Top 10 FREE Things to Do in Paris: The City of Love & Lights (France)

To see a complete list of museums under each of these types, go to this page.
Photo by: Shutterstock
We’ve all heard of the Love Lock Bridge in Pont des Arts near the Louvre Museum where couples put locks on the rails, after which they will throw the keys to the river as a sign of their ‘eternal’ love. However, the authorities have taken the steps to take these down — which is for good reason! You can still see some leftover locks here and there though. Anyhow, you shouldn’t fret because Paris will remain to be a city of love.

TIP: Not a lot of people know about these free schedules; in fact, what most tourists only know about is the ‘Free on 1st Sunday of the Month’ scheme. Anyhow, it’s always best to be cautious because given how it’s free, the number of visitors could be larger than normal!
.
Therefore, I advice that you try to come to the museums either very early or very late in order to avoid the crowd. (Though if you don’t mind paying, you can always purchase the ‘Paris Museum Pass‘ at 42€ for 2 days which gives you the chance to enter any museum without queuing).
You should definitely try a night stroll too! Otherwise, you can always pick a spot where you can have a picnic or a nearby cafe where you can have a snack. Spend the time ‘crowd watching’, or just simply bask away in the atmosphere of Paris and its residents.
Metro stop: Bir Hakeim or RER Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel

To see a complete list of free cultural events around Paris, come check out this page!

1.

View the iconic Eiffel Tower – – –
– – –
– – –
– – –
– – –
– – –
– – –
– – –
– – –
– – –
– – –

• EAT cheap or for FREE in Paris!
  This might sound too good to be true, but I kid you not — you CAN get a meal in Paris without paying anything! As long as you time your visit well, you can often get a free meal as long as you buy a drink first. For example, restaurants like Le Bouillon Belge, Le Grenier, Le Tribal Café and Les Trois Frères serve a free dish once or twice a week to its customers.
  • For more information about this, go to this page.
  • If you’re rather looking for cheap eats in iconic Parisian sections and markets, come check the following places:
    • Montmartre
      Called as the artist’s district, you will see here a lot of interesting shops and boutiques; but of course, you will also see a lot of great French eateries to satisfy your cravings!
      Metro stop: Anvers
    • Latin Quarter
      Filled with educational institutions, it follows that the Latin Quarter is known for its student life — as they are the district’s common clientele, you can expect that most of the bistros and restaurants here can be well within your budget.
      Metro stop: Saint Michael
    • Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen
      A vast flea market, it is said that it could be Europe’s largest! Apart from the various stalls full of clothing and things, you will also find food and quaint specialties to be offered.
      Metro stop: Porte de Clignancourt
    • Marché d’Aligre
      In here, you will find all the fineset staples of French cuisine: wine, meat, cheese, chocolate, pastries, charcuterie and more!
      Metro stop: Ledru-Rollin
      .
• Explore the modern side of Paris
  Although it is not officially a part of Paris, La Défense is a wonder of its own that you should absolutely see! Just west of the city, this is a major business district that is more modern and speckled with skyscrapers with interesting architectural styles and monuments.
  • For example, its Grande Arche de la Défense is a 20th century version of Arc de Triomphe, but instead of dedicating it to military victories like the latter, the Grande Arche is a monument that is for humanity and humanitarian ideals. Also, in line with Paris’ ‘Historical Axis’, it is positioned in a way that it faces against the Arc de Triomphe because if you stand from this point, you will clearly see the arc and Champs-Élysées in the distance. So in a sense, this is the 3rd arch in Paris.
    .

– – –

Paris Travel Guide

» Best Time to Visit

– – – – – –