7 Affordable Things to Do Solo in Paris
The City of Love is perhaps as beautiful as it is expensive. It can be easy to find yourself spending a king’s ransom here if you aren’t paying attention.
That said, like any city, there are plenty of affordable and even free things to do if you know where to look. I created a list of my favorite things to do in Paris while I was on a budget (which was always).
Since I was there in the height of spring, most of these options involve being outside and enjoying the weather — if you happen to be in Paris during the winter, I’d bundle up, but for the most part, the list still stands (though I might shorten the length of a picnic or two).
Hope this list helps!
1. Picnic at Champ de Mars
Perhaps one of the most famous free things to do in Paris, while entrance into the Eiffel Tower costs an exorbitant amount of money, the park in front of it, Champ de Mars, is completely free to enter and set up camp.
Besides, if you’re in the Eiffel Tower, you can’t actually see it (cue quote from that author who famously hated the Eiffel Tower). A park view means you’re in the best spot to watch when the Tower lights up at sunset, and watch the light shows that begin every hour on the hour after dusk.
A picnic here makes the top of the list because I feel like some people would be wary of going to a popular tourist trap alone. While it’s true there are always hawkers trying to sell you wine or knock-off knick-knacks, they aren’t aggressive (just repetitive), and it doesn’t take away from the experience.
When the lights turn on and the entire park cheers, when someone has a birthday or a proposal and everyone –locals and tourists alike– joins in on the celebration and singing, it’s pure magic. Show up with a blanket and a book and maybe some snacks and just enjoy the happy atmosphere.
2. Jardin des Tuileries with Lunch from Le Petit Vendôme
There are many beautiful parks in Paris to choose from to enjoy lunch outside. I love the Botanical Gardens and the Luxembourg Gardens as well, and if you’re nearby, definitely check them out as well.
Jardin des Tuileries happens to be the closest park to my favorite sandwich shop Le Petit Vendôme. The sandwich shop made the rounds on TikTok at some point and tends to have a line out the door for takeaway orders, but it’s worth the hype and the wait. With some of the best baguettes in Paris and the atmosphere of a NYC deli, the place makes a fabulous sandwich (my order: the traditional ham and butter baguette with Chantal cheese, sliced and with pickles).
I love to get a sandwich from here and then walk a few minutes to the Jardin, find a nice sunny spot, and enjoy being outside in a beautiful city.
Note: Le Petit Vendôme has a card minimum of 13 euros – if you’re just buying one sandwich for yourself, it’s usually around 8-10 euros, so bring cash or buy a couple of drinks to meet the card minimum
3. Le Café des Chats
Café culture in Paris is one of the best around. I do love finding a spot on the street and sipping at a latte or fresh-squeezed juice and flaky croissant while watching passersby.
My favorite café in Paris, though, is Le Café des Chats. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a cat café. Tucked away in a side street of the 11th arrondissement, entry is a flat 5 euros (waived if you’re a student) plus drinks and food.
They have a range of menu options, including simple café drinks and full meals. I’ve tried a few, and I find their dishes to be of good quality, especially for a café where the draw is really the furry creatures that own the place.
I’ve been to cat cafes around the world, and Le Café des Chats was my favorite. The atmosphere is calm and curated (the room will be shushed if it gets too loud –it’s perfection), and the cats are all friendly and up for adoption.
If you’re a cat lover, I highly recommend stopping by. It’s a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours. I liked going there with a book and just enjoying the presence of some very affectionate new friends.
4. Visit the Cemeteries
Like the Eiffel Tower, Paris’s official Catacombs entry fee is exorbitant (although, honestly, I once paid it and did not regret it for a moment). However, if your interests lean towards the macabre, Paris is also famous for its aboveground cemeteries, most notably the Père Lachaise Cemetery, where Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and a number of other famous people were laid to rest.
