While Paris can be a costly city, our guide will give you the most important tips for Paris for families on a budget…like ours.
With its fashionable neighborhoods, locations, and well…fashion, Paris can feel out of reach for families on a budget. But can still be on your list of best international cities for families, as it is on ours.
We have traveled to Paris numerous times and managed to keep our Parisian cost down to less than $350 a day including our accomodations for our family of three. How do we do it?
Read on to learn some of our best budget family tips for the City of Lights.
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Best Budget Time to Travel to Paris
Paris is busiest in May, June, and July. A city’s high season is also their most expensive. So if possible, avoid traveling to Paris in the summer to save money.
February is the best month to visit Paris both in terms of number of tourists and cost.
When we last visited in February, we were able to walk into all the museums without a wait. The cost of accommodations was also much less expensive, and we were able to book an apartment-style place to stay for less than $130/night, plus a 10% reduction fee for staying for a week.
However, we recognize that school schedules do not always allow a trip in February. If your school has a fall break, late September and October are also great times to be in the city.
Best Places to Stay in Paris for Families
Which Arrondissement is Best
Every blog you will read will recommend different parts of the city to stay. And we are no different. We have stayed in both Montmartre and the Latin Quarter. And we prefer the Latin Quarter.
The Latin Quarter, which overlaps the 5th and the 6th arrondissements, is centrally located. Dating back to the middle ages, the Latin Quarter has a great Bohemian vibe and lots of grocery stores and fruit and market stands.
We also love the Latin Quarter for how close it is to so many Parisian landmarks, including the Pantheon, Notre Dame, and of course, the beloved Shakespeare and Company bookstore. However, those traveling with a family might mostly appreciate its proximity to the Jardin de Luxembourg.
The Luxembourg Gardens are entirely free to enter. The gardens encompass more than a mile of land and include a lovely pond, orchards, both English and French-styled gardens, and 106 statues. For kids, there are slides, rides, and even puppet shows. It’s a great place to spend the day.
Apartment Style Accommodations in the Latin Quarter
We recommend apartment-style accomodations on your family trip to Paris on a budget. In fact, we tend to privilege apartment-style accommodations over hotels as they allow us to make more of our meals in any city.
In Paris, our recommendation for an apartment-style accommodation is this highly rated 2-bedroom apartment in the 5th arrondissement.
The apartment not only had ample space for a small family. It was light and bright. Most importantly, it is within walking distance from Notre Dame and just a few minutes walk from the metro.
Budget Hotel Accommodations in the Latin Quarter
Grand Hotel Des Gobelins is a great hotel option for families in the Latin Quarter.
The hotel has family suites and if you are lucky enough to get a high enough room, you may get views of not only the nearby Parthenon but also the Eiffel Tower.
Apartment Style Accommodations Near the Eiffel Tower
Another great affordable apartment just five minutes from the Eiffel Tower is the Champs De Mars Apartment.
The apartment is only a 1-bedroom. However, it has two sofa beds, which are perfect to sleep several kids.
In addition to a fully equipped kitchen and a reasonable price tag, the flat has a small terrace with beautiful city views making the Champ de Mars apartment perfect for a small family in Paris on a budget.
Best Budget Stay Outside of Paris
The first time we took a family trip to Paris on a budget, we just came in for a big day trip from Brussels.
At the time of the trip, Brussels was much less expensive.
We also like to choose one city as our base to both minimize moves and costs. And for us, Brussels was a great base for our first European trip with O.
You can read more about our choice to use Brussels as a base. If you are set on Paris, and we get that as we have gone back numerous times and just focused on Paris, then Brusselswon’t work for you. But if not…it gives you something to consider.
Best Free or Nearly Free Things to Do in Paris
Once you arrive in the city, you can make a whole day exploring Paris by simply walking the street and along the Seine River. Paris also has wonderful parks and green spaces to allow your kids space to roam. A park that you cannot avoid, even if you try, is Jardin des Tuileries.
Jardin Des Tuileries
Connecting the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries is one of Paris’ most famous gardens. An entire afternoon can be enjoyed here, people watching and giving all members of your family a little extra space.
We recommend grabbing some cheese, fruit, and a baguette at a nearby grocery store and using Paris’ greenest thoroughfare for a lovely picnic.
Champ De Mars
And while we are on the subject of parks, Paris’ Champ de Mars, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, is another excellent place for a picnic. Restaurants near the Eiffel Tower are overpriced and often touristy so we strongly recommend swinging by a nearby grocery store for supplies and then having a picnic in the shadow of Paris’ most famous sights.
Free Walking Tours
While this recommendation is not great for your littlest legs, we love to start our experience in a new city with a free walking tour.
