Free Things To Do in Paris This Summer

As many other European capitals, Paris can be a pricey city for a vacation, unless you know where to go or, more important, when.

If you are planning to stay in one of the apartments in Paris for the next months you are probably worried about the money you are going to spend on these vacations, not only with the accommodation but also with the many interesting places you can’t wait to visit.

So, don’t panic.

Although Paris can be an expensive city you have to know you can also explore Paris without spending a penny.

How? You just have to know where to go and when.

The Louvre

Normal admission is about 6€ but there is free entrance the first Sunday of each month as well on Bastille Day (July 14). Access is always free for guests under 18 and also for guests between 18 and 25 who are citizens or long-term residents of an EU member state. If you are going to visit the museum the first Sunday of month you have to keep in mind that the Louvre is a popular attraction, so the lines on free days are predictably extra long. Go there soon and be prepared.

Musée d’Orsay

You can also explore for free the greatest hits of Impressionism at this tourist-favourite art museum the first Sundays of each month. Remember they always have free entrance for guests under 18 and guests between 18 and 25 who are citizens or long-term residents of an EU member state. Take advantage of the free entrance to admire paintings by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Degas, Manet, Van Gogh and Cézanne.

Eiffel Tower

Scaling the Eiffel Tower has a price, but the view from below is spectacular in its own right, and it’s free. It can also be a perfect backdrop to a leisurely picnic in the surrounding grassy area (that would mean a cheap meal too!). Be sure to visit the tower at night, when it sparkles each hour with an awe-inspiring ten-minute display of 20,000 glittering white lights.

Notre-Dame Cathedral

The entrance to Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic heart of Paris, is free of charge. You only have to pay to visit the tower and the treasury. But, the first Sunday from October through March you will also be able to climb the 387 steps of the North Tower for free. Whenever you decide to visit it, don’t forget to take a photo of your feet planted on the plaque at point zero, on the square in front of the basilica. All distances from Paris to elsewhere in France are measured from there.

Fashion show at Galeries Lafayette

There’s a weekly fashion show of designer and couturier collections on Fridays at 3pm on the seventh floor of France’s centenarian department store at Galeries Lafayette. The show is free but reservations are required.
You can make yours here: e-mail welcome@galerieslafayette.com Tel. 33 [0]1 42 82 36 40.

Paris Plage

You thought Paris didn’t have a beach? Think twice. Paris is famous for its summer plages (beaches). In 2012, Paris Plages have three main locations: on the square in front of City Hall (Hotel de Ville), along the right banks of the Seine river on the Georges Pompidou Expressway, and along the Quai de la Villette in northeastern Paris (19th arrondissement). Paris Plages 2012 will be open daily between July 20th to August 19th, from 8:00 a.m. to midnight. So remember to take your swimsuit!

As you can see, a holiday in one of the Paris apartments can also be enjoyed on a tight budget, you just have to know how!

Travel tip shared by Only-Apartments
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