Picnic vs restaurant budget

A French supermarket picnic — baguette, cheese, saucisson, a small bottle of wine, an apple — costs €5–€9 per person. A brasserie lunch in central Paris costs €20–€35 per person. This tool compares them, including the unspoken park rules (no glass bottles, no open containers over 1.5L).

Where you'll eat

Party size

Picnic preference

Restaurant preference

What this tool actually solves

Most travellers don't know how cheap a French supermarket picnic can be, or how a one-bottle-of-wine in a public park has legal limits. This tool:

Estimates the per-person cost of a supermarket picnic vs a brasserie lunch in the same area.
Warns about the glass-bottle ban and alcohol-volume rules in Paris parks (since the 2019 arrêtés on nuisance).
Suggests the cheapest legitimate park-friendly wine carrier (the 25cl canette, or pouring a bottle into a plastic flask).

How to read the result

Two columns: picnic vs restaurant, per person and total. The verdict tells you the realistic saving.

Limitations

Paris parks enforce the anti-glass and alcohol-volume rule inconsistently — Luxembourg Garden is strict, the Bois de Vincennes is lax. Outside Paris the rule is rarely enforced. Local by-laws (arrêtés municipaux) vary; check the city of your picnic.

FAQ

Can I really not drink a glass of wine in a Paris park?

The legal rule (Paris arrêté 2019-1058) prohibits glass containers and alcohol over 16° open-container visibility. In practice, a glass of red wine is tolerated in Luxembourg Garden on a Sunday afternoon; a litre of rosé in a glass bottle will get you asked to leave.

Where to buy a French picnic?

Carrefour Market, Leclerc City, Monoprix are ubiquitous. The cheapest bakery is the closest one — price doesn't vary much within a brand. Cheese and charcuterie: a cheese-monger or traiteur (Hediard, