Paris Birthday Bliss

So, I just turned 20 and decided to celebrate in the one place that’s been on my bucket list forever — Paris! I know Paris sounds expensive, but trust me, if you’re a student, it’s totally possible to make it work. Me and my friend went away to Paris for 5 days and we had the best holiday ever. I’ll take you through how I managed to have an amazing birthday trip without draining my bank account. From finding the perfect budget hotel to navigating Disneyland, here’s my guide for traveling to Paris as a student.

Brittany Hotel: Affordable comfort in the heart of Paris      

Finding affordable accommodation in Paris can be a challenge, especially if you want to stay somewhere central. After plenty of research, I came across the Brittany Hotel, and it turned out to be a fantastic find! Located in the 9th arrondissement, just a short walk from the Grands Boulevards metro station, it offered the perfect mix of comfort and convenience. The hotel has a cosy, Parisian charm with clean, comfortable rooms and friendly staff who went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. 

One of the best parts about the Brittany Hotel was its price. As a student, I was mindful of every euro, and this hotel provided a great location without the hefty price tag. The proximity to the metro meant that we were never far from Paris’s most iconic sights, yet we didn’t have to pay the steep prices often associated with more central hotels. It was the perfect balance between comfort and affordability. I highly recommend it for any student looking to visit Paris on a budget, it was the cutest boutique hotel and I would 100% stay here again.

Flying into Beauvais Airport: A Budget-Friendly Gateway 

Since we were flying from Belfast, we chose to fly into Beauvais Airport, which is often used by budget airlines like Ryanair. While it’s located around 85 kilometres from Paris, it’s a great option for travellers looking to save money on flights. After arriving at Beauvais, we took the Beauvais Shuttle Bus into the city. The bus ride was about an hour long, and tickets were cheap enough at around €16 each.

The bus dropped us off at Porte Maillot, a transport hub on the western side of Paris. From there, it was easy to navigate the metro to our hotel. While some travellers prefer to fly into Charles de Gaulle or Orly, I found Beauvais to be a great option for saving money. Plus, the bus ride gave us a chance to see the French countryside as we made our way to the city!

While on the subject of transport a quick tip before you leave for Paris is to download the app called Île-de-France Mobilités. You can purchase travel tickets on here that covers Trains, buses, trams and the metro stations. Depending on how long your coming to Paris for you can either get a singular ticket for around 3 euro or a weekly ticket that covers from Monday- Sunday for around 30/40 euro. It is so easy to use its just a barcode through your phone that will get you into the stations or on buses.

Dining in Paris 

Eating in Paris doesn’t have to be expensive if you know where to go. One of my favourite parts of the trip was discovering all the bakeries and grabbing fresh croissants and an iced coffee for breakfast every morning. For just a few euros, I could enjoy a delicious and authentic French breakfast without overspending.

For lunch or dinner there was many different options of restaurants throughout the city. A few nights we were that tired we ended up ordering UberEATS to the hotel which is such a cheap and handy option and there is so many any restaurants online to choose from. If you plan on taking my advice and staying in the Brittany hotel there is an unreal restaurant called Abradavio about 5 minutes from the hotel that do the best Italian style pizza ever! 

Exploring Paris

Paris is known for its stunning landscapes, and many of them can be explored for free! We done a boat cruise along the river Seine during sunset which was so beautiful. We booked this through Getyourguide for only €10 per person! The walkways along the river are filled with street artists, book vendors, and incredible views of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame. The advantages of social media is amazing as we were able to use TikTok to find the best spots to view the Eiffel tower from!

Another highlight was visiting Montmartre. This area is home to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, which offers one of the best views of the city, completely free! The surrounding streets are filled with vibrant cafés and local artists selling their work, making it the perfect spot for an afternoon stroll. The Moulin Rouge isn't too far from here either if you don't mind a walk or a quick uber ride. Plus there's a lovely Irish bar right beside it!

If you want to visit museums or other landmarks, keep an eye out for student discounts. Many places, including the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, offer reduced rates for students or even free entry on certain days. I went to both of these spots and got in for free since I was under the age of 21 and living in the EU. So all you need is your passport as proof of age and you can save a few pound! With a little research, you can experience the best of Paris’s culture and history without draining your wallet. 

The Eiffel tower is the main tourist spot in Paris. There is many view points over Paris to get the best view of it. The best in my opinion is from Trocadero. You can get to this spot from hopping on the metro for only a few pound. Of course there is the option as well to go up the tower. Instead of taking the elevator, I decided to go for the stairs to save money and get the full experience. The Tower has a total of 1,665 steps, I promise the view is worth it in the end, once you get your breath back of course!

Disneyland Paris 

No trip to Paris would be complete without a day at Disneyland Paris, especially for a birthday celebration. While Disneyland can get pricey, I found a few ways to keep costs down. First, I booked my ticket online in advance, which saved me a decent amount of money. I also chose to visit on a weekday, when prices tend to be lower and the crowds are smaller. Attractiontickets.com sell Disneyland tickets for a bit cheaper than their own website!

Getting to Disneyland was easy and affordable. I took the RER A train from Châtelet-Les Halles straight to Marne-la-Vallée, which only cost about €7.50 and took less than an hour. We went to Disneyland early in the morning to get the full day out of the park. We wanted to try and go on every ride there. We did end up purchasing a few fast passes for the rides as the queues were long but I found out you can purchase a fast pass for the day which covers 1 go on every ride so it ends up being cheaper in the end. This can be found if you download the Disneyland Paris app thank me later! Going to Disneyland was the best experience ever and brought back so many memories from when I was there as a child.

Conclusion: Paris on a Budget is Absolutely Possible!

If you’re a student dreaming of visiting Paris, don’t let the city’s reputation for being expensive hold you back. With smart planning, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the magic of Paris without emptying your wallet. From staying at affordable hotels like the Brittany to exploring free attractions and saving on food, my birthday in Paris was everything I hoped for.

Whether it’s strolling along the Seine, enjoying a picnic in one of the city’s many gardens, or having a blast at Disneyland, Paris has something for every budget. So, if you’re thinking about visiting, go for it—you won’t regret it!