How to have a city break in Paris on a budget with kids!

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If you’re wondering how to have a city break in Paris with the kids on a budget then you’ve definitely come to the right place! We’ve had some fantastic family adventures in Europe over the last few years exploring cities like Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, and Interlaken – and it’s easier to do on a small budget than you might think! So, here’s how to have a budget friendly city break in Paris with the kids – I’ve included money saving tips to help you to cut costs on travel, accommodation, excursions, transport and food. And, have a browse around my website for more money saving travel tips, and lots of travel reviews too – family travel on a budget is my thing! 😍 Here are 10 ways to have a city break in Paris on a budget with the kids…

1. Pick your travel dates wisely

The weather in Paris can be hit and miss, just as it is in the UK! So, the timing of your visit needn’t be during peak summer dates – and if you’re able to travel during the off-peak season then you’ll most certainly save money on both flights and accommodation. If you need to travel within school holiday dates then you’ll likely find May half-term, Easter and the October break cheaper than the summer holidays. Hotels and other accommodation options are also usually cheaper during the week, with more inflated prices at the weekends, and flights often follow this pattern too! So if you’re able to have a midweek family getaway, and avoid weekend dates, then that can be a great way to save money on your budget city break in Paris – even if you’re holidaying when the kids are off from school.

2. Stay outside of the city centre

The best way to keep costs down is to look for accommodation outside of Paris city centre – we do this a lot, as we love exploring cities with the kids. Not only is it cheaper, it’s also nice to come away from the city when we’re finished and have other elements to the holiday too. Staying centrally can be really expensive, but picking somewhere slightly further out will be an instant money saver. When you’re choosing your accommodation, looking for somewhere to stay that charges per party rather than per person is also a great money-saver. And, Eurocamp campsites are a fantastic way to plan affordable family holidays – we’ve had most of our European adventures hopping between Eurocamp sites and it’s enabled us to travel more often, for longer periods and on a small budget.

Eurocamp have recently added some new holiday parks and there are now 7 Paris based options which will cost for a week what many hotels in Paris will charge for one night. Travelling into the city to explore via public transport is a great way to keep things on budget – and look for family tickets on the Paris metro system to save some money there too. Here are some of the Eurocamp campsites available in the Paris area – with dates this month around just £200 per family for a whole week! Plus they come with swimming pools, activities, entertainment and everything else that makes a good child-friendly family holiday. Check out this article for more info: Eurocamp France: Which holiday parks are near Paris for a city break?

3. Look for cheap travel options

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll already know that we’re obsessed with road trips! 😂 Paris is the perfect city for a road adventure as it’s only a 3 hour drive from Calais, so if you’re able to drive you’ll likely save on time and travel costs compared with flying. Booked at Eurocamp’s discounted rate – the cost of a return trip on the ferry from Dover to Calais is typically around £100, whilst Le Shuttle is around £250. For direct bookings, you can compare ferry prices on the Direct Ferries website to find the best options for your trip. Le Shuttle is a speedier option for a trip to France (the crossing takes around 30 minutes, whilst the ferry takes around 90 minutes) but it’s typically more expensive.

If you’re opting to fly, the best airport for visiting central Paris is likely to be Orly Airport as it’s the closest – from there it takes 20-30 minutes to travel in central Paris depending on the traffic (it’s only around 15km away) so it’s a great option for a short transfer. Charles de Gaulle Airport is another popular option, and it’s a larger airport so it may have more options for flight times and perhaps offer more budget-friendly flights, but it’s further away and likely a good 40-60 minute transfer depending on traffic. Use Skyscanner to hunt out the best flight prices.

Travelling by train can often be the least stressful mode of transport, so taking the Eurostar to Paris can be a great option if you can find some affordable ticket prices. The Eurostar from London to Paris takes around 2.5 hours. The cheapest tickets I could find were around £45pp each way, though some tickets were double this cost or more so you’ll need to do your research to keep things affordable. The cost can often be on par with flying, so the best option for your family will depend on your location, travel dates and how much luggage you’d need, as this can make flying more expensive.

4. Book self-catering accommodation

If you do want to stay in the middle of the action, and enjoy the hustle and bustle, then look at booking something like a VRBO apartment rather than a hotel. Not only is it likely to be cheaper if you’re staying for a few days or more, but you’ll also have more space to spread out and hopefully some cooking facilities to avoid the high costs that come with eating out. Visit local city markets for fresh affordable ingredients, or head to a budget supermarket to stock up. If you’re booking a Eurocamp accommodation, slightly further out from the city centre, you’ll be pleased to know that their holiday homes come with full kitchens, decent sized fridges and a dining area for meal times. Take a look at my Eurocamp accommodation guide for more info.

You could even book through Trusted Housesitters to get your city getaway accommodation for free. In exchange for looking after someone’s pet, you can stay in their home – making travelling to your favourite places so much more affordable. A bonus of using Trusted Housesitters is that lots of people will want school holiday dates, to fit around their own trips away, so it can be a good way to travel during peak dates. Annual memberships start from £99.

