Paris might be an expensive city, especially with the travel prices escalates regularly, however it’s comforting to know that some of the best stuff in Paris actually are free! Budget travelers willing to take off the beaten path will be in for a treat by discovering many of Paris’s lesser-known wonders, saving enough euros to splurge on a sumptuous meal. Below are free stuff to do around Paris.
1. Explore and learn at small museums
Go to the edge of the marvelous Parc Monceau, and visit Musée Nissim de Camondo, Paris’s greatest example of the art of gracious living. It was once the home of banker Moïse de Camondo, and now it is a monument to the height of French and European decorative arts. There’s the Musée Cognacq-Jay, too, housed in a typical Parisian Hôtel Particulier (mansion) in the Marais. Brimming with important art and objects, the museum is another testament to French art de vivre.
Tip: The first Sunday of the month, almost every museum in Paris, including the Louvre,Centre Pompidou, and the Musée d’Orsay, are free and open to the public.
2. Stroll though PÈRE LACHAISE
Have a glimpse of the final resting place for some of the prominent Parisians, the legendary Père Lachaise, which is Paris’s largest cemetery and one of the city’s most picturesque spots, especially during Toussaints (All Saints’ Day) on November 1, when Parisians leave flowers for their dearly departed. Balzac, Colette, Proust, Oscar Wilde, Molière, Chopin, Sarah Bernhardt, Isadora Duncan, Gertrude Stein, and Jim Morrison are just a few of the notables here in permanent repose.
3. Visit Paris’ historic churches
Aside from Cathédrale de Notre Dame, there are a lot of magnificent churches in Paris. Sainte-Chapelle is one of those, also on the Ile de la Cité. Across the Pont St-Michel in the sixth arrondissement lies one of Paris’s oldest churches, the medieval Église St-Germain-des-Prés and the soaring Église St-Sulpice. Go across the Pont d’Arcole into the 4th and see the glorious Église St-Gervais-St-Protais. There’s another one down scenic rue Miron where the newly cleaned St-Paul-St-Louis houses Delacroix’s Christ on the Mount of Olives. Of course, there’s the famous Sacré-Coeur, tucked on the hill of Montmartre that offers monumental views of Paris. A few steps away is the lesser-known St-Pierre de Montmartre, the oldest surviving church in Paris.
4. See the ARÈNES DE LUTÈCE
Many didn’t know but Paris was once an important Roman outpost, having the ruins of one of the world’s largest Roman amphitheatres, the Arènes de Lutèce, where Gallo-Roman citizens watched theatrical productions, gladiators, and circuses. The amphitheater’s stone walls and terraced seats are well preserved, and now, its inner terrace serves as a favorite picnic ground and soccer field for neighborhood school kids.
5. Learn how to cook, the French way
Can you believe that there are actually a lot of free cooking classes in Paris? You can choose from a range of free cooking courses offered by the Fédération Française de Cuisine to promote French cuisine.
6. Have free wines
How? By attending wine tastings at a few of Paris’s standout wine shops like La Dernière Goutte that hosts free wine tastings on Fridays at 5:00 pm (with free cheese) and all-day Saturday (with the winemakers) starting at 11:00 am. You’re in for a treat if you happen to be in Paris during one of Caves Augé’s famous dégustations, when the wines are flowing for its monthly tastings with the vignerons from the important wine regions of France: the Rhone Valley, the Savoie, Jura, and Alsace, Loire, and Beaujolais.
Tip: Drop by the famous Caves de Taillevent on Saturdays for free flowing wines..
7. Explore PARIS FLEA MARKETS
Check out the bustling Marché aux Puces St-Ouen, a.k.a. Clignancourt. Village Vintage, housed in a courtyard off the rue des Rosiers, the market features a wonderful café, art galleries, vintage couture, and a wealth of 20th-century design. Some would prefer the smaller Vanves, open Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 1 pm. Others head out to Foire de Chatou, France’s largest outdoor market.
Tip: Get a copy of the Pariscope to know about the different flea markets around Paris.
8. Experience art at LE CENTQUATRE
Le Centquatre is now among Europe’s leading contemporary art venues, with an international listing of artists in different art form: visual arts, dance, music, theater, cinema, and video art. Guest DJs and live concerts rock the hall on weekend nights.
