Skip Paris & Discover These Cheap Places To Go in France

Cheap Places To Go in France

France has a reputation for emptying wallets – think €5 coffees in Paris and €200 hotel nights on the Riviera. When I first backpacked through France, I braced myself for financial pain.

And sure enough, a couple days in Paris destroyed my budget: a dorm bed cost more than a private room elsewhere in Europe, and a simple sandwich set me back triple what I’d pay at home. Travel gurus aren’t exaggerating when they warn that “France can destroy your budget if you aren’t careful” nomadicmatt.com.

But here’s the twist: after multiple trips (and a few hard lessons), I discovered that “expensive” France is only one side of the story. Step off the tourist treadmill and you’ll find cheap places to go in France that are not only affordable, but far more rewarding.

In this guide, I’ll break down the real costs (with actual numbers), call out overrated tourist traps, and share candid tips from experience on how to enjoy France on a backpacker’s budget. If you’ve assumed France is always pricey, get ready for a reality check.

Breaking Down the Real Costs of Traveling in France

Let’s talk money. How much does it really cost to travel in France on a budget? Here’s a breakdown of real travel costs in France, category by category, with a focus on keeping things cheap:

Accommodation

Lodging is often the biggest expense, but choosing the right places can save you a ton. In Paris, the average budget traveler spends about €98 per day (with a hostel bed often €30–€50 by itself) budgetyourtrip.com. By contrast, in smaller cities like Dijon you can get by on roughly €80 per day total budgetyourtrip.com, and a basic hotel room for two might cost just €60–€80 a night lonelyplanet.com.

I learned this the hard way: I paid €45 for a creaky bunk in a dingy Paris hostel (plus a “taxe de séjour” city tax on checkout), whereas later in Lille I scored a private Airbnb room for the same price – with breakfast included. The key is to stay outside the tourist epicenters. France’s smaller cities and towns have plenty of family-run hotels, hostels, and gîtes (affordable guesthouses) from €20–€30 per person.

Even in popular regions, opting for the outskirts helps – for example, lodging in Avignon or Aix-en-Provence is cheaper than a stay within sight of the Côte d’Azur. Also beware of France’s ubiquitous tourist tax on accommodations.

It’s usually modest (around €0.20–€0.90 per person/night in most towns connexionfrance.com), but in hot spots like Paris it’s skyrocketing – from 2024, Parisian hotels will charge about **€5–€8 per person, per night in tourist tax alone for mid-range rooms authentic-europe.com. (Yes, you read that right – you could burn €40 extra on taxes during a week in Paris!) Always factor this in when comparing room rates, so you’re not hit with a surprise fee at checkout.

Food & Drinks

French cuisine is world-class – and it doesn’t have to bust your budget if you do it like a local. In hyper-touristy areas, it’s easy to pay €15 for a sad croque-monsieur or €5 for a coffee just because you’re near a famous monument. Avoid this! For instance, on Day 1 in Paris I made the mistake of sitting at a café in view of Notre-Dame – my café crème was nearly €5 and painfully mediocre. Lesson learned.

The affordable approach is to embrace bakeries, markets and prix-fixe lunches. A typical bakery breakfast (flaky croissant or pain au chocolat) is about €1–€2. A filling baguette sandwich from a boulangerie or takeaway crêpe is often €4–€6 – a steal for a delicious meal. Many restaurants offer a plat du jour or set lunch menu for €12–€18, which is the best deal if you want a sit-down meal (the same dish might cost 50% more at dinner).

In smaller towns, I feasted on three-course lunch specials for €15. Also capitalize on the very French tradition of picnicking: hit a local market for fresh cheese, charcuterie, bread, and a €5 bottle of wine, and have a riverside picnic. You can easily dine like royalty for under €10 per person this way nomadicmatt.com. I’ve enjoyed some of my best meals on the grass of a public park, baguette in hand, watching everyday French life go by.

