Tourist Office Information
We always recommend heading straight on over to the tourist office as soon as possible. Tourist offices are always loaded with flyers for discounted and cost-free events, free maps, coupons, and guides to the city. The Bureau d'Accueil Central, or Office de Tourisme et des Congres de Paris, is located at 25 Rue des Pyramides in the 1st Arrondissement. From November through May, it is open from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. From June through October it is open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily.
There are satellite branches at the Anvers on the median strip facing 72, boulevard Rochechouart (open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.), at the Gare de Lyon (open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.), the Gare du Nord (open daily from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.), Place du Tertre in Montmartre (open daily from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.), and in the Carrousel du Louvre shopping center (open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.).
Museum Prices and Passes
Museums in Paris generally cost between €2 and €12, depending on the age of the visitor and whether or not the museum honors discounts. Many museums, including the very popular Musee d'Orsay, are free on the first Sunday of every month. At most museums, visitors 18 and younger are admitted free.
Popular museum prices:
Louvre: €6 (evening); €9 (full-day access); free to visitors under 18;
Centre Pompidou: €10 (adults); €8 (students 18-25); free to visitors under 18
Musee d'Orsay: €8 (adults); €5.50 (reduced); free to visitors under 18
Musee Rodin: €7 (adults); €4 (reduced); €1 for the garden only; free to visitors under 18
Nortre Dame (tower): €7.50 (adults); €4.80 (reduced)
Eiffel Tower: €12 (adults); €6.70 (reduced); free (children under 3); Note: the quoted rates are for the elevator to the top; lower fees apply for the first and second floors and for the stairs.
Les Invalides: €8 (adults); €6 (reduced); free (children under 18)
The "Paris Museum Pass," a discount museum card, offers admission to over 60 museums, churches, and sites in Paris and the surrounding region (including Versailles). The card pays for itself if you're planning to pack your days in Paris full with museums and tourist sites. A two-day pass is €30, a pass for four consecutive days is €45, and a six-day pass costs €60. Additionally, the card allows you to jump right to the front of many entrance lines (though, alas, not security lines). For more information, visit the Paris Museum Pass site.
All municipal museums, including the Petite Palais and the Musée Carnavalet, are free of charge for all. Check the tourist offices for other free finds.
Free Sights
Free concerts abound in Paris, some of which are performed in gorgeous, picturesque churches and parks. Certain spots, including the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Musee d'Orsay and the American Church in Paris, frequently hold free concerts.
Similarly, half-priced theater tickets in Paris are available to budget theater goers. Stop by one of the kiosks on the Place de la Madeleine or in front of the Gare Montparnasse. Reward your efforts by seeing a show in the recently renovated Opera Garnier, or the modern Opera Bastille for as little as €12, or even as little as €5 for a last-minute standing place at the Bastille. For more information on discounted opera tickets visit the official website of the Paris Opera (in French only).
Senior Discounts
Senior travelers will find some discounts in Paris. Be sure to carry your passport to offer proof of your age. Sometimes, seniors must be members of a particular association in order to receive discounts. Members of the AARP get discounts on hotels, airfares and car rentals. They can be reached at in the United States at 1-800-424-3410 or visited online.
Student Discounts
The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the most widely accepted form of student ID and provides discounts on sights, accommodations, food, and transportation. Some museums in France offer admission discounts to ISIC members. Applicants must be working toward a degree at a secondary or post-secondary school and must be at least 12 years of age. The card costs US$22 and is valid until the end of the year issued. All cardholders have access to a 24-hour emergency helpline. In the US call 1-800-223-7986 or visit the ISIC online
For non-students 25 years and younger, the International Youth Travel Card, IYTC, also offers many of the same benefits as the ISIC. The card costs US$22 and is valid for one year from the date of issue.
Travelers with student cards, such as ISIC and IYTC qualify for big discounts from travel agencies. Most flights from budget agencies are on major airlines, though peak season deals might be on less reliable chartered aircraft.
Some More Budget Tips
Café Etiquette
Cafés in Paris, like much of Europe, charge less for coffee ordered and consumed at the bar. Sure, you could drink that same coffee sitting down, but be aware that it might cost you twice as much, especially on the terrace.
Phoning Home
We don't need to tell you not to call home from a hotel telephone, do we? Didn't think so. (It could cost as much as the room. We're not joking.) When using a phone booth, you'll need to use a "telecarte" to make a call, rather than inserting coins. The best place to buy a telecarte is at a tabac or a newsstand. Avoid France Telecom cards. They're too pricey! Instead of France Telecom, try Delta Multimedia and Kertel. Alternately, ask for a telecarte "avec un code."
Checking Email
Many hotels and cafés have free WiFi (and, in a pinch, so does McDonalds). If you haven't brought your laptop with you, there are many internet cafés in Paris, particularly in student areas. Milk Internet Hall is one of the largest chains with decent rates.
Soldes!
"Soldes," a sign you'll see in shop windows, means "SALE!" French merchants are allowed to sell their wares below cost in January and July. This is the perfect time to pick up the authentic French fashions you've always wanted without destroying your personal finances.
Timing is Everything
The best time to take advantage of Paris' cheap deals is during the "off-season," which is basically the period between November and April. Lines to museums and shows are shorter, hotels are easier to book and much less expensive, and airfares are likely to be much, much cheaper than during peak season.
Taxing Taxis
Don't take a taxi from the airport. Full stop. And avoid taxis during rush hour, when walking is usually faster.
Hotel Savings
Ask yourself what you really need in your hotel room, not what you want. Do you really need that hotel with a DVD player and fitness facility? Do you need air conditioning in March? Most travelers really just need a nice, clean room, preferably in a central location.
Riding Bikes
In August 2007, Bertrand Delanoë, the incredible, amazing mayor of Paris made it easy to be green by launching Vélib', a public biking initiative that allows bikers to borrow a bike from one of 750 pick-up spots around town and drop it off at any other center within 30 minutes. (If you need more time to get there, you're charged by the half hour thereafter.) See our Getting Around Paris page for more information.
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