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All in the timing Unless you’re there for the Olympics, Summer 2024 is probably the worst time to visit Paris but, in any other year, August is relatively calm, as it’s when many Parisians escape for their own holidays elsewhere. Another great time is at the end of January or early February, when queues are minimal, accommodation is cheaper, and you can even catch the end of the sales. Costs for train travel will also vary enormously depending on when you book, avoid popular visit times like Valentine’s Day and Fashion Week. Insider tip: For train tickets, flexibility on dates or times is a budget-winner – avoiding peak commuter times can halve the cost. And do check all the prices, as an extra €5 might get you into first-class. Tuileries Garden © Jeremy Flint Insider tip: Free app City Mapper, or Google maps are invaluable in Paris: tap in where you are and where you want to go, and it will tell you which Metro lines or bus routes to use, the station or stop, and the next scheduled departures. Accommodation Surprisingly, hotels in Paris aren’t exorbitant. You can find a dormitory bed from €46 in a smart hostel (not just for youngsters), chain hotels from €90 a night, and even a classic Haussman-style hotel room near the Louvre for €153. While your room may not be the biggest cost, food and drink in Paris can soon add up, so consider booking a hotel with a good buffet breakfast to set you up for the day or, even better, choose a studio apartment with its own kitchenette which gives you flexibility on what you eat and when, and it drastically cuts the budget as you can grab essentials from the local supermarket – including tea and coffee. Eating & Drinking The first rule is the same as in all capital cities: any café or restaurant near a major tourist attraction will charge a premium. If a restaurant advertises a menu touristique, it’s likely it won’t be great food, and it will be expensive. Website thefork.fr is great for checking restaurant prices, food themes, reviews and special offers (in French but easy to understand). As for drinks, many bars offer half-price ‘after work’ cocktails but check when the discount ends before you get carried away! Insider tips: • For a white coffee, ask for crème allongé. Only tourists order café au lait, and they receive an expensive dishwater concoction that no Parisian would accept! • If you’re eating out, have your main meal at midday, as a 3-course lunch is about 30 percent cheaper than dinner. • As elsewhere in France, drinks are cheapest at the bar, they cost more at tables and at the outdoor tables they can be twice the bar price. Location: where’s best? Free street art, metro station entrance, Palais Royal Getting around Some people shy away from the Metro, but it is the most efficient way to get around. You can buy single-use tickets (€2.50), but the Paris Visite travel pass includes unlimited use of the metro plus tramway, bus, and local Paris trains from 1 – 5 days. There’s also an option for the Greater Paris area including the airports, Disneyland and Château de Versailles. And do try out the buses: they give you a tour of Paris with a whole new perspective, without paying for a tourist bus! Okay, Paris is huge, but don’t assume that your best option is to be right in the centre. Parisian neighbourhoods (arrondissements, generally shortened to Arr.) are numbered and, like French département numbers, become a shorthand geography reference. They spiral out from the centre, so that the Eiffel Tower sits in the 7 th Arr., yet the 9 th Arr. is actually further from it than the 16 th ! Choose a base that works for you, depending on which sites you want to visit, where you’ll arrive and which transport options you prefer. Insider tip: If you’re driving to Paris, then opting for a hotel on the end of a Metro line can give you free parking during your stay. Side streets are full of great restaurants the locals love 58 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 59
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