As for drinks, note that tap water (“une carafe d’eau”) is free at restaurants if you ask – don’t let anyone upsell you bottled water. And if you need your caffeine fix, do as locals do and drink your coffee at the bar – standing at a café counter, an espresso might be €1–€2, whereas sitting at a touristy terrace could triple the price everydayparisian.com.

Transportation

France has fantastic transport infrastructure – you can cross the country by high-speed TGV train in hours – but the cost ranges from dirt-cheap to eye-watering. The rule of thumb is plan ahead and go local. High-speed trains booked last-minute can blow your budget (Paris to Nice can cost over €150 if you just show up), but if you book in advance you might snag the same TGV ride for €30–€50.

For longer routes, I often skip the TGV and take FlixBus or BlaBlaCar rideshares. They’re slower but unbelievably cheap – for example, I once took a FlixBus from Lyon to Toulouse for around €15. Regional trains (TER) are another budget-friendly way to explore; they’re slower than TGV but much cheaper and no reservation needed.

An example from my trip notes: a TER train from Avignon to Arles (about 20 minutes longer than driving) cost me under €10. Within cities, public transit is both reliable and inexpensive. Metro and bus tickets in most cities run about €1.50–€2 (Paris single ride is ~€1.90, other cities even less). In Dijon, a tram ride cost just €1.70 lonelyplanet.com– and many cities offer day passes for a few euros. Several times I nearly fell for the convenience of taxis/Uber, but the fares can be brutal (especially late at night or in Paris traffic).

Instead, I walked and used city bike-shares – Paris’s Vélib bikes or Lyon’s Vélo’v are a fun, healthy way to get around for only a couple euros per day. If you plan to visit multiple cities, consider a rail pass cautiously: France’s rail passes aren’t always a great deal unless you’re taking lots of long-distance trips.

I personally found point-to-point tickets (bought early) or buses to be more cost-effective. One more tip: budget airlines like easyJet or Ryanair connect French cities too – e.g. Paris to Marseille often for €50–€80 if booked aheadnomadicmatt.com.

But factor in luggage fees and the cost/time of getting to outlying airports. Overall, slower travel = cheaper travel in France. Take that night bus, enjoy the scenery on a regional train, and you’ll save big.

Hidden Costs & Tourist Traps

Here’s where France can sneakily drain your funds if you’re not aware. One big culprit is overpriced attractions. Some famous sights charge hefty entry fees – a ticket up the Eiffel Tower runs up to €26 (to summit) and the Louvre is €17. These are world-class experiences, sure, but ask yourself if the pricey admissions (and hours in line) are worth it.

Many museums have free days (typically the first Sunday of the month)parisjetaime.com or reduced rates on certain evenings – take advantage of those instead of paying full price. Another hidden cost is guided tours and excursions sold to tourists; a simple half-day wine tour in Bordeaux might cost €100+. Often you can DIY these activities – for instance, rather than a €90 guided tour of Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards, I took a €2 local bus to a village and visited a couple of wineries for free tastings.

Scams are another thing to watch for (especially in big cities). Paris is infamous for pickpockets and tourist scams that can indirectly cost you (either by theft or by overpaying). Around hotspots like the Eiffel Tower, beware of the classic tricks: people handing you “free” woven bracelets then demanding money, fake petition signers (they’ll distract you and pick your pocket), or hustlers running the shell game on the sidewalk.

These can cost you way more than any museum ticket if you fall victim. In fact, the Eiffel Tower area was ranked Europe’s #1 attraction for scams in a recent survey explore.com – more reason to skip the lines and enjoy it from afar. Also be cautious of taxis or rickshaws near tourist sites that don’t clearly state prices – I’ve seen tourists charged €50 for a 5-minute pedicab ride in Paris due to a tiny “per person” fine print explore.com.

Another hidden expense: domestic fees and taxes. We already covered the steep tourist tax in hotels, but also remember things like highway tolls (if you rent a car, French autoroute tolls add up fast – I once paid about €30 in tolls just driving from Paris to Normandy).