To be clear, free walking tours are not exactly free. Most require some advance booking with a small booking free. And if the tour is good, which they typically are, it is recommended to tip $5-20 per person based on the quality of the tour.
City Free Tours
While most cities have 1 or 2 free walking tours, Paris literally has dozens to choose from. City Free Tours does great walking tours. They offer tours not only in Paris but also in London, Amsterdam, and Berlin.
In Paris, City Free Tours offers their tours daily in Montmartre at 10:30, Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter at 2 p.m. and the Marais at 5 p.m. Reservations are required.
Paris Pass Walking Tours
If you opt for the Paris Pass, a city card which we will discuss later, there are also many tours included in the pass. Our favorite was definitely the walking tour of Paris’ famous cemetery Père-Lachaise.
Although with its focus on death (go figure, it is a cemetery) and some slightly bawdy storytelling, this would not be a tour for younger children. We would have no issues with our son O taking the tour as early as 10.
Montmartre
Montmartre has several activities that are very inexpensive and fun for families. But first a caveat, Montmartre is very touristy and very safe during the day.
We specialize in traveling with teens. We love Paris so much we put it on our list of best senior trip places.
If you are taking your teen to Paris, there is no better activity in Montmartre than thrifting. Montmarte has so many great thrift shops, but our favorite is Flash Vintage on 64 Rue d’Orsel.
However, be aware that the southern end of Montmartre, starting at Pigalle Square, is Paris’ red light district. We feel comfortable having those conversations with our kid, but if you aren’t, then maybe steer clear.
In Montmartre you will also find the adorable Le Petite Train de Montmartre or the little train.
All year long, little “trains,” which actually drive on the streets, welcome you for a 40-minute tour of the district that takes you to all the sites in Montmartre, including Sacré Coeur.
If you are traveling with little people, this is a great experience.
Le Petit Train
Le Petit Train is a quaint and very inexpensive activity in Montmartre. Tickets cost €10. Children under 12 ride at a reduced rate of €5. You can either book tickets online or buy them on the train. The train has two pick-up spots. The first pickup is in front of the famous Moulin Rouge and the other is at the top of the hill, near Sacré Coeur.
Speaking of Sacré Coeur, at the base of the beautiful basilica, is a lovely, Italian-made, double-decker carousel. Tickets are around €2.50. A real treat for any kid.
Because Sacré Coeur is at the top of the hill in Montmartre there is also a funicular from the base where the carousel is located to the top of the hill. You can, of course, also walk it. But if you have little legs with you, the funicular may be a better – and more fun – option.
The funicular has been running since 1990 and transports 2 million passengers a year. Fares are around €2. Or if you have the Paris Pass or the Paris Visite travel pass, the 90-second ride is free.
What Day Are Paris’ Museums Free
Many of the museums–including the major ones like the Louvre and the Orsay–are free on the first Sunday of every month. However, most museums in Paris are free to children under the age of 18.
A note on museums in Paris. First of all, we love visiting museums as a family. But when O was young, we made an agreement that we would not go to more than one museum per day. With so many museums in Paris, if you use our rule you are certain to miss quite a few museums as Paris has so very many.
We also wouldn’t recommend going to the Louvre, especially on your first visit to Paris. We know, we know, it has the Mona Lisa. But the Louvre is huge and it is easy to get overwhelmed, especially for kids.
We didn’t go to the Louvre until our third visit to Paris. In truth there are so many amazing museums in Paris and we have found that the smaller museums are much better for kids.
Smaller museums are often even more inspiring because they are accessible and much less crowded. Your family can slow down together and enjoy more of what these museums have to offer.
Is the City Card Pass for Paris Worth It For Budget Travelers
Many cities have city card passes, and Paris is no exception. If this is your first time to Paris and you plan to really see the sights, we recommend the Paris Pass.
Our first trip to Paris was just a day trip from Brussels so we just hit the major highlights: The Eiffel Tower, a picnic in Champ De Mars, and Notre Dame. On that trip, the Paris Pass didn’t make sense.
When we went back to Paris for a week and planned to experience all the city had to offer, the Paris Pass was absolutely it.
The Pass also includes public transportation and the Metro is the ONLY way to experience the city. If you are interested in the pass, read all the details for the money saved by the Paris Pass.
Paris Pass for Children
However since most Parisian museums are free for children under 18, you should not get the Paris Pass for your child if you are really only planning to visit museums.
However, if you are using the Paris Pass for more traditional sites and experiences like the Eiffel Tour, the Hop On and Hop Off or the Bateaux River Cruise, as well as public transportation, then the Paris Pass is still worth it for kids. A 2-day Paris Pass for children begins at €42.
Eiffel Tower: What Are the Best Budget Experiences
Of course, no trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Tour de Eiffel.
