Paris - can you do it on a budget?

ruby_eskimo

I really want to go to Paris at some point this year, and was wondering if you can do it on a budget? We'd probably want to go in September for 2 nights and not spend more than £200 for the 2 of us. Can it be done?

Voyager2002

Does that budget include transport? If so, I doubt whether it is possible.

Mr_Wang

ruby_eskimo wrote: »

I really want to go to Paris at some point this year, and was wondering if you can do it on a budget? We'd probably want to go in September for 2 nights and not spend more than £200 for the 2 of us. Can it be done?

I'm going to Paris next week, one adult and two kids. Return flights, parking at airport and 3 nights hotels have come in at about £180. But having been to Paris before the costs once there can be huge, it's not the best city to go to in an attempt to be frugal.
If you are looking for a cheap, romantic and actually quite beautiful city head to Krakow where costs to get there, stay there and be there will probably all fall into your £200 bracket for a couple of nights.
I've been twice recently and recommend aparthotel pergamin.

beetlebug1

hi

many pre children years ago i did paris several times on a budget using a paupers guide to paris don't know wether this is still in print or not. great book covering hotels, restraunts and stuff to do for free

beetlebug1

just looked on amazon and this book has not been revised for many years (shame)

another one would be lets go paris a student travel guide

Mr_Wang

beetlebug1 wrote: »

just looked on amazon and this book has not been revised for many years (shame)

another one would be lets go paris a student travel guide

Paris has always been an expensive city but there are always ways in which to do things cheaper. However since the introduction of the Euro and due to the subsequent problems across the eurozone it has become increasingly difficult to get by on very little. The efforts to be frugal, i.e walking everywhere, staying out of the city etc could well impinge the enjoyment of the city and then of course it becomes pointless.
Though not on the scale of somewhere like NYC, Paris still remains, and probably will for a long time, one of the most expensive cities in the West.

andygb

The fares are going to be the sticking point, because you have to get to Paris somehow (not just stop at Calais, which can be cheap), so you need to look at Eurotunnel - ask for the cheapest fares, P & O, and DFDS http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/ferry-routes/ferry-to-france/
Once in France you need to look for a cheap hotel (Formula 1, Etap)outside of Paris and then use the Metro to get in to the touristy areas.
You will have to get food from hypermarkets outside the centre, because eating in Paris is a rip off - worse than London.
I reckon that you could do it for around £250.

nicole.17

You can get the megabus to Paris
Either £20 or £30 return pp!

Takes about 12 hours, but at this price its great

And will give you more spending money!!

DUKE

We did a coach trip to Paris with Harry Shaw last year & paid £130 each, although the price was dropped to £99 at the last minute. This included travel, hotel & breakfast. http://www.harryshaw.co.uk/itineraries/844-paris-weekend-with-a-visit-to-versailles?currentpage=1&areafilter=

Janeyferr

Leger currently have a Paris weekend break from £99 for the 4th August. You can use Mr T vouchers on them now. Or via avios with Eurostar.
Eurostar is a bit cheaper if you're under 26 or over 59.

Megabus, however, is £8 each way in May. What I'd do, if you have the energy for it, is travel to and from overnight, pay for one night in a hotel or hostel and get two full days (Megabus comes in at 7:20am and leaves at 23:05)

angelil

If you book the Eurostar early you'll get the cheapest tickets. They're £60 return each. So you're £120 down before you even begin. That leaves you with £80 for accommodation for two of you for two nights. For that price you're going nowhere nicer than a youth hostel. That leaves you with nothing left to pay for food. (Entertainment I can safely say can easily be free; the most entertaining thing you can do in Paris is, imo, walk around, enjoy the scenery, and visit the wealth of free museums on offer. You of course don't have to pay to look at monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde, and you can window shop down the Champs Elys!es and Avenue Montaigne etc). Food can still be cheap if you stick to local boulangeries. So it is possible but you'd need to think creatively and not do all the usual shizz/stay in all the usual places people do and stay in when they're in Paris.