Parking fees in cities are another, so if you drive, look for free parking zones or park-and-ride lots. Finally, currency exchange can be a sneaky budget killer – avoid airport exchange bureaus with awful rates; use ATMs in city centers or just pay by card (France is very card-friendly) to get fair exchange rates.

The bottom line: France has its share of “gotchas” for travelers, but a little knowledge goes a long way. Skip the obvious tourist traps, double-check what you’re paying for, and you’ll dodge most of these extra costs.

Overrated Tourist Traps (and Budget-Friendly Alternatives)

Not all French destinations are created equal – especially when you’re counting pennies. Some places, while famous, will guzzle your budget and test your patience, leaving you wondering what you paid for. Let’s call out a few overhyped spots and shine a light on cheaper, under-the-radar alternatives that deliver equal (or better) joy for budget travelers:

Paris vs. The Rest of France

I’ll probably get some flak for this, but here’s my hot take – Paris is phenomenal, but massively overrated for budget travelers. Yes, the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Champs-Élysées are iconic. They’re also absurdly expensive and swarming with tourists nearly year-round. When I first went to Paris, I burned through over €100 a day and spent half my time in lines or packed subway cars. Frankly, I enjoyed France more once I left Paris.

Cities like Lyon, Toulouse, and Lille offer rich history, world-class food, and authentic culture at a fraction of Paris’s cost. For example, Lyon (France’s gastronomic capital) has fantastic bouchon restaurants where a hearty prix-fixe menu is under €20, and many museums are €6–€8 or free – compare that to Paris where I paid €15 just to see Sainte-Chapelle’s stained glass.

Lille in the north charmed me with its Flemish-inflected architecture and youthful energy (it’s a big university town). I stayed in Lille for €30 a night in a cozy hostel, while a comparable stay in Paris was €50+. The truth is, Paris drains your budget for every extra day you stay.

My advice: spend a day or two in Paris if you must (there are ways to do it cheaply, like free walking tours and avoiding taxis), but don’t park yourself there for your whole trip. France’s cheap places to visit are largely outside Paris. Use the capital as a sampler, then hop on a train to explore cheaper cities.

You’ll get a more personal experience and your wallet will thank you. As one travel guide aptly put it, “Paris isn’t the only option for city slickers” in Francetransitionsabroad.com– broaden your horizons and you’ll spend less.

The French Riviera Glitz vs. Hidden Med Gems

When people imagine a French vacation, many think of the Riviera: Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez… glamorous, yes, but budget nightmares. I learned this the hard way by spending a weekend in Nice during peak season – nearly €150 per night for a mediocre hotel, €25 plates of pasta at seaside bistros, and beach clubs charging €20 just for a chair and umbrella. It was fun for a day, but I constantly felt ripped off.

The Riviera’s famed resort towns are money pits (even travel experts note that places like Monaco, Cannes, and St-Tropez are in another price stratosphere transitionsabroad.com). The good news? You can enjoy the Mediterranean without going broke – you just have to go where the ordinary French go for vacation.

Provence and Languedoc regions have plenty of low-key coastal towns and islands that are far cheaper than the Riviera hotspots. I ditched Nice and headed one hour west to Cassis, a postcard-perfect fishing village with turquoise waters and dramatic calanques (limestone coves).

In Cassis, I found an affordable guesthouse and spent my days hiking to hidden beaches and sipping local rosé for a few euros a glass. The vibe was laid-back and authentically French – a world apart from Cannes’ red carpets. Another time, I skipped pricy Saint-Tropez and stayed in Menton, a lovely town on the Italian border known for its lemon festival.

Menton had free public beaches (with actual sand!), cheap eats like socca (chickpea crepes) for €3, and a beautiful old town – and I paid hostel prices for a family-run hotel. The lesson: avoid the hype spots on the Côte d’Azur. Even Marseille, once considered gritty, is now a vibrant coastal city that’s significantly more affordable than Nice (Data shows Marseille’s cost of living is about €2,600/month vs. Nice’s higher cost) transitionsabroad.com.

