer Coop chickens, they seem to brown better). Roast that, make some pasta and veg as a side dish and you've fed the whole family for about 20 francs. Migros sells great frozen soft pretzels for about 8 francs a box of 10. You can cook them up in the oven as a tasty snack after a hike in the mountains.
http://wengen.ch/en/Holidays/ACCOMMO...day_Apartments

In addition to the hiking that abounds in the Alps, Wengen has a good outdoor swimming pool where you can cool off on a hot afternoon and take in the mountain scenery at the same time. Children under 16 free.
http://jungfrauregion.ch/en/Holidays...052.1443913603

In Paris, staying in an apartment, using your two feet as the primary mode of getting around and just taking in the atmosphere can also be an inexpensive way to enjoy the city.

NYTraveler: "A muffin and OJ in the Zurich airport was about $12."
You only have to pay that much if you want to. Had you gone down to the Migros that's located right in the airport, you could have gotten the same for about $3.

dreamon

My friend and I had a week in Switzerland earlier this year, following 3 weeks in Italy. We found Switzerland to be extraordinarily expensive compared with Italy (e.g. a coffee would be typically three times the price). I know the OP wants to compare France with Switzerland but on previous trips we have found France and Italy to be not too far apart price wise.

Nonetheless, Switzerland is a beautiful country and we have loved it each time we have visited. To stay affordably I recommend self catering as it could save a fortune.

Sassafrass

Don't know if I have read or responded to your other threads, but on this one you emphasize that you are into natural beauty, and stress that you are not into history or museums.

While beautiful, IMHO, the cities of both Rome and Paris are super heavy on museums and history. They do not fit your criteria.

If natural beauty is your goal, consider some other places like the Amazing Azores, the Italian Lakes, Italian Alps, Southern Germany, Bavaria, Saxon Switzerland (actually in Saxony, Germany), Northern Spain, parts of Provence, Sicily, the AC, etc., etc. Go to places that suit you personally and skip the big cities. You also mentioned beaches. In summer, look at Spain and Italy. You can find beautiful natural beauty in many places less costly than Switzerland. If Switzerland is the only place to fulfill your dreams, just cut the trip by a few days and concentrate on making that work budget wise.

twk

I agree about looking at apartment rental in Wengen. We have rented a 2 BR, 2 BA apartment for a week in Wengen next June and it will cost us $950. So, you can find lodging to fit your budget. However, the other thing you need to factor in is transportation--if you are staying in that area, you're going to want a rail pass of some sort, so as to make the trains and cable cars affordable. There are too many options to list here, but that is a major component of a Swiss stay that you shouldn't overlook (in Paris, you would be spending that money more on museums and such, rather than on transit).

brubenow

Asimm- I'm taking my family next year to both Paris and Wengen, and despite the CHF, I can definitely tell you that 5 days in Paris is going to cost me twice as much as a week in Wengen. We are renting a chalet in Wengen that is very reasonably priced, about half the cost of our Paris rental apartment. That might give you a clue about lodging at least. Definitely look into renting a chalet in Wengen. We used Alpine Holiday Services for our rental company there.

justineparis

Bruben.. they you did something wrong.. I bet you are paying too much for Paris out of lack of knowledge. There is no way it would be twice as much.. sorry , I am not millionaire and take my kids as well as go myself often.. and you are making expensive CHOICES.

janisj

>>. . . about half the cost of our Paris rental apartment. That might give you a clue about lodging at least. <<

Which means nothing really -- There are Paris apartments that cost very little and apartments that cost a LOT. If you booked a flat that costs more than a chalet - that just means that THAT specific flat costs more than THAT specific chalet.

thursdaysd

I was just in Zurich, and the Interlaken area may be cheaper, but after paying 5.05 USD for a single espresso (declining the DCC which would have added .20 cents!) it was a great relief to my budget to get to the Italian Lakes.

The OP should definitely be looking at apartments to save the cost of eating out. Otherwise, several years ago I found a reasonably priced B&B in Murren.

Booking long distance trains ahead will save money - Zurich to Como cost me 10 CHF - but some kind of pass will be a must for in-country transport.

I would go to the French and/or Austrian Alps and/or the Italian Lakes and/or the Dolomites if I were on a budget and forget Switzerland.

kleeblatt

Switzerland: Food and Drink

1. Eating out in Switzerland is expensive -- even for the Swiss.
2. Buy picnic food at the store. We've got great cheese, bread, meat and fruit.
3. When eating out and you're on a budget, go to Migros, Coop and Manor cafeteria-style restaurants.
4. Ikea has the cheapest restaurants in Switzerland but they are not conveniently located.
5. Buy two PET bottles and then keep refilling. Our tap water is divine.
6. Ask about food trucks or stands: we have great sausages (bratwurst or cervelat) as well as really moist chicken at semi-reasonable prices available as well.
7. Go to a fest(ival). The entertainment and street food can be divine at those places.

bilboburgler

If you want to visit Switzerland for the scenery but don't have the cash, why not visit the French alps or the Italian Alps instead, keeps all your costs in Euros, and the air the is the same and the mountains nearly the same in these other two countries.

