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the city of lights

By Erin Stein
Arizona Daily Wildcat
March 26, 1999
Send comments to:
letters@wildcat.arizona.edu


[Picture]

Ian Mayer
 Arizona Daily Wildcat

The white church of Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) crowns the butte of Montmartre. Inside, mosaics glitter in the dim light. Outside, you might see a street performer like this one standing very still, frozen as a statue.

[Picture]

Ian Mayer
 Arizona Daily Wildcat

Arc de Triomphe is a major Paris landmark. Save your pennies for a ride to the tower and use the arc as a starting point for a stroll down the Champs Elysees.

[Picture]

Ian Mayer
 Arizona Daily Wildcat

Montmartre, a butte in northern Paris, endures as the artist district. In the Place du Tertre, painters abound. They recreate Paris on canvas and will draw your portrait. You can look for free, but the cheapest to buy is about $20 and very tiny.

[Picture]

Ian Mayer
 Arizona Daily Wildcat

What symbolizes Paris better than the Eiffel Tower? It's an impressive sight and worth the 60 francs to ride to the very top for a spectacular view of the city. Don't buy souvenirs below the tower - you can find the same ones elsewhere for much less.


Paris - City of lights, city of love. A popular destination for vacationing and studying students. But, if you're like me, your pockets may be more than a bit pinched just from getting there. There's a lot to do and see, more than my little spring break excursion could really encompass, but if you're lucky enough to find yourself in gay Paris, for even a few days, here are some penny-saving hints I picked up that can help you make the most of both your and your time:

From either airport you can take the RER train into the city for less than $10. This is the cheapest way to get into the city.

Never take taxis, always take the Metro - the public subway. It's easy to use, will get you everywhere and it's cheap!

If you're a museum junkie buy a museum pass for three or five days. It will let you into several museums and monuments. But if you only go to a couple, most places have a reduced ticket price for ages 18-25.

Get some francs before you go so you can take the train. In the city, the best exchange rates are from the banks and you can use your ATM card to withdraw money throughout the city.

To figure out how many dollars you are spending, a good rule of thumb is to divide the price in francs by five.

Eat cheap by eating baguette sandwiches from one of the many snack stands. Be warned, Coke is expensive, 10 francs - about $2 - is just about the cheapest price for a can of Coke.

Churches are free!

Buy a guidebook to familiarize yourself with the different areas of the city.