Gretchen

Geez kerouac, give it a rest. Your "expert" Parisian advice is not always true for the moment of a person's trip.
We have NO idea of this person's "budget".

kerouac

Do you have a problem, Gretchen? It sounds almost as though you are a member of the coven over at TA.

I responded to the idea of "low budget" as expressed in the title of the thread. If you want to give advice regarding "moderate," you are free to do so, which is why this forum exists.

This is not the place for you to try to settle any incomprehensible dispute that you may have with my ideas for saving money while having an excellent time in Paris.

justineparis

I have had an excellent time staying in budget properties near the Seine in Paris..year after year after year.

Of course.. "budget" means many things to most folks.. to me its under 120 euros, with air conditioning ( I can go cheaper without) a mini fridge, clean.. and great central location that saves me a lot of money on transport as I can walk to many sites..

But.. if on a real tight budget ( under 80-90 euros a night) the Kero is the fellow to ask.. if he is willing to actually recommend a hotel that he has at least actually seen the inside of..

cigalechanta

Outdoor cafes with tablecloths cost more than those without.
Breakfast out side the hotel will be less expensive.
Coffee standing at the bar rather than sitting is cheaper and more fun mingling with the locals, Have a wonderful time.

flpab

kerouac, We are loving the 14th. The metro is our friend and this is such a lovely neighborhood. My landlady had not heard a word about the Airbnb/apartment rental stuff. I used an agency but since this is her building maybe she pays no attention. Thank you for suggesting it. Prices at the market and cafes are very reasonable. Wine prices are all under ten a bottle. Woohoo, I am beered out after Oktoberfest. Off for free museum day. Don't be afraid to venture out.

Gretchen

Just tired of your mantra no matter the budget. Kerouac, we have stayed in the 14th, as mentioned by others--it "can" be on the edge of the center. And you are correct that the transportation system DOES make it "central"--or if you didn't suggest that, I will.
Been begging for the "budget" so suggestions could be made realistically.

pariswat

It is pretty obvious that the central arrondissements, being deserted by the locals and invaded by tourists, most of them US, are the places where prices have surged, where the quality is usualy the worst and where waiters ask for tips.
Try rue de la Huchette... Why would the boulangeries ask for a low price when hordes of tourists will buy their products ?
None of my Parisian friends would suggest going for dinner there. In 14th yes.

DebitNM

For your splurge meal, make it lunch at top of Tour Mont Parnasse. Excellent prix fixe meal with grand views of the tour Eiffel. 39€

http://www.cieldeparis.com/fr/carte-...-gourmand.html

For ballet, I prefer to be be above the orchestra level, much better view point.

DebitNM

http://www.eurocheapo.com/paris/

powhatangal

flpab - would you mind sharing a link to your apartment? Thank you!

kerouac

The Sunday paper has an interesting article about Airbnb today with the title "<i>Marais, le frénésie Airbnb</i>. It says that the raid in May in 69 buildings in the 3rd and 29 buildings in the 4th netted 101 illegal apartments. But they feel that they made a mistake by spreading the operation over 3 days. After the first day, the Airbnb grapevine had already told the tourists not to answer the door.

A new operation is imminent but will take place on just one day in a specific Airbnb polluted area, using a far greater number of control agents.

flpab

vacationinparis #325 is our apartment, short walk from Alesia metro stop.

geminican

I wish my real life consisted of people who have the same passion in travel as you guys bc talking travel can hold my interest all day! Thank you so much for including snippets of your experiences. Cafe Marly on Cristmas Day, nicely done!! justineparis, are you kidding me, I am so not beyond anything frugal and delicious, my taste runs from left to right so by all means please don't deprive me of your hidden gems! I'm a gemini, I especially appreciate diversity and variety My budget is 20-30 euros a meal, less for breakfast which will mosty consist of pastry and coffee, less or more on some dates. I can't give an exact amount because I just cant function like that, will spend less or more on some days but generally speaking 100 bucks a day with all meals and leisurely things, maybe more if needed. I have enough money to splurge if I really can't help myself but being smart about it. I get pleasure finding a good value and I don't mean cheap for the sake of being cheap. Most of my days will consist of eating, walking, museum, drinking and just admiring the beauty of Paris. If there's anything to add spice to that routine I'm all up on that. flpab, your apt sounds lovely. This will not be my last trip to Paris knock on wood so I'm taking good mental notes of everything you're all including, good value hotels and restaurants are always in my radar for now and later. Thank you so much everyone for your stories and suggestions you rock!! Hmm I thought Airbnb is legal in Paris now, no?