Cheapest option is to catch a train from Paris to Bescancon and then a bus up into the Doubs valley and stay in hotel up in the Jura, wander at will.

AlessandraZoe

I am a Paris fanantic, but given your interests, I would do Switzerland while the kids are still frisky and you are still young--and damn the worry about the price difference. There are always ways to cut costs but there is no way to regain your youth.

Yes, Switzerland is expensive, but the values added with that cost are endless varieties of public transportation that intersect beautifully, spotless restrooms, pin-neat hiking trails where suddenly one comes upon...a PLAYGROUND, and the sound of cowbells in the night.

I second all of kleeblatt's suggestions. We headed out everyday with a hunk of cheese, chocolate, lovely bread, and very fresh fruit that our kids chose. Fresh mountain water could be found in every village and/or on every trail.

We bought hiking sticks, and at each village, we'd buy the village medallion to tap onto the kids' sticks. We have now downsized and thrown out a lot of stuff, but those sticks are "keepers".

AlessandraZoe

BTW--Zurich is expensive even by Swiss standards!

asimm

Thank you everyone for your precious Time and replies.

You all have made this thread a wonderful thread and me and others(maybe) can get benefit from it.

I'll try to answer about myself and to your replies to

We are from Pakistan and our currency is quite low as compared to Euro/USD
1Euro = 120Pak Rs

so the Euro + Europes high prices + Airfare (As europe is far from Pakistan) makes the trip Expensive, but Europe is Europe and nothing like it and being travel freaks we have travelled to many countires around Pakistan and now is the time for EUROPE . and i must say that i love Planning the trip, taking suggestions from forums like Fodor & Trip Advisor and mostly people are soo welcoming.

Yes, we are NOT much into Museums and history, rather like NATURAL BEAUTY MORE.

Our style or i should say that mostly people travelling from PAKISTAN would come to a country and like to take the main basic touristy areas and europe being too far we certainly would like to make the fullest as who know when we return back or not

We are having a 19day trip and basic itinerary is as follows

MADRID 4 days
ROME 4 DAYS
VENICE : 3 DAYS
PARIS : 4 DAYS

Now, we have 4 days left which initially was for AMALFI COAST, but switzerland has been a dream country for me and when i heard about the Bernina express while exploring ways to travel from Venice to Paris, i found this Route which for me was fascinating and then i thought of skpping the AC and including the Swiss Alps.

Regarding the expensiveness of Swiss, is there a way that i stay at a cheaper place(donw the hill like Chur, St Moris etc) and can take day trip. I have not much idea on this and would like you people to guide me on this

and yes, not to forget that i have posted about 10-12 posts on different topics and on a 2 month span of time therefore i dont think there is any problem of getting banned

thanks again & cheers

bilboburgler

"Regarding the expensiveness of Swiss, is there a way that i stay at a cheaper place(donw the hill like Chur, St Moris etc) and can take day trip."

No.

Big Swiss cities are the most expensive and anywhere near a "sight" will see prices rise. The Swiss are not backward about finding ways to take money from your wallet. (note that before 1920 the Swiss were some of the poorest people in Europe and the memory lingers on).

I've been traveling there for years on business and pleasure and the only way to see the Alps at a low cost is to stay out of the country, or just drop across the border for a day trip. This so true that the Swiss themselves often leave the country to buy food, go to restaurants or for large shop visits. My BIL lives close to the border and all the Swiss restaurants in his town have closed, because everyone eats abroad.

asimm

Bilboburgler, could you kindly give more details

the only way to see the Alps at a low cost is to stay out of the country, or just drop across the border for a day trip

Ingo

It means that if you want to take the Bernina Express (or any regional train on the same route, which I prefer) you better stay across the border in Tirano, Italy - much cheaper.

bilboburgler

Options are many, see every border crossing but I've done recently

Pontarlier to the mountains above Yverdon, using the Trans Jura path,

Mulhouse into Basle

The Swiss length of Lake Constance

Austria into Au and the hills above Au then up the Rhine (at this point only a stream)

thursdaysd

For someone who prefers scenery that is an awful lot of city time.

I have seen the Alps in Switzerland, France and Austria, and the Dolomites in Italy, and while they are magnificent I have to say that they are beaten by the mountains in the northeast of Pakistan.

There are four train trips in Switzerland that are promoted to tourists, although you can ride much if not all of the routes on regular trains - I just did a modified William Tell for 10 CHF. Consider connecting Venice and Paris with a train ride through Switzerland and spend you extra days in either Italy or France. See seat61.com for train info.