How to travel on a slim budget at Paris?

Can anyone suggest how to travel around Paris and Swiss in backpacker's budget?

• We,a group of 10 adults, want to go around Lucern,Interlaken (3 N ) and Paris 3 N. We need to know the nearest cheap hotels to all sight seeings or to the points of arrival or departure in those places of visit.

• Answer:

  Hi, the best option you have are youth hostels, but as a group you'll need a) to become members of the Swiss youth hostel association (it's not very expensive anyway, and then the rooms will be much cheaper) and b) to book your places in advance. Also consider booking trains in advance - on the Swiss website cff.ch you can find incredibly cheap tickets, but not at the last moment. There's also a ticket called 'Carte journaliere' which is available in city councils for 30 frs, but if you do a regular group ticket it may be less expensive then that. Foodwise, if you really don't have money supermarkets are a good option - in both countries you'll find fresh foods and deli counters, and in youth hostels you'll have access to kitchens. In Luzern you don't want to miss the Covered Bridge and the Dying Lion. If you have kids or a science geeks, you might enjoy the Transportation Museum. Otherwise, try the Rock Garden and Mirror Labyrinth, the Planetarium, and the Panorama of the Battle of Murten, a stunning 360 degree painting of this famous (for us) battle against Burgundy. Luzern also has a very nice historical city centre and a rich program of concerts - check the schedule before you go. Interlaken is more of an outdoor city - there is a wonderful landscape and lots of opportunities to cycle and hike (summer) or snowshoeing and sliding (winter). For Paris the same principles apply - be sure to select a hostel in the neighborhood which attracts you the most and ask for the cheapest price for the Metro (there are touristic 3 days tickets which include the entrances fees to some museums). All in all, it seems a strange itinerary though. There are night trains to Paris, or you can take the Eurostar (which is more expensive, unless you book months in advance) during the day. Luzern and Interlaken seem odd choices as a first trip to Switzerland (unless you know someone there, of course). I would have thought that Zurich or Bern or Schaffausen would have been more interesting. Have a good trip!