Plus, Marseille’s eclectic neighborhoods and street food (hello, €5 bouillabaisse from a market stall!) gave me a more interesting experience than sharing a beach with a thousand other tourists. If you want sun and sea, go where French families go: the Île de Ré on the Atlantic, the Côte Vermeille near Spain, or the Brittany coast in summer. They may not have Hollywood glam, but they’re cheap and cherished slices of France that foreigners often overlook.

Tourist Icons vs. Authentic Alternatives

France’s most iconic sights are incredible, no doubt – but many are over-commercialized tourist traps today. Take Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy. I was beyond excited to see this island abbey (it looks straight out of a fantasy novel), but the reality was sobering: throngs of tour groups shuffling through the one narrow street, souvenir shops every two feet hawking €8 fridge magnets, and cafés selling “omelettes” at €30 (legend has it the original omelette was invented here, but I can tell you it’s an overpriced fluff).

I spent a night near Mont Saint-Michel and felt the sting of high-season hotel rates and mandatory shuttle bus fees. In hindsight, a quick day trip would’ve sufficed – or perhaps I should’ve skipped it entirely.

Overrated? For the cost, I’d say yes. Instead, I found my magic in lesser-known Breton towns like Dinan and Concarneau. Dinan is a medieval town with half-timbered houses and ramparts overlooking a river – it felt like a Mont Saint-Michel without the gimmicks (and with normal prices!). I paid a few euros to walk the ancient city walls and enjoyed a fabulous crepe dinner for under €10.

Concarneau has a walled old town (“Ville Close”) surrounded by water, equally as charming and free to enter. These places see French visitors and savvy travelers, but you won’t be jammed in a tourist funnel or charged an “island premium” on everything.

Another example: Château de Versailles – spectacular but can wipe out an entire day and a good chunk of cash (€19 entry + €10 for the gardens + pricey train ride from Paris). I actually skipped Versailles on my budget trip and opted to visit Château de Fontainebleau instead. Fontainebleau (reachable by a cheap €8 train ticket) had no lines when I went, the palace entry was only €12, and the experience was profoundly peaceful – I wandered gilded halls and expansive gardens almost alone. It was just as opulent and historic as Versailles, but without the crowds and stress.

This is a pattern throughout France: the big-name attraction often overrates itself, while a lesser-known alternative nearby gives you a more intimate encounter for less money. Why pay €25 for a crowded Eiffel Tower elevator when you can ride to the top of Tour Montparnasse for €18 and get an uncrowded view of the Eiffel Tower? Or skip the overrated Cannes Film Festival scene and catch a local open-air film night in some village square for free.

Be critical about what everyone says “you must see” – sometimes the emperor has no clothes (or the town has no soul once it’s over-touristed). By going off the beaten path, I not only saved money but often had a richer experience. France is full of unsung gems – medieval villages, regional parks, local markets – that cost little and yet ended up as highlights of my trip.

How to Save Money in France

By now, it’s clear that cheap places to go in France do exist, but they require smart planning. Here are some of the best money-saving tips and local hacks I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that can help you stretch your euros and avoid common travel mistakes:

Travel in the Off-Season (or Shoulder Season)

Timing is everything. Prices in France skyrocket in July and August, when Europeans go on holiday and every destination is packed. If you’re on a budget, avoid the peak summer period and major holidays. Instead, aim for the shoulder seasons – late spring (April–May) or early fall (September–October).

During these months, accommodation can be 30-50% cheaper than summer rates, and you won’t need to elbow through crowds at every attraction. I once visited the Loire Valley in October – not only did I have crisp autumn weather and vineyards ablaze in fall colors, but I also found a B&B for €50 that was €90 in summer. Off-season (like November to March) can be even cheaper, though weather is colder and some seaside or rural areas get very quiet (or shut down) in winter.

One perk: many museums in Paris are free on the first Sunday of the month all year round parisjetaime.com, but note that in peak summer those days are mobbed – go in low season and you might stroll right in. By choosing your dates wisely, you’ll save money and see a more authentic side of France with locals actually around.

