Paris on a Budget : Day 1
7:08 PM
Paris comes up a lot as a definite place to visit at the top of our bucket list. Don't we all? What if you're traveling on a budget? Would it still be possible in the romantic city of Chanel, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton? Yes, it is! I have drafted a short itinerary of our visit. 3 Days and 2 Nights in the french capital.
The hotels outside the town centre are cheaper. Checkout Hotel Formule1 or Etap in Paris.
Accommodation: Formule 1 Paris Porte de Montreuil
We chose F1 Paris in Porte de Montreuil due to the close proximity 5 Minutes walking distance from the Metro Station. It is located right next to a shopping mall with a huge supermarket- Carrefour. The hubby stayed there when he was assigned to work in Paris for a few weeks.
During the day, we would normally buy pain au chocolat for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch from Carrefour.
Purchase a Paris Visite Pass. It's a card that gives you unlimited use of the Metro, buses and transport systems in Paris. They're available in various Zones and depending on the number of days you visit. We took the 3-day unlimited. Children under 4 are free. Children from 4-11 are half the price. For prices, click here
Day 1
We arrived early in the morning at Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG). We started our trip midday after a short break at the hotel.
1. Take the Metro to St. Michel de Notre Dame Station. A view of the Seine river lined by gorgeous buildings greeted us.
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| St Michel |
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| Notre Dame Cathedral next to the Seine River |
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| Behind the Cathedral |
We had lunch on the benches under the shade somewhere along the right side of the above photo. We enjoyed a mid day walk afterwards along the adjacent streets and we discovered a lot of souvenir shops and bustling terrasse de cafe.
2. Take the train to Champs de Mars Station on Line RER C, closest to Eiffel Tower.
3. Aboard the Funiculaire du Montmartre, an automatic railway, we climbed the hill of Montmartre. Atop is the famous Sacre Coeur.
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| Sacre Coeur |
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| View of Paris Town Centre from Montmartre |
I enjoyed Montmartre. I watched the kids playfully walking while attached to their parents after the school ended. The street artists painting portraits. The sound of accordion drifting through the air with lovers passionately kissing next to the railing revealing a romantic view of the city. As we took the steep steps bordered by preserved lovely buildings with balconies and windows heavy with potted flowers and vines, I imagined how beautiful morning breakfasts would be on these trellised terraces.
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| Montmartre |
The day ended with a short dinner stop at a Doner Kebab Turkish joint in Montmartre. If you would recall, Montmartre was the setting for the movie Amelie. In the above photo, I'll serve as the ''garden gnome''.
More adventures on Day 2..
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