9. Watch free movies
Gather around Paris’s largest park, Parc de la Villette, grab your blankets and enjoy fee movies from July to August. Paris’s Forum des Images also hosts Cinéma au Clair de Lune at the end of July to mid-August, where you can watch French classics for free. You can also join the local Parisians and go to La Peniche Cinéma to experience a different kind of setting. Enjoy free movies on a boat at Canal de l’Ourcq in the Parc de la Villette. Free year-round series of films and concerts every Friday and Saturday are offered.
10. Gawk at LE PANTHÉON
Visit the Panthéon, burial place of such French luminaries as Voltaire and Rousseau.
11. Munch on free food
Great news! You’re not likely to go hungry in Paris. At these affable nightspots, as long as the drinks are flowing, the food at the bar is free. Le Bouillon Belge’s imposing beer list and well-priced cocktails are accompanied by free moules and crisp frites (mussels and fries). On Friday or Saturday night, hit Tribal Café for complementary couscous with your drinks; Wednesdays and Thursdays are free moule-frite nights. Or you can hit up Les Trois Frères after 8:30 pm on Thursdays for platters of free couscous with merguez (lamb) sausage at the bar. Free kemia and —and other Middle Eastern-style amuses-gueules or appetizers with your aperitif are offered in Le Penty.
12. Attend free concerts
The American Church in Paris offers free Sunday night concert series since the 1930s. Notre Dame Cathedral also offers a program of Gregorian chants, organ music, and other concerts which are offered year-round. The Église de la Madeleine hosts a series of free performances, too, along with other churches like Église de la Trinité, near Gare Saint-Lazare, Église Saint-Eustache in Les Halles; the lovely Église Saint-Roch near the Palais Royal; and the Église Protestante Réformée de l’Oratoire du Louvre in the Louvre.
13. Explore PALAIS ROYAL
You can’t miss these manicured gardens, one of Paris’s true hidden wonders. Spend an afternoon lounging around the central fountain or enjoy a god book among the rosebushes like Simone de Beauvoir did as a schoolgirl.
14. Hit PLACE DES VOSGES
In the heart of the Marais, another one-time royal palace is situated where young Parisians love to lounge on a pleasant day. Surrounded by art galleries and cafés, it’s a great place to stop for a bite or a drink and watch the world go by.
15. Enjoy a walk along the CANAL ST-MARTIN
Want to indulge on a true Paisian pleasure? Stroll under the plane trees and over the bridges lining the picturesque Canal St-Martin! Other streets not to miss are the rue des Vinaigriers, rue Beaurepaire, rue Marseille, and rue de Lancry, and rue Lucien Sampaix on the canal’s west side. On the east side, take rue de la Grange to a lovely little chapel, part of the early 17th-century Hôpital Saint-Louis, founded by Henry IV in 1607, it’s one of Paris’s oldest hospitals and a pretty place for a stroll.
16. Exercise at the BERGES DE SEINE
Berges de Seine offers a multitude of free activities for all ages, perfect for a stroll, jog, or bike while taking in riverside views of Paris. It also offers a series of outdoor fitness classes with coaching, including running, jump rope, yoga, Nordic walking, skiing, boxing, and even free personal training sessions to get you motivated. In addition to the fun, there are also free concerts and outdoor films during the summer.
Tip: There’s a free Qi Gong classes which are offered every morning at 9:00 am in the majestic Buttes Chaumont park next to the café Rosa Bonheur on the Esplanade de l’Avenue de la Cascade.
17. Wander through gardens and parks
A visit to Paris isn’t complete without a leisurely stroll in the Jardin du Luxembourg, which offers lush gardens and trees, tennis courts, an apiary and orchards, a Guignol puppet theater, Paris’s oldest carousel, and many more. You can also check out the Jardin des Plantes, France’s primary botanic garden, with exotic and medicinal plants from the world over. Along with its lovely shaded pathways and miles of flowerbeds, the park contains the world’s oldest zoo, historic greenhouses, the Museum of Paleontology, and the incomparable Musée de l’Histoire Naturelle.
18. Explore Paris’ vineyards
The Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre, one of the best parties of the year in Paris, happens every October on the heights of Montmartre to celebrate the grape harvest at the Clos Montmartre. But you can always enjoy the scenic views any time of the year, just take a stroll on the rue des Saules. You can also visit the vineyard of Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes, located in the very steep Parc de Belleville.
19. Admire the PROMENADE PLANTÉE
The Promenade Plantée‘s lush, overgrown gardens and trees take walkers eye-level through an architecturally rich part of the city. A jogger’s paradise, the promenade is a favorite route for walkers and Sunday strollers.
