Celebrate your birthday in Paris with 10 budget-friendly ideas!

Festive picnic at Buttes-Chaumont Park

For a relaxed, natural, and unusual atmosphere, head to Buttes-Chaumont Park. With its heights, waterfalls, suspension bridges, and panoramic view, this park offers a nearly cinematic setting to blow out your candles.

🎂 The good plan? Prepare a homemade picnic with some bubbles, snacks, and a well-thought-out playlist. Add games (petanque, mölkky, frisbee) and let the magic happen. Bonus: the park stays open late in the summer.

🌿 For more ideas of green places to picnic or chill in Paris, check out our selection of parks and gardens in Paris.

Birthday bike ride along the Seine

For a dynamic and free birthday, hop on a Vélib’ or your own bike and take a ride along the banks of the Seine. In a group, it’s even more festive: you can follow the banks, take photo breaks, improvise a picnic, or even end up in a park for a mini outdoor party.

🚴‍♀️ The perfect route? Start from the Coulée verte, gently head down towards Bastille, follow the banks to Notre-Dame, then head towards the Eiffel Tower… and more if you feel like it. A shared playlist on a Bluetooth speaker, some snacks, and a good dose of good humor are all you need.

🌇 Need inspiration for a green and urban getaway? Check out our itinerary around the Coulée verte in Paris: perfect for an extraordinary birthday afternoon.

Visit a museum for free on the first Sunday of the month

Do you want to celebrate your birthday in an artsy way without touching your budget? Good news: many Parisian museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. It’s the perfect opportunity to enrich your mind, wander with friends, and get a dose of inspiration in magical places.

🖼️ Our recommendations? The Musée d'Orsay for its Impressionist masterpieces, the Picasso Museum for a more graphic vibe, or the Carnavalet Museum to rediscover the history of Paris. And if you prefer the outdoors, the Tuileries Garden offers a majestic setting for a post-visit snack break.

🌿 Discover the unique atmosphere of the Tuileries Garden, perfect for extending the cultural experience outdoors.

Karaoke night with friends

Want to make the walls vibrate with Céline Dion or Stromae? Organize a karaoke night! It's the guarantee of a memorable birthday, filled with laughter, vocal mishaps... and moments of glory. And good news: many karaoke bars in Paris offer budget-friendly packages, even private booths.

🎤 The good plan? Book a slot during happy hour to enjoy low rates, and ask everyone to bring a drink or homemade snack to keep costs down. Guaranteed fun, especially if you plan musical challenges among friends.

🎶 To extend the joyful and festive atmosphere in the streets of Paris, why not explore the lively alleys of Montmartre after the night?

Wine Tasting in an Affordable Wine Bar

A birthday can also rhyme with elegance… without excessive cost. For lovers of fine wines, a wine tasting in an affordable wine bar is an excellent option. Intimate atmosphere, oenological discoveries, and passionate discussions are on the agenda.

🍷 The trick? Choose a place that offers tasting menus or glasses at sweet prices during happy hour. You can also enhance the experience with some sharing platters, for a warm and refined moment without breaking the bank.

🍇 Want to book or find the ideal spot? Check out our selection of the best wine tastings in Paris to celebrate your birthday like a true urban sommelier.

Treasure Hunt in the Streets of Montmartre

What if your birthday became a real adventure? Organize a treasure hunt in Montmartre, this neighborhood as picturesque as it is historically rich. Solo or through a dedicated app, you can create a course of riddles, photo challenges, or wacky stories to solve with friends.

🗺️ The best part? It’s totally free (or almost) and it transforms a simple stroll into an immersive experience. The reward: unforgettable memories, bursts of laughter, and maybe a small gift for the winner.

🔍 To help you create your course or for inspiration, explore our suggestion for a romantic walk in Montmartre – perfect for spotting the most charming corners of the neighborhood.

Outdoor Cinema at La Villette

When the nice days arrive, La Villette brings out one of its best assets: outdoor cinema. Imagine: a starry sky, a big screen, a blanket, popcorn, and your friends. That's a simple, stylish, and 100% Parisian birthday.

🎬 Why do we love it? Because it's free, the programming is always well-curated, and the atmosphere is super friendly. You just need to arrive early to get a good spot and bring some snacks. You can even turn it into a chic cinema picnic.

🌆 To complete your day or enjoy the vibe of the neighborhood, opt for a cultural walk around Mouffetard – another charming and lively spot to discover without spending a dime.

Home Cooking Workshop with Friends

What if the birthday took place in the kitchen? Organizing a cooking workshop at home is a great way to celebrate while creating connections. No need for a Michelin-starred chef: everyone can get involved to whip up a signature dish, an international buffet, or even a “Top Chef at home” style competition.

👩‍🍳 What do we love? The interactivity, the laughter, and the satisfaction of tasting together what you have prepared. To make it even more fun, you can impose a theme: Italian cuisine, Japanese, tapas, brunch, or street food.

💡 Pro tip: everyone brings an ingredient or a drink, and you save on all fronts while creating a true moment of sharing.

Vintage Day at the Saint-Ouen Flea Market

For an original and character-filled birthday, head to the Saint-Ouen flea market. This legendary place, between antiques, design, and street culture, is the perfect spot to wander with friends in search of vintage treasures, unusual items, or simply to soak up the atmosphere.

🛍️ Why is it cool? Because you can browse without necessarily buying, discover surprising artistic worlds, chat with enthusiasts… and end up sitting on a terrace with a drink or a waffle in hand.

🎈 Bonus tip: organize a mini treasure hunt! Everyone must find an item under €5 that is the kitschiest, funniest, or most improbable — guaranteed laughs.

Board Game Evening in a Game Café

Want a cozy, fun, and ultra-friendly birthday? Head to a game café, these hybrid places where you can play for hours while snacking and chatting. Perfect for a birthday among friends who enjoy strategy, laughter, or quirky games.

🎲 What do we love? The friendly atmosphere, the huge selection of games (board games, party games, role-playing...), and the low prices. For just a few euros, you can access the game library and enjoy affordable drinks or snacks.

📍 In Paris, spots like Le Nid, Les Caves Alliées, or L’Oya Café offer a real alternative to classic evenings, with hosts to guide you.

🃏 And if you want to extend the evening at home, do a homemade version: everyone brings a game, a drink, and off you go for a birthday that's as funny as it is memorable!