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Jogging Sets PARIS - A euro was worth $1.25 when I moved to Paris in 2004. Now it's more

like $1.60. So, am I happy I don't live here anymore? Not at all, but I'm much more careful

with my money when I pass through.When I returned for a visit at the end of last year, I

remembered 10 ways to stretch a euro in the City of Light.1. Consider a flat // For stays of

a week or more, rent an apartment. Given the expensive hotel rates and lodging tax, an

apartment rental can be cost effective. Lots of established agencies specialize in places

suitable for vacationers, including rothray.com, rentalfrance.com and parisaddress.com.In an

apartment, you'll usually get more space than in a hotel room, and you can avoid $20

breakfasts by having them at home - in bed, if you wish.2. A less-steep sleep // If you

don't want an apartment, find a good, moderately priced hotel and book ahead. Here are a

few: Hotel Langlois, 63 Rue St.-Lazare, 011-33-1-48-74-78-24, hotel-langlois.com, on the

Right Bank near Gare St.-Lazare, with doubles from $210; Hotel les Degres de Notre Dame, 10

Rue des Grands Degres, 011-33-1-55-42-88-88, lesdegreshotel.com, in the Latin Quarter,

doubles from $173 including breakfast; and Hotel du Dragon, 36 Rue du Dragon, 011-33-1-45-

48-51-05, hoteldudragon.com, in St. Germain, doubles $173.3. From the airport // A cab from

Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris can cost as much as $75. The RER B Line train

goes from De Gaulle airport to six subway stations in Paris for about $12 one way. A new,

automated, electric light-rail line that began operating last year means you don't have to

take a shuttle bus. The free system operates 24/7 and links all three terminals, the RER and

TGV train stations and long-term parking lots.I prefer the Roissybus, which leaves from

Terminals 1, 2 and 3. It costs about $13 and drops you off at L'Opera Garnier, near the

American Express office at 11 Rue Scribe. A cab from there to most places in the heart of

the city shouldn't cost more than $10.Of course, getting to and from Orly Airport is easier

and less expensive (about $30 to $40) because it's slightly closer to the city than De

Gaulle. Orly handles mostly short-haul flights and is worth remembering if you plan to

travel within the European Union.4. Pedal power // Everyone knows how efficient and cost-

effective it is to use the Metro, but since last year, Paris has added a mass transit system

that's also worth trying out: Velib', a bicycle rental program aimed chiefly at getting

cars, congestion and pollution out of the city.Velib' enables people to pick up a bicycle at

one location and return it to another. There are hundreds of Velib' stations (with more than

20,000 bikes), not to mention about 230 miles of bike lanes.Riders must buy a one-day access

card (about $1.50) or a seven-day pass (about $7.50) from meters in the Velib' parking

stations.The rental is free for the first half-hour; the second half-hour costs $3; every

half-hour after that costs $6. Rates are tabulated by the meters when you return the bike.

For more information (in French), go to velib.paris.fr.5. Seeing the sights // The

concentration of museums in Paris is astonishing, and you could find yourself visiting at

least one a day, which can run into serious money. The Musee du Quai Branly costs about $13

a person and Versailles about $20. But 60 museums, including Branly and Versailles, are open

to people who buy the official Paris Museum Pass, sold at tourist information bureaus,

museums, monuments and online at paris museumpass.com. The price for unlimited entry to

participating sites is $45 for two days; $65 for four days; and $90 for six days .Entrance

is free at a handful of museums, including the Musee Carnavalet in the Marais and the Musee

des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris on Avenue Winston Churchill.6. A hot dinner ticket //

Having lunch, not dinner, at high-priced restaurants such as Taillevent and L'Ambrosie is a

well-known tactic for saving money. But you won't do better at midday at Le Comptoir, a

tiny, intensely popular bistro on the Left Bank overseen by chef Yves Camdeborde. That's

because on weeknights Camdeborde prepares a set five-course menu with no choices for $68,

probably less than you would spend for lunch at the city's ritziest restaurants. Mind you,

weeknights at Le Comptoir are a hot ticket, so you must book far in advance. Le Comptoir,

011-33-1-43-29-12-05, 9 Carrefour de l'Odeon in the Sixth arrondissement.7. Bloggers haven

// If your hotel doesn't offer free Internet access, don't pay to hook up there. The rates

are better at Milk, a chain of five Internet halls in prime tourist neighborhoods such as

the Pantheon, St. Michel and Les Halles. Milk (milklub.com) is not a cafe; it's for serious

Internet use, open 24/7. A five-hour ticket (usable on repeat visits) costs about $18; rates

are lower at night.8. Bargain buys // There are some real deals to be bagged - especially at

high-end department stores such as Le Bon Marche and Franck et Fils - during the annual

sales. The government sets the dates, although the winter sale is usually in January and the

summer edition in June or July. Even if you don't want anything, it's fun to window shop and

watch Parisians in buying mode.At other times of the year, stick with Monoprix for groceries

and sundries. You'll find a Monoprix superstore cleverly tucked into almost every

quarter.For bargain apparel - gently used - try the Chercheminippes stores,

chercheminippes.com, on Rue du Cherche Midi in the Sixth arrondissement; for cut-rate,

brand-name clothing and accessories, there's Espace Alma, espacealma.fr, at 181 Rue de

l'Universite in the Seventh arrondissement.9. Park it here // There's no better place to

drink for free in the soul of the city than in its exquisite parks, decorated with sculpture

and flowerbeds, surrounded by historic palaces and museums. They are beloved by Parisians

and visitors alike. At the Tuileries and the Jardin du Luxembourg, you can claim a lawn

chair by fountains where kids launch miniature boats and lovers kiss. There are cafes

bowered by handsome old trees, jogging paths (the one around the Jardin du Luxembourg is

especially popular with Paris jocks), pony rides for the kids and beautifully landscaped

vistas. Mind you, though, keep off the grass.10. Armchair Paris // Although it might sound

heretical, you could save a bundle by staying home and renting Ratatouille. Every major site

in Paris - the sewer as well as the Eiffel Tower - turns up in the charming 2007 animated

film about a French rat, Remy, who knows how to cook.