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Paris may well be Europe’s most sought-after destination, home to a plethora of iconic landmarks: the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and its adjacent Champs-Élysées, Montmartre with the buskers and cobbled lanes… 

Do we really have to go through the list again?

There are many reasons why we love Paris, from the romantic cafe culture to the elegant architecture, but there are also many reasons why it can get on our nerves at times.

Crowds, hectic traffic, beret-clad Instagrammers whose sole purpose in life seems to be to take selfies by hand be Seine, and oh, the staggeringly high prices for accommodation…

But hey, it’s not like Paris alone is fully representative of French culture.

If you’re flying all this way for the beautiful sights, the Old World allure, and delicious cuisine, you should make sure you try Lyon next:

Could Lyon Be The Next Paris?

One of the oldest cities in France, founded as early as the Roman period, and boasting cultural wealth like no other, Lyon is perhaps the best-equipped French city to rival the capital in terms of beautiful sights.

Its Old Town, locally known as Vieux Lyon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering an area of 427 hectares, 4 districts, and comprising over 2,000 years of a fascinating history—it’s also one of France’s most landmark-packed downtown areas.

It is split between three main areas: the medieval quarter, or Old Lyon, proper, the Croix-Rousse, and the hilly Fourvière.

Old Lyon is where you will find all of the city’s most notable edifices from the Middle Ages, including the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, a Gothic ensemble best known for its vaulted ceilings and astronomical clock that gives Prague’s a run for its money.

Getting lost in its uphill, narrow cobbled streets, you will find Renaissance-era villas and hidden courtyards, and the higher you go, the more stunning is the view of the terracotta roofs and church spires at your feet

Croix-Rousse is the heart of Bohemian Lyon and an equally beautiful maze-like grid of stone-paved streets, just about wide enough for cars to drive slowly by.

It lines the Saône, a river cutting through the heart of Lyon, much like the Seine in Paris, and the promenade is particularly pleasant to stroll, as you admire the ornate architecture of the riverfront buildings.

Going up Croix-Rousse, you’ll see that its pathways are lined with bars, selling Lyon’s signature Beaujolais wines, traditional French brasseries, and bakeries where you can get fresh-out-the-oven pastries from only 1 euro—for the best croissant in town, check out Boulangerie du Palais.

For the third and final historic district, you’ll want to take the funicular, which rattles up overground rails, offering scenic vistas of the picture-perfect downtown.

Fourvière is home to the famous Notre Dame Basilica, a neo-Gothic gem often compared to Paris’ Sacre-Coeur: they’re both on a hilltop, overlooking their respective urban sprawls, and they were built around the same time.

In this area, you will also find Lyon’s very own Eiffel Tower, La Tour Métallique, a prominent feature of Des Hauteurs Park, except it even predates Eiffel’s masterpiece by three years.

If you’re wondering whether there’s anything left from Roman-era Lyon, you’ll be thrilled to learn that Fourvière has an ancient theater, built in the year 15 BC, and still hosting open-air concerts in summer.

Lyon Is Way Cheaper Than Paris!

Lyon is not only just as pretty as Paris, with several uncannily-similar attractions, it can be considerably cheaper and less crowded.

Paris has become a tourism playground in recent years, particularly after the popularity of TV shows like Emily in Paris, and the start of the beret-clad, ‘hold my giant €32 stunt croissant’ Instagrammer phenomenon.

Don’t get us wrong, it is very touristy—France remains the most visited country in the world, after all—but it’s definitely not on that Paris level of fame, for its own sake.

As we pointed out before, croissants here will cost you between €1 and €1.30, while a three-course meal in a local restaurant (let’s say you get some roasted camembert for starter, aligot for main, creme brulée for dessert, and a bottle of red wine) will cost you €38-40.

If you’re only going for the main dish and a glass of wine, then that’s a much-cheaper €18-21.

When it comes to accommodation, the average overnight rate in Lyon is a reasonable €106, or roughly $115, as per Budget Your Trip estimates.

If you’re wondering how Paris compares, that’s a wallet-wiping $326 on average.

Before we leave you, in case you’re planning a trip to France soon, don’t forget to check out this other charming medieval city only an hour away from Paris—it has a monumental Notre Dame cathedral that rivals Paris’ in beauty, it has a mind-blowing history, and prices are on the cheaper end, too.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.

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Last Updated 4 months ago

For better or worse, Paris is having quite a year. First, the French icon was dethroned by Istanbul as the most visited city in the world, and now they have fallen out of the top 3 entirely.

