Re: <font color =0B0B3B><font face="Times New Roman"><font size = "5">How to Save Money in Paris</font><font size = "2"></font>

Traveling Professor,

These are indeed useful money saving tips. I’ll offer a few more:

1. Free Museum: One of our favorite museums, Carnavalet (in the 4th arrondissement, the Marais), is free. It covers the history of Paris, all in a huge 17th century mansion. Other museums operated by the City of Paris also are free.

2. Ask (nicely) for a discount: When making a hotel reservation my email, ask if a “special internet price” is offered. Even if the hotel has no such program, it may offer a special price. (But don’t expect this to work during the high season in Sept-early October.)

3. Using ATMs and credit cards: Throughout Europe, one gets the best exchange rate by using ATMs. All U.S.-issued credit cards charge one percent for the foreign currency transaction, and most also add — for no good reason except that they can — another two percent, for a total of three percent on each transaction. So everything you put on the credit card is the opposite of “on sale,” and costs three percent more. Very few credit cards today don’t charge this unnecessary additional two percent. You can ask your credit card company whether they charge the extra two percent, but be sure to speak with a supervisor because most telephone clerks won’t really know the answer. One card that does not charge the extra 2 percent is issued by CapitalOne. Travelers checks are unnecessary and a hindrance.

4. Use bikes: There are 1,000 “Velib” public bicycle rental stations (the word comes from “velo,” bicycle, and “liberté,” freedom) where you can rent one of 20,000 bikes for very low cost (the site is mostly in French, but it's fairly easy enough to figure out; you may need a special credit card to use in the machine, however).

5. Car rentals: The last thing we want in Paris is a car. But for exploring the countryside, a car is very useful, and often necessary. You will save considerably by booking before you arrive in France. When arranging from the United States, we usually use the services of a broker who works with several major agencies to find the best rate. Note: You save on rental fees by picking your car up in or outside the city rather than at the airport; there’s no extra charge for returning the car to the airport.

6. Walking tours: We have often enjoyed “Paris Walking Tours” — two-hour tours in English, a bargain at 12€ per person. The schedule for the current and following month can be found on line. For most walks you simply meet at a designated Métro stop at a certain time of day (usually 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m.) and join a group of others who show up, with no need to reserve. The operation is run by an English couple, Peter and Oriel Caine, and when they do not conduct tours themselves they employ exceptionally qualified Americans and Brits who have studied art or history or both while living in Paris for many years. (They also have a London Walks site, linked at the Paris web site.) We also have heard good things about “New Paris Tours,” which offers a free 3.5 hour tour (but the guide will expect a tip).

7. Other money saving tips: Be British (or at least avoid some American rental sites): If you are looking for a countryside rental, booking by using a non-American web site may save substantial money. For example, we saved more than $500 on a one-week chateau rental in the Dordogne by booking through a British Web site instead of an American one for the exact same property, terms and dates.

We list other tips -- and more -- on our Paris and France Web site (which the Traveling Professor also nicely lists under “Paris blogs”).

-- Jake Dear (parisandbeyondinfrance.blogspot.com/ )

Re: <font color =0B0B3B><font face="Times New Roman"><font size = "5">How to Save Money in Paris</font><font size = "2"></font>

Traveling Professor,

These are indeed useful money saving tips. I’ll offer a few more:

1. Free Museum: One of our favorite museums, Carnavalet (in the 4th arrondissement, the Marais), is free. It covers the history of Paris, all in a huge 17th century mansion. Other museums operated by the City of Paris also are free.

2. Ask (nicely) for a discount: When making a hotel reservation my email, ask if a “special internet price” is offered. Even if the hotel has no such program, it may offer a special price. (But don’t expect this to work during the high season in Sept-early October.)

3. Using ATMs and credit cards: Throughout Europe, one gets the best exchange rate by using ATMs. All U.S.-issued credit cards charge one percent for the foreign currency transaction, and most also add — for no good reason except that they can — another two percent, for a total of three percent on each transaction. So everything you put on the credit card is the opposite of “on sale,” and costs three percent more. Very few credit cards today don’t charge this unnecessary additional two percent. You can ask your credit card company whether they charge the extra two percent, but be sure to speak with a supervisor because most telephone clerks won’t really know the answer. One card that does not charge the extra 2 percent is issued by CapitalOne. Travelers checks are unnecessary and a hindrance.

4. Use bikes: There are 1,000 “Velib” public bicycle rental stations (the word comes from “velo,” bicycle, and “liberté,” freedom) where you can rent one of 20,000 bikes for very low cost (the site is mostly in French, but it's fairly easy enough to figure out; you may need a special credit card to use in the machine, however).

5. Car rentals: The last thing we want in Paris is a car. But for exploring the countryside, a car is very useful, and often necessary. You will save considerably by booking before you arrive in France. When arranging from the United States, we usually use the services of a broker who works with several major agencies to find the best rate. Note: You save on rental fees by picking your car up in or outside the city rather than at the airport; there’s no extra charge for returning the car to the airport.

6. Walking tours: We have often enjoyed “Paris Walking Tours” — two-hour tours in English, a bargain at 12€ per person. The schedule for the current and following month can be found on line. For most walks you simply meet at a designated Métro stop at a certain time of day (usually 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m.) and join a group of others who show up, with no need to reserve. The operation is run by an English couple, Peter and Oriel Caine, and when they do not conduct tours themselves they employ exceptionally qualified Americans and Brits who have studied art or history or both while living in Paris for many years. (They also have a London Walks site, linked at the Paris web site.) We also have heard good things about “New Paris Tours,” which offers a free 3.5 hour tour (but the guide will expect a tip).

7. Other money saving tips: Be British (or at least avoid some American rental sites): If you are looking for a countryside rental, booking by using a non-American web site may save substantial money. For example, we saved more than $500 on a one-week chateau rental in the Dordogne by booking through a British Web site instead of an American one for the exact same property, terms and dates.

We list other tips -- and more -- on our Paris and France Web site (which the Traveling Professor also nicely lists under “Paris blogs”).

-- Jake Dear (parisandbeyondinfrance.blogspot.com/ )