crefloors

I stayed in the 14th my last trip. 212 Blvd. Raspail. Loved the area and frankly I did not find it inconvenient to anything. Transportation was great, had like 5 metro stops easily walkable, the bus was a half block away, and the Montparnasse station was about 10 minutes walk...isn't everything in Paris a 10 minute walk? That's tongue in cheek, but anytime we would ask for a location or directions, the answer was "it's a 10 minute walk". LOL

There was inexpensive restaurants, a Monoprix and a Franprix, and a Patisserie all very close and it made cheap eats very easy. There were also two street markets.

We ate very cheaply, neither my friend or I are "foodies".

We ate at a cafe of brasserie late afternoon, usually got the special, breakfast was included in our room, boring but worked, and then we'd snack in the evening back in our room.

I was worried about the 14th and posted that concern, and many said it's a great area, and it is.

kerouac

Keep in mind that the French do not eat pastry for breakfast. They eat bread or <i>viennoiseries</i>. Of course, you can eat whatever you want.

kerouac

<i> Hmm I thought Airbnb is legal in Paris now, no?</i>

Ha ha, I think a lot of people failed to realize the whole reason behind forcing Airbnb to collect the tourist tax. This forces Airbnb to reveal to the authorities the exact address of all of the apartments, most of which are still completely illegal. It is going to be a gold mine for future raids.

StCirq

Geminican, I visited Paris about 100 times as a woman of fairly good means, meaning I could pick out a restaurant if I liked the menu and eat there if I wanted, no problem. I never stayed in fancy hotels or ate at Michelin restaurants, but I lived and ate well -maybe 300 euros a day for lodging and food and trinkets.

Then things changed and I had virtually no resources, but since I owned a house in France (paid for) it was pretty imperative that I come back frequently. I learned, very easily, to live on a budget of (apart from accommodations, which cost me less than 50 euros a night at a friend's apartment) 25 euros a day for great food (3 meals), a nice bottle of wine, and sightseeing (mostly free Parisian museums like the Carnavalet - I didn't need to get into the Louvre or the Orsay, I'd seen them dozens of times before).

Point is, you can do Paris and love the heck out of it on any budget. Sure, everything is nicer when you have money, but when I was poor I learned to love life every bit as much as when I wasn't. The world is rich with experiences that don't cost a thing (though it's nice to buy a glass ofwine and hang out in a café).

I live in France now and apart from some major renovations on my house, very frugally. We eat and drink amazingly well for very little, and we grow our own food for supplements. No tourist to Paris needs to be put off by prices - take the métro out to the 20th arrondissement and have an enormous (enough food for 3 people) plate of kebabs and couscous and salad - delicious!) meal for 7.50 euros.

Be resourceful. It doesn't sound like you're on the kind of really meager budget I was on for a couple of years, but don't fret - you can have a swell time in Paris for very little money.

Enjoy the ballet.

powhatangal

Flpab, thank you!

Geminican, enjoy your trip!

crefloors

We ate our pastry at night in our room. We stopped in every day, on the way home, picked up something that looked good, and it usually WAS good, and munched away while talking over the day and watching CNN and BBC.

We also bought bread and cheese, I got yogurt, and that's the kind of thing we ate at night after having our late afternoon meal.

Is there a time frame for when one is allowed to eat bread and cheese, oh perhaps the yogurt should be a morning thing? I had mine in the evening but no one was looking.

kerouac

Yogurt is mostly eaten as dessert in French homes. If you watch French television, you will see that on all of the yogurt commercials.