We are not sure if you want to hear this, but the budget approach to the site is to skip the lift that takes you to the second floor and walk those stairs.
Walking up the Eiffel Tower will save you about €20 per adult and about €10 per child aged 12-24. The rates for kids under 12 are very reasonable and the cost difference between walking and riding is not that different.
But of course, they are not going to let you send your 5-year-old alone on the lift, while you brave the stairs.
It is a little daunting, but every time we have gone to the Eiffel Tower, we have climbed the steps. Our son did it the first time when he was 10 and had zero problems. It is a great way to see the city and get that extra kid energy out on the walk-up.
Entrance to the Eiffel Tower is included in the Paris Pass. In fact, Paris Paris includes an Eiffel Tower climb that has loads of excellent information about the history of this most recognizable site in all of Europe.
And, if you are feeling sorry for yourself climbing the tower just once, ask your guide how often they climb it. Our guide climbed it twice a day most days of the year. Now that is a workout!
How to Eat in Paris for Families on a Budget
Best Grocery Store in Paris
One of the very best ways to travel tips to save money is to eat in. We save so much money by cooking our own meals when we travel that it allows us to take an additional trip each year.
Franprix and Monoprix are the most popular grocery stores in Paris. You will only need to walk 3-4 blocks before you come across one of these stores.
Fresh fruit and veggies are not as plentiful at chain grocery stores. However, there are fruit and vegetable stands all over Paris.
Inexpensive Street Food in Paris
In general, we skip expensive restaurants when we travel. But we love street food.
One of the least expensive street foods in Paris is the crepe. We love a crepe with some Nutella. But crepes are also delicious when savory, which makes for a more inexpensive meal.
While there are creperie carts and stalls literally all across Paris, we love the crepes at Au P´tit Grec in the Latin Quarter. Located on Rue Mouffetard, one of the oldest streets in Paris, Au P’tit Grec might require a few minutes’ wait as they make each crepe fresh. But it is worth it.
Inexpensive Flights to Paris for Families on a Budget
We love Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights, to find the best deals. Our most recent flight from Boise to Paris, which we found on Scott’s Cheap Flights, was only $500, which is incredible.
You can use the free version of Scott’s Cheap Flights. But we love it so much, we paid for a $49 yearly membership. When you sign up for a membership, you indicate your primary or home airport, as well as 3 other nearby airports.
We are based in Boise, Idaho. So Boise is our home airport. But since Seattle, Salt Lake and Los Angeles are often an inexpensive domestic flight away, we also selected those airports.
As members, we get frequent emails when there are great deals out of those cities. Emails come directly to our inbox with an upcoming deal from one of our chosen airports. The email includes all of the specifics – airline, dates, departure airport, etc. as well as a link to Google Flights to book the flight.
We booked our most recent flight in February to Paris about 6 months in advance based on a tip from Going. Prices are really date specific so, again, if you can visit Paris in the off-season of November-March, excluding US Holidays, you will definitely save more.
How to Use Public Transportation In Paris
Exploring a city by public transportation over renting a car always saves you money. Utilizing public transportation is also a sustainable choice, which should be important to all families.
Paris is a city that must be experienced by public transit.
Travel on the Metro is easy and safe. Yes, there are cases of pickpockets in Paris. So be smart. Keep your money and phone in an interior pocket. And definitely don’t take out or show your money on a train.
Paris Transportation Pass
While you can get single tickets to ride the metro for around €2.10, if you are going to be in Paris for multiple days, we recommend getting a multi-day tourist pass.
The Paris Visite travel pass allows you to use all of the public transport networks either just in the city or in Paris and the Île-de-France region: the metro, tramway, bus, RER and SNCF Transilien networks.
The Île-de-France region includes all zones in Paris, airport connections, the Palace of Versailles, and Disneyland Paris.
When buying the pass, you have to decide two things. First, what zones will you be traveling and second, how many days.
You buy the metro pass for either zones 1-3 or for zones 1-5. The pass for zones 1-3 is roughly 10€ cheaper than the pass for zones 1-5.
Really, the pass for zones 1-3 is all you need. All of the major Parisian sites are in zones 1-3, with the exception of the airport. We recommend buying the multi-day pass for zones 1-3 and buy a single ticket to get in and out of the airport.
The second decision is the length of days on your pass. Passes are valid for 1, 2, 3 or 5 consecutive days. Like most multi day passes, the more days you purchase, the cheaper it is per day to travel.
Also a reminder from our previous section on the Paris Pass, if you do decide to buy the Paris Paris, as we did, all of your transportation is included with your Paris Pass.
While Paris is not a “budget” city, it can be affordable. So much of Paris is its beautiful landmarks, parks and monuments, all of which you can experience for free.