5. Be prepared to avoid fines

If you’re taking a road trip, prep your car properly with the mandatory things that you’ll need for driving in France, as well as the documents you should carry too. You’ll need to carry your driver’s license, car registration certificate and insurance papers if you’re driving in Europe. Plus breakdown cover and travel insurance are a must! (We get an annual European policy so that it covers all of our trips in one swoop!) If you’re driving within Paris, you’ll need to buy an emissions sticker to stick on your windscreen to avoid a fine. And, check your route so that you’re prepared for the cost of any tolls and fuel, and aware of speed limits. The rules for driving in Europe also insist that you have mandatory items in / on your car (like reflective jackets, a UK sticker etc) so make sure that you’re properly prepared – you can get a ready-made EU driving kit from Amazon.

6. Plan your excursions wisely

Pre-plan your excursions to fit around your budget. The Notre-Dame de Paris has got to be one of the most impressive and interesting places to visit – and fortunately you can enter for free. There are also lots of other free places you can visit like the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre (with amazing views), the Jardin des Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens. Ticket prices to the Eiffel Tower vary dependant on whether you want access to the very top, and whether you’re happy to use the stairs rather than the lift. So, if you’re on a budget you can save a fair bit of money by stopping at the lower viewing platform, or using your legs! You can also get right up to close to it without paying a penny, so if you’re happy to take it in from the ground then you can do so for free. (And, visit in the evening to watch it light up!)

Taking a boat ride on the River Seine was probably Finn and Lola’s favourite thing that we did during our trip to Paris. Exploring by boat is a great way to save little legs from getting too tired – and you can get combined tickets for multiple attractions, which can be a great way to save money compared to buying individual tickets. (Websites like Tiqets can be great for this kind of thing – they have discounted combination tickets, like their Paris city card or museum bundle tickets, so it pays to be organised!) But, if it’s a little bit too costly, then consider hopping on a bus instead to explore in comfort on a budget. For more information on visiting Paris with the kids check out my article: Paris family holiday itinerary – the best things to see and do with kids.

7. Pack picnics, drinks and snacks

To keep costs low when you’re exploring Paris, take drinks, snacks and a picnic for lunch with you when you head out for the day. Preparing your own baguettes is a great way to save money, and bakeries in France are never hard to find – try to eat like a local, you could even pick up some cheap lunch bits in a supermarket or at a market. When we’re exploring we also use refillable water bottles to keep our drinks cool all day, and even pack a flask for our lunchtime coffee fix. A cool bag rucksack is a must for keeping everything fresh and it’s a brilliant investment for both holidays and days out with the kids at home too.

If you’re still in the city into the evening then you could also opt for something easy like McDonalds (or another budget fast food option). As much as I’m not a fan of junk food, and it would be nice to enjoy restaurant food when we go away, it can be really unaffordable when you’re travelling as a family of four. We’ve also noticed on our travels that the shops and restaurants closest to popular monuments and sights are often the most expensive, so wander away from places like the Eiffel Tower before choosing where to buy food or souvenirs to avoid overpaying.

8. Walk or cycle

When we travel we clock up an insane amount of steps when we’re exploring cities. We like to walk as much as possible as it’s the best way to really see a city, and it doesn’t cost a penny! Before we set out for the day, I’ll plan a route to make sure that we see everything we’d like to see without going back on ourselves or adding in unnecessary steps – and that (and ice-cream!) seems to be the best way to keep everyone happy. (If you’re driving, and you’ve got a bike rack, you could even bring your own wheels! We explored Amsterdam by bike and the kids loved it!) If you want to travel around using the Metro, map out the best route to suit your itinerary so you’re not paying for unnecessary trips.

9. Take your supplies with you

When you book campsites with mobile home accommodation, like Eurocamp, just little things like taking your own bedding will save you a bit of money. Make sure that you also pack things like anti-histamine tablets, antiseptic cream, bite cream, bug spray, paracetamol and plasters too – these items can be really expensive from pharmacies abroad (compared to our UK budget store and supermarket prices) so it pays to be well prepared for every eventuality! Check out my Ultimate Family Holiday Packing Guide – with free printable checklist to help you to get organised.

10. Plan wisely and set a budget

When you’re planning your Paris family holiday, think about what you’re able to spend and then take out the main factors to see how much spending money that will leave you. You’ll need to price up the big things like accommodation, travel costs (ferry, tolls, fuel, flights etc) and food. Cities can be extremely expensive to visit if you’re not careful so being well-prepared, and setting a daily spending limit, is the best way to keep your spending on track. Thank goodness for the internet, it’s actually really easy to find toll costs and predict fuel usage nowadays and you’ll be able to find the cost of things you’d like to see and do too. Being organised and planning everything properly is the best way to make sure that your trip is affordable. Happy travels! 😍