I never knew Paris when it was cheap. So I can only tell you what it's like now.
Not cheap.But then, no one goes to Paris to save money. The view from the Seine is free, but that's about it.
I visited Paris for the first time this summer. While some prices were higher than I expected, I still ended up under budget. The stay wasn't lavish, but it certainly was comfortable, and I had enough fine meals and French ambience to understand Paris' appeal.
I think it's fine living that attracts people to Paris. A culture rich in art, architecture and history, not to mention food and wine, soothes the intellect and the senses. So if you are going to - so to speak - buy into Paris, I say enjoy it. Set your priorities, spend enough to meet them, and skimp on the peripherals.
I asked three people about budgets: two regular visitors to Paris and a travel agent, Kathy Sudeikis, who heads the Missouri Valley chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents.
Surprisingly, they agreed: $100 a person a day, plus hotel. That includes certain economies - probably some budget meals and limited shopping - but that's close to what I spent so, of course, the figure sounds perfectly reasonable. (A dollar was trading for about 5.2 francs when I visited, although it has strengthen in recent weeks, to about 5.8 francs.)
So what do things cost in Paris?
I had a small but cozy room with bath in a terrific little hotel for 560 francs a night, about $105, which included 50 francs for breakfast. A regular Paris visitor had "shared" her best recommendations with me, so I got the benefit of her legwork.
Food can be pretty darn expensive. I avoided big-name restaurants and the busiest tourist areas, but I still spent 300 francs on my "splurge" night, which in mid-June was about $60. And it was pretty easy to spend 200 francs, almost $40, for dinner in a brasserie or neighborhood restaurant. Grilled fish cost 100 francs (almost $20) one night; 140 another. A green salad big enough for two cost 46 francs . Terrific orange crepes cost 38 francs ($7.50); cappuccino cost 20 francs ($3.80).
There is money to be saved on meals. Restaurants commonly offer a prix fixe or daily special for about 120 francs. A good, light lunch in a cafe is a croque monsieur, toasted ham and cheese in a puff pastry.
The best deals are on the street. Boulangeries, or bakeries, sell carryout slices of quiche and sandwiches for about 30 francs (almost $6) - and it's nothing unusual to see Parisians eating a baguette stuffed with pate or cheese and wrapped in a paper napkin as they walk along the street. You can make a meal of bread, cheese, bottled water and fruit from a supermarket for 40 francs.
Tourists who spend as much time visiting museums as eating should consider buying a Paris Museum Card. The card, which can be purchased at museums or at the Paris Tourism Office on the Champs Elysees, gets you discounts at 65 museums.
For the occasional museum visitor, admission to the Louvre cost 35 francs (about $6.50) and the Musee d'Orsay cost 32. The best bargain - and coincidentally, the place I found the most romantic in Paris - was the garden at the Musee Auguste Rodin. For 4 francs, less than $1, you can view sinewy sculptures placed among blooming roses, manicured lawns and shaded paths.
The Metro makes getting around easy and inexpensive. A single subway ticket, good for one ride with unlimited transfers, cost 6.5 francs, about $1.25. But 10 tickets cost 39 francs, which dropped the cost almost by half. Save your cab fares for late-night sightseeing tours; I rarely used taxis and never figured out the rates, which varied with time, area of the city and destination. But I considered a $25 fare for a trip to see the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde at night to be well spent.