Sure, Paris can be expensive. However, it need not be. Part of the joy of a city such as Paris is the ability to get satisfaction by strolling through a neighborhood and taking in its feel. For example, take this image of the Louvre Museum, courtesy of Creative Commons. No charge for the view! Of course, it helps that we used frequent flyer miles and frequent hotel points for our stay. We even got upgraded on our flight and hotel, so we have not been paying much for food! Don't hate me!