Use Cheaper Transport Alternatives

As discussed, transportation can eat your budget if you only stick to taxis and last-minute TGV trains. To save money, travel like locals and students do. Embrace buses and rideshares – France has an extensive coach network (FlixBus, BlaBlaBus, etc.) that connects even small cities at ultra-low fares. Yes, it takes longer, but overnight buses are a great budget hack (travel while you sleep and save a night of hotel).

The rideshare app BlaBlaCar is wildly popular in France – I used it to get from Paris to Bordeaux for €25, a fraction of the train price. It’s basically carpooling; you pitch in for gas and tolls. Also, book trains early online (on SNCF’s website) to snag limited cheap seats. If you’re under 27, get the Carte Avantage Jeune rail discount card for €49 – it pays for itself with ~2 long journeys, giving about 30% off many trains. For local transit, buy carnets (bulk tickets) or day passes instead of singles.

In Paris, a carnet of 10 metro tickets costs ~€16 (versus €1.90 each). And don’t overlook walking and cycling – French cities are very walkable. I saved money and discovered hidden nooks by simply walking instead of taking the metro for short distances. Plus, every major city now has cheap bike rentals – I toured Strasbourg’s picturesque center by bike for €7/day. Skipping the taxi or Uber not only saves cash but often saves time (Paris traffic, c’est terrible!).

Stay Outside the Tourist Centers

This is my #1 tip for cheap stays. You pay a huge premium for staying in the historic center or next to a landmark. Instead, consider basing yourself in a nearby town or a less-touristy neighborhood, and then taking public transport in for sightseeing.

For example, hotels in central Paris were out of my price range, so I stayed in a budget hotel in Montreuil (a suburb on the metro line) for half the cost, and it only took 15 minutes on the metro to reach the city center each day. When visiting Provence, I skipped expensive Avignon hotels and got a lovely Airbnb in a village 10 km away for one-third the price – I just took a short bus ride to town when I wanted to go in. Another strategy: use university towns as bases.

Cities like Grenoble or Montpellier (both full of students) have cheaper average rents and hotel rates, so you can often find deals transitionsabroad.com. They also have vibrant, youthful atmospheres and lots of affordable eateries and bars catering to students.

During my trip to the French Alps, I stayed in Grenoble (known for its tech university) and did day trips to pricey ski resorts. Grenoble itself was very affordable (monthly living costs around €2,400 according to nomadgirl.co, which translates to good deals for short-term stays too) and a train into the mountains was just a few euros.

In summary, don’t insist on a view of the Eiffel Tower from your hotel – you’ll pay dearly. Stay a bit further and commute in; France’s transit makes that easy.

Take Advantage of Free Culture and Nature

One mistake travelers make is assuming they must pay for experiences. In France, many of the best experiences are free or dirt-cheap. All cities have gorgeous churches, parks, markets, and street scenes you can enjoy without spending a cent. I spent hours wandering Paris’s Montmartre neighborhood, listening to street musicians and people-watching on the steps of Sacré-Cœur (totally free, and the view over Paris from there is unbeatable).

Similarly, rather than shelling out for every single museum, pick just a couple must-sees and enjoy France’s free attractions otherwise. Almost every town has a free museum day each month, as mentioned, and some museums are permanently free (e.g. the Museum of Modern Art in Paris has free entry to its permanent collection).

Nature is a huge free asset too: France is blessed with national parks, hiking trails, rivers, and beaches that cost nothing. In the Alps or Pyrenees, you can hike all day for free; in the south, sunbathe on public beaches (skip those private beach clubs!). During a week in the Dordogne, I skipped pricey cave tours and kayaked on the Dordogne River for €12 and hiked to free cliff viewpoints of the valley.

Another tip: look for free walking tours in major cities – many companies operate on tips, so you pay what you want. I joined a free walking tour in Bordeaux that was one of the best history lessons I got, and I tipped the guide €5 at the end – fantastic value. France also has loads of festivals and events that are free entry: think summer music concerts, firework shows on Bastille Day, Christmas markets in winter, etc.