Père Lachaise is beautiful and free to enter during its regular hours. Also free to enter are Cimetière de Montmartre, Cimetière de Passy, and Montparnasse Cemetery. I loved Père Lachaise Cemetery the most, but Montmartre is also the final resting place of Edward Degas, and seeing his grave after seeing his works in Musee d’Orsay felt deeply poetic.
5. La REcyclerie and the Saint Ouen Flea Market
On the weekends, Paris has a number of flea markets. The most famous of these is the Saint Ouen flea market, located on the outskirts of the 18th arrondissement, a massive sprawling maze of shops to explore and peruse.
Most likely, you’ll take the metro to Porte de Clignancourt unless you want to walk an hour or more (I’ve done it –not my favorite walk in Paris). If you do take the metro, you’ll end up just across the street from La REcyclerie, one of my favorite restaurants/shops in Paris. It’s a former railway station turned into an eco-friendly farm and café.
There’s a small shopping area at the front with local goods and clothes to browse. When you’re ready, you order at the counter. They have full meal options or drinks and pastries for purchase. I recommend getting an entrée (though the ‘lunch special’ with a dessert and coffee might be overboard unless you’re starved). You’ll be given a buzzer for your order and in the meantime you can explore the place, which has plentiful outdoor seating where you can also see their garden and chicken coops.
The place is beautiful, the food is spectacular, and the atmosphere is perfect for a short rest before heading over the Saint Ouen flea market, which is a short 10-minute walk from the place and which is a stark contrast with the narrow passages and crowded storefronts. I enjoyed walking around the flea market –though I had no intention of buying anything, which might have changed my experience. If you’re looking for a way to spend a weekend afternoon, I recommend giving this part of the city a try.
6. Take the RER to Versailles
Getting to Versailles via public transport from Paris is so easy and affordable (the cost of a regular metro ride), that I strongly feel you have to do it even if you aren’t going into the palace itself.
Entrance to the Palace of Versailles is, in my opinion, overpriced and overhyped. I greatly prefer walking around Versailles Park and the Gardens. The park is always free to enter, and the Gardens are free in the off-season.
Another great place for wandering and lounging in the sun, the gardens have lots of ornate decorations, mainly the fountains, and the park runs along the Grand Canal.
Even if you don’t go to the park or the gardens, Versailles itself is a charming city that’s worth exploring on its own.
If you are looking for a place to eat and are tired of French cuisine (wonderful as it is), there’s a fabulous Italian restaurant near the train station that’s great for a bite and a quick drink before heading back to the city proper.
7. Visit the Louvre
Finally, surely as obvious and basic as the Eiffel Tower, but visiting the Louvre while in Paris is a must if you have any love of art, history, or beauty.
That said, the Louvre is another place where the normal entrance fee is quite pricey. If you’re only staying in Paris for a short amount of time and aren’t lucky enough to qualify for free/reduced admission, seeing the inside of the Louvre can be expensive.
You can still view the outside of the Louvre and the famous Pyramid entrance for free, of course. However, if you’re staying in Paris for a longer period of time, and especially if you’re under the age of 30, I highly recommend investing in a Friends of the Louvre membership card. The normal price of the membership is about the price of 3 visits to the Louvre, but I was able to purchase the 26-29 years member card for half the price. The under 26 card is even more affordable.
It’s a great option if you’re a non-EU passport holder who doesn’t otherwise qualify for the reduced youth rates (usually exclusively for EU citizens). I loved my membership: I was able to enter the Louvre whenever I wanted and skip the security lines at the Richelieu entrance.
It was awesome. Whenever I had free time I didn’t know how to spend, I’d go to the Louvre for a couple of hours. It’s so massive that I always found something new throughout my 2 months there. I cannot recommend it enough.
Note: the Louvre and other museums in Paris do also have designated ‘Free Entry’ days (Musee d’Orsay, for example, is the first Sunday of every month), so keeping an eye out for those opportunities is another way to explore the Parisian museums on a budget.
