Paris doesn’t have to empty your wallet.

Paris.jpg Paris AKA the city of light

is the most popular city destination in Europe. I have so many friends who return from Paris and the first thing they say is “it’s so expensive” and while that can be true if you insist on being one of those people who follow the sheep but it doesn’t have to be if you just go where the sophisticated glamorous  locals go. Its not the 1920’s and the Paris from the movies of old romantic’s is not the same these days.  These tourists spend their days doing the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre, and the rest.  Yes that Paris is expensive, and restaurants on the main tourist traps are expensive and not necessarily authentic and sometimes just God awful.  That Paris isn’t just expensive, it can also be rude, cold and flat out obnoxious also.

Paris the locals know

however isn’t and we know that Paris doesn’t have to empty your wallet.  paris 6 So whether Paris gets 25 or 70 million or somewhere in the middle that’s a lot of strangers in your city so is it any wonder Parisians want to protect the authentic places they know and love.  Amateur Tourists buy 10 euro beers in the belle Epoque cafes along the Voulevard St-German and in the restaurants that line the Champs Elysee’s, because a mediocre platter of moules-frites just taste so much better if you can see the Arc-de-Triomphe. paris 3In many case’s they might be right, and paying an arm and a leg in this area is typically touristy and maybe OK if your a kras Kardashian but its not really the typical Parisian thing to do.  You wont find any Parisians sitting next to you getting rubbish service for rubbish food or just being ripped off in general.  Why? because they are off enjoying the city they love and they don’t want to share with you.  Do you blame them? they definitely don’t want a bunch of loud tourist intruders ruining their authentic places with French only menu’s and while you wont find them hanging on the Champs Elysee’s or having their daily cafe on the Palace Vendome they will be close by. paris 5Place des Vosges in the Marais is one of Europe’s most beautiful squares laid out in the first years of the 11th Century and only home to Cardinal Richelieu and Victor Hugo.  Along its arcaded sides are cafes and restaurants that almost exclusively cater to tourists-bland, overpriced food and insultingly small beers.  On a small street just north of the square is Chez Janou (2 Rue Roger Verlomme) a terrific bistro with a menu full of authentic Provencale dishes (all around 15 Euro) that is always packed with locals – you’ll need to practice your school french but its so worth it. To the east just beyond the Place de la Bastille , is AuVieux Chene on 7 Rue du Dahomey, an old fashioned restaurant with a Zinc bar and a mouth watering three course evening meal for 28 euro.  Nearby L’Ebauchoir at 43 Rue du Citeaux is marginally more expensive, but the food is sublime. In these restaurants the house wine is always good which is not always the case in restaurants with menu’s in six different languages, I run away from these. paris 6

“Paris is huge but paradoxically, it can be hard to get off the beaten track. Most of people only go to Notre Dame, Tour Eiffel, Arc de Triomphe and Sacré Coeur/Montmartre. Those places are of course amazing, but there are many others things to discover in Paris”. Like a local.

I flew to Paris from Dublin and I’ve used both Paris main airport Charles de Gaulle and also Beauvais–Tillé Airport, I’ve stayed in Beauvais overnight and taken the train into Paris the next morning.  The train service is great and inexpensive and Beauvais itself is lovely.  This can be a nice option to start or finish a great stay in Paris.  I have also taken the fast train from Paris to Nice when travelling to the Cote d’azur which is my all-time favourite way to do it.

 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” 
― Ernest HemingwayA Moveable Feast


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About Sandra

Just a girl from Ireland who wants to live everywhere. Not a planner, a winger when it comes to travel. I don't even like people who plan too much. Without spontaneity there is no depth. A jack of all trades. A great friend, loyal and passionate and I expect the same in return. Always ready for the next adventure at a moments notice.
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