Check local tourism board calendars for your destinations – you might luck into a local fête or parade that becomes a trip highlight (and it won’t cost you anything). By prioritizing experiences over attractions, you’ll save money and often have more genuine fun.

Beware of Common Tourist Mistakes (Learn from Mine!)

Even seasoned travelers slip up – I certainly did. To avoid unneeded expenses, here are a few mistakes to avoid: Don’t exchange large sums of cash at the airport – you’ll get a lousy rate (I lost maybe €30 on a conversion my first time). Use an ATM in town or a no-foreign-fee credit card instead.

Don’t over-tip in restaurants – service charge is included in France, and while leaving some small change or rounding up is appreciated, you don’t need to tip 15-20% like in the U.S. (I’ve seen tourists effectively double-tip because they didn’t know this, which quickly bloats your food budget).

Always validate your train/tram tickets – in smaller cities, paper tickets must be time-stamped in a machine; if you forget, you could face a hefty fine when inspected. I once saw a hapless traveler fined €50 on a TER train for an unvalidated ticket (a painful price for an innocent mistake). Don’t buy tickets from scalpers or unofficial sellers – whether it’s that guy offering “cheap” Louvre tickets outside (they could be fake or surcharge) or someone trying to sell you a metro pass – just don’t.

Use official channels (the museum website, the station ticket machine). Also, be cautious with “great deals” in tourist areas. If a menu has no prices and someone is aggressively inviting you in, chances are you’ll overpay. I nearly fell for a “special wine tasting” in a Paris tourist zone that was €60 – later found a local wine bar that did tastings for €15.

Last but not least, trust the locals: ask your hostel or Airbnb host for cheap restaurant recommendations, or where to buy groceries nearby. Locals know where the quality-value ratio is best. Following local advice in Strasbourg led me to a family-run winstub (Alsatian tavern) where I had the best tarte flambée of my life for €7 – meanwhile the “famous” place in the guidebook was charging double that. In short, a dose of skepticism and a bit of homework can prevent most budget blunders.

By employing these strategies, you’ll find that France on a shoestring is not only feasible but hugely satisfying. You’ll come home not with credit card debt, but with stories of how you got a world-class experience for a bargain.

Conclusion on Cheap Places to go in France

The reality is that cheap places to go in France exist, but you must be intentional. France might have a pricey rep, but after traversing it as a budget-conscious traveler, here’s my verdict: Yes, you can do France on a budget – and you absolutely should, provided you’re smart about it.

The country is just too beautiful and culturally rich to skip based on cost alone. By focusing on cheap places to go in France (the charming villages, the underrated cities, the offbeat corners) and avoiding the money traps, you can experience the real France without draining your bank account.

Sources:

Kelby Carr, Budget Travel in France: Cheap Vacations are Possible – cost comparisons of cities and money-saving lodging tips transitionsabroad.com.
Nomadic Matt, France Travel Guide (2024) – suggested daily budgets and warnings on how France can impact frugal travelers nomadicmatt.com.
BudgetYourTrip.com – Traveler-reported average costs (Paris ~€98/day vs. Dijon ~€80/day) and expenses breakdown budgetyourtrip.com.
NomadList data via NomadGirl – Monthly cost of living in various French cities (e.g. Marseille ~€2,600 vs. Paris ~€3,500) highlighting cheaper destinations nomadgirl.co.
Nomad Sister Blog – Top Cheap Places to Visit in France – examples of affordable attractions (e.g. €2 museum in Moret-sur-Loing, €9 ski pass in La Clusaz) and offbeat destinations.
Authentic Europe – Tourist tax information (Paris implementing €5+ per night taxes for 3-star stays) authentic-europe.com.
Explore.com / Fodors – Reports on tourist scams (Eiffel Tower area noted as having the most scam reports in Europe) explore.com.
Lonely Planet – Regional budget tips (Burgundy on a budget: transit and lodging costs) lonelyplanet.com.