Exploring Paris on a student budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out. In fact, it is a great way to experience the more simple things in life, without getting too distracted with the things that money ‘could’ buy. Accommodation and meals are bound to tear into holiday budget, so lighten any money woes with this list of free things to do in Paris.
1. Pull up a chair in Jardin des Tuileries
Grab one of the many free deck chairs that are sprinkled across Jardin des Tuileries and relax to a backdrop of fountains, statues and a steady stream of passers by. Situated near the Louvre and backing onto the Seine, this garden is a central place to take a break during a day of Paris exploration. Grab one of the many free deck chairs that are sprinkled across Jardin des Tuileries and relax to a backdrop of fountains, statues and a steady stream of passers by. Situated near the Louvre and backing onto the Seine, this garden is a central place to take a break during a day of Paris exploration.
2. Window shop along rue Montaigne
Sunny day in Paris ☀ #paris#céline#célineparis#ruemontaigne A photo posted by Elisa (@kalyaah) on
High-end shopping doesn’t get more luxurious than Paris’s Rue Montaigne. Haute couture’s big players–think: Dior, Gucci, Chanel and Chloé–line this famous street making it one of the city’s most fashionable enclaves. Take away the stress of overspending and window-shop until your heart’s desire.
3. Take in one of the best views of Paris
Yes, there’s a great view from the top of the Eiffel Tour and the Arc de Triomphe but if you’re looking for a breathtaking vista without a price tag, this is it. Climb the stairs from Place Saint-Pierre to the viewing platform at the base of the mammoth Sacre Coeur, and take in an impressive panoramic of Paris. For a truly memorable moment, arrive prior to sunrise and watch on as the city is awash with soft pastels and vibrant shades of gold.
4. Escape to the beach
The beach built only for 1 month summer #parisplages #seineriver A photo posted by @kristinjun on
If you’re visiting Europe in summer, then chances are you’ll want to head the beach. Well, do you know you can do just that in Paris? Each year, a section of the riverbank is transformed from an urban walkway to a man-made tropical paradise topped off with beach chairs, truckloads of sand and ice-cream stalls.
5. Pay your respects
Haunting and beautiful at the same time, Cimetière Père Lachaise is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world. Stroll down the cobblestone aisles and pay your respects to music and literary greats like Oscar Wilde, Proust, Jim Morrison and Edith Piaf who are all buried here.
6. Free entry to Paris’s museums
As part of an ongoing cultural initiative, the general admission fees to the majority of Paris’s museums are wiped on the first Sunday of each month. This means you can attend all the art and sculpture hubs you can handle and not pay a cent. Keep in mind, the French are well aware of this freebie day, so turn up before opening hours or risk landing at the back of a very long queue.
7. Watch a fashion show
Put your heeled foot forward and join an intimate affair at a Galeries Lafayette Haussmann fashion show. Held every week on Monday and Friday at 3pm, join the audience for free and watch on as professional models strut down a runway in the season’s latest threads. Bookings must be made in advance.
(Featured image: Fabrizio Sciami/Flickr)
