Paris

🔥Hotspots

🥖 Food

Paris has some of the best cuisine in the world, here’s a list of some must-try spots during your time in Paris:

  • La Felicità $ – Abandoned train station turned into an Italian market-style food hall, also offering fun events all year round! 
  • Gruppomimo $ – Various restaurants from this restaurant chain are found across Paris and offer great Italian food at generous prices  
  • Bouillon Chartier $ – With various ones around the city, this typical Parisian restaurant offers French food at very affordable prices, just be aware of queues 
  • Café de Flore $$$ – the iconic French brasserie in the heart of the city is the perfect mix of touristy and local spot to have your coffee en terrasse 

If you are just looking for a quick yet tasty bakery, aka boulangerie, here are a few you could be interest in:

🍾 Going out

  • Pachamama – Iconic club with 3 levels playing latino/ commercial music all night long 
  • Le Cristal – Student-friendly bar found in the 15th arrondissement, perfect before a night out or an after-school/ work beer.
  • Le Silencio – Locals’ go-to club, best to go as a smaller group, songs everyone knows and loves.
  • Medellín – Nice & fancy club playing commercial, house & latino music 
  • Any bar on Place de Contrescarpe –  A local’s preferred spot full of bars, located in the 5th arrondissement
  • Les Anémones – In the 11th arrondissement, this classic French brasserie is great for a drink with your friends at the end of the day

⛰Activities

The city of Love has some of the best architecture, museums, and iconic activities in Europe, if not the world. Here is a list of a few must-dos whilst there:

  • Ride around Paris on a moped – To appreciate and take in the beautiful scenery, you should rent a bike or electric moped (license needed) through online apps such as Lime or Yego 
  • Musée du Louvre – inside or outside, this museum is a must-see, student discounts are available if you decide to enter and discover some of the world’s most famous art and paintings 
  • Eiffel Tower – the infamous landmark is beautiful under any circumstance, however, do check it out during the first 5 minutes of each hour between 7 pm and 11 pm (depending on the season) to see it light up and twinkle 
  • Walk around Montmartre – The infamous stairs leading to overwhelming views of Paris are definitely worth the struggle (there are buses too)
  • Parc Monceau, l’Esplanade des Invalides, Jardin du Luxembourg – The perfect spots to have a picnic on a sunny day in the city
  • Explore l’île Saint-Louis – By bike or by foot, see amazing views of typical Parisian architecture from a small island in the middle of the city

 

💶 Cost of living

  • Rent: Being the capital city of France, Paris is also known for having quite high prices in terms of rent and difficulty in finding accommodation. Student accommodation called “Le Crous” can cost between 800-1200 euros a month depending on where it is situated in the city but is quite hard to get into.
    The most expensive neighbourhoods to live in are the 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 16th which are known for their stunning architecture, and famous tourist attractions and are located in the heart of the city. The average price for a studio apartment varies from 1100 to 1600 EUR a month. The cheaper neighbourhoods, on the other hand, are for example the 14th, 19th, and 20th as they are more toward the outskirts of the city. The average price for a studio apartment varies from 700 to 1100 EUR a month.
    Also, Paris is famous for their tiny studio apartments that students tend to rent called a “chambre de bonne” which are generally between 8 and 12m2 and are cheaper than a regular apartment. Their specialty is that they are located on the top floor of the building (with no elevator). The price for this can range between 500-700 EUR depending on the location.
  • Groceries: France has many supermarkets, outdoor markets, and corner shops where you may do some grocery shopping. In Paris, you will most likely find smaller shops such as Carrefour City or Spar for cheaper options. Otherwise, if you looking for a potentially bigger shop with more options, you may go to a Monoprix which is loved by the French.
  • Transportation: Paris has the most expensive transportation subscription in all of France, coming up to the large sum of 86 EUR a month and unfortunately there aren’t any particular student discounts for internationals. With this transport card called “Pass Navigo”, you will have access to a variety of transportation such as the RER, the metro, buses, trams, etc. 
    However, if you are doing an internship in Paris for instance, then the company you work for will generally pay 50% of this fee.
    There are 3 different airports for Paris: Paris Charles de Gaulle (around 45 minutes out of the city), Paris Orly (around 1 hour) and Paris Beauvais (around 2.5 hours).To get to any of these, you can generally take the RER but be aware of strikes and bank holidays that tend to mess up the schedule of all public transportation.