Followed by the looming Olympics as the City of Light lays down their welcome mats to the world playing host to this magnificent global event Jul 26, 2024 – Aug 11, 2024.

However, early reports are showing mixed reviews of Paris during this period.

Air France, expecting a gargantuan loss of $193 million, was quoted as saying, “International markets show a significant avoidance of Paris.”.

Taking a page out of Southwest Airline’s playbook, tourists are saying they ‘wanna get away’…or stay away for that matter.

Good news is you can, and very cheap at that. One of the main concerns tourists have visiting Paris during the Olympics is the all but guaranteed surge in pricing.

Fortunately, that doesn’t impact trains outta town, but there’s also great deals extending through fall.

Travel to these 4 underrated destinations from Paris under $30 by train:

Ditch France Entirely! Take A Short Ride To Luxembourg ($27)

Luxembourg is undeniably one of the most expensive destinations in all of Europe and also insanely beautiful.

Don’t let your travel budget deter you from visiting one of Europe’s best-kept secrets, however.

Although pricey for hotels and dining, Luxembourg is worth a splurge for a day-trip or weekend getaway and it’s more than meets the eye with small towns like Echternach, known as “Little Switzerland”.

Everybody likes free stuff, and when it comes to traveling, we all appreciate freebies even more.

Luxembourg offers free transit throughout their small nation and you don’t even need a ticket! Just hop on!

In this case, you would be arriving by train via SNCF Connect, so all you have to purchase is your ticket from Paris (Gare de l’Est) into Luxembourg, totaling 2 hours, 43 minutes after a brief stop in Metz.

Those looking to escape the crowds watching Lebron James light up the scoreboard will have to fork over anywhere from $50 – $100 during the Olympics, but can score $27 tickets various dates Sep – Oct.

Au Revoir, Nice! Hit Up The Northern Coastal Town Of Le Havre ($23)

Paris, Lyon, Nice, Cannes…none of these household names are Le Havre. You may have never heard of it and that’s okay.

The road less traveled, or in this case, the rail, is one of the best ways to explore the world.

Those looking to check out more of France and want to stay close to Paris should check out Le Havre, which is just a 2-hour and 18-minute nonstop journey.

According to Rail Europe, tickets are $27 during the Olympics and $23 in October – the perfect escape for a day trip away from crowds, especially since trains run throughout the day.

Visitors may find Le Havre is a bit quirky, but aren’t we all?

This artsy port city, blending modern architecture and well-preserved structures surviving World War II bombings, has earned itself UNESCO recognition.

Easy to explore with the city’s grid-like layout, Le Havre is full of surprises, from savory beachside seafood restaurants to eye-popping art installations.

If there’s one thing not to miss out on it’s the remarkable Saint Joseph’s Church, a feast for the eyes.

Toast To New Adventures: Visit France’s Champagne Capital ($14)

Reims is a city steeped in history, but its claim to fame is being France’s champagne capital.

We’ll toast to that!

Boasting phenomenal attractions ranging from historic to indulgent, you can visit such sites as the Gothic-style Reims Cathedral to the beautiful Abbey of Saint-Remi, both protected by UNESCO.

Of course, you can’t visit the ‘champagne capital’ without sipping some bubbly.

Feel free to pop bottles at Reims’ renowned Champagne Houses for tours and tasting.

A few of the top-rated are:

• Mumm
• Veuve Clicquot,
• Taittinger 

You can reach Reims easily from Paris (Gare de l’Est) as low as $14 during the Olympics on SNCF Connect. Oddly enough prices go up to $19 in fall.

The route takes 2 hours 11 minutes for these fares, but an express route via TGV Inoui will get you there in just 46 minutes for $26.

A Grand Tour Through Tours ($11)

Tours, France is a hidden gem in the Loire Valley and just a stone’s throw from Paris in terms of train travel.

The city is quaint, easily navigable, and underappreciated for authentic French cuisine, but the real draws are the world-class chateaux and wineries outside the city limits.

Explore more of Loire Valley and visit stunning castles like Chambord, Chenonceau, Villandry, and Amboise, each with its own unique style and backstory.

But first, you have to get to Tours. Doing so is easy aboard the direct SNCF Connect route from Paris Montparnasse station, reaching Tours in as little as 51 minutes.

Tickets are as low as $17 July 29th during the Olympics and as low as $11 September – November.

Sam Sears

Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 30 countries and written over 400 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.