A stroll in the city of love that won’t break the bank
Don’t kiss your cash goodbye with Giles Milton’s tips for romance on a budget
Paris has always been the ultimate city of romance – a place that sweeps lovers off their feet. It was in Paris that Serge Gainsbourg recorded Je T’Aime... Moi Non Plus with his lover Jane Birkin; where Robert Doisneau took his iconic photograph The Kiss; and where Auguste Rodin created his sculpture of embracing lovers.
But romance doesn’t always come cheap and Parisian prices have soared in recent years – not just for accommodation but for restaurants and bars too. But don’t panic – here are some useful tips on how to enjoy the most romantic break in the world… without breaking the bank. One of the most enjoyable ways to experience Paris at its most authentic is entirely free. All wannabe lovers should explore the city on foot. Stroll arm-in-arm through the Luxembourg Gardens, wander through the medieval alleys of the Marais, or pause for a moment at the Hotel de Ville to re-enact that Robert Doisneau photograph.
This is how Paris ought to be seen. Not only are the various districts compact and easy to navigate but France’s capital has always been an outdoor city – a place where cafes spill effortlessly on to the streets.
If you decide to pause for a coffee or a beer, be sure to take it on the pavement terrace. True, it’s a little more expensive but you can take your time (waiters will rarely move you on) and you’ll be able to watch the world pass by. It’s the best show in town. In recent years there has been a rise in the popularity of stylish boutique hotels, which are great value for money. If budget is your prime concern, you might also want to check out an Airbnb property. I stayed in rented apartments twice last year (each time in the Marais) and it was a fantastic experience.
Good, low-budget hotels are few and far between in Paris. If money is really tight, consider The Loft Boutique Hostel and Hotel (theloft-paris.com), a funky, vibrant place in lively Belleville. Rooms start at €35 a night. Mama Shelter (mamashelter.com) is a very popular choice too for those on a budget: stylish, cool and one for the young at heart. Prices start at €79. Hotel Ekta (hotelekta.com), just off the Champs-Elysees, is a well-kept boutique hotel with designer decor. Prices start from €113. Some of the finest hotels are in converted hôtels particuliers, those grand façades that line Paris’s most elegant boulevards. For a romantic break, I’d recommend the Hotel la Belle Juliette, a hotel named after the celebrated 18th Century beauty Juliette Recamier. This is a place where antique furnishings go hand-in-hand with the latest iMac (in every room). There’s also a small Japanese-style garden where
you can eat outside in warm weather and a gorgeous basement spa.
Prices start from about €185 a night (hotel-belle-juliette-paris.com).
EATING OUT
Eating well in Paris doesn’t have to be expensive. Most restaurants offer set menus for lunch, which start at about €10 and often include a glass of wine. Cafes serve omelettes or toasted sandwiches for about €7.50. And, of course, there’s always the option of buying a sandwich or delicious baguette in one of the many boulangeries.
Dinner is costlier but Paris still represents extremely good value for money, with most restaurants a great deal cheaper than their Irish equivalents. My favourite bistro is Restaurant Louis-Philippe at 66 Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville. It is as traditional as it gets, with all the classics on the menu. Visit cafelouisphilippe.com to book.
A wonderful classic brasserie – indeed it’s a Parisian institution – is Bofinger (bofingerparis.com/en) at 5-7 Rue de la Bastille. Locals come here to enjoy the atmosphere, with black-tie waiters dashing around at high speed, spinning vast silver trays on their fingertips.
Bofinger’s speciality is vast platters of fruits-de-mer, always served on a mountain of crushed ice. It also offers old favourites such as pan-fried beef in a green pepper sauce and there’s a large range of Alsatian dishes. Blowout menus cost from €32 per head. There isn’t a booking system – simply turn up, order a drink and wait to be called from the bar.
Paris is still a city of individual neighbourhoods, with each particular area known for its cheap local restaurants serving a largely local clientele.
Le Charolais is one of the liveliest bistros in the area around Gare de Lyon. Expect to pay €30 for a very generous meal – dishes on the menu will include fresh oysters and steak-frites and there are carafes of excellent wine too.
AFFORDABLE SIGHTS
One of Paris’s more interesting sights also happens to be free. Père Lachaise is the most prestigious cemetery in France – the final resting place for many of the great and good, including Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Camille Pissarro, Honore de Balzac, Frederic Chopin, Colette and Molière. It’s beautiful and well worth visiting on a sunny day. See en.parisinfo.com
Sipping mint tea in the Moorish Grand Mosque is one of Paris’s great afternoon pleasures. La Carte magazine recently voted it one of its favourite bohemian-chic cafes in the city: Moroccan waiters keep up a continual service of piping-hot mint tea.
The cafe is situated next to the Jardin des Plantes – a lovely place for a (free) stroll in the sunshine. If you’re prepared to pay €13, you’ll get access to the wonderfully old-fashioned Paris menagerie. See zoodujardindesplantes.fr
GETTING AROUND
I walk everywhere in Paris, as the city is pretty compact. There are also the popular Velib bikes, a useful way to get around. They’re very cheap – under €1.70 for a one-day ticket – and there are now almost 25,000 of them for hire. See en.velib.paris.fr
Sometimes you’ll need to take the metro. It’s fast, efficient and easier to navigate than the bus. Tickets are sold individually or in carnets of 10 for €14.50. Alternatively, you can buy passes for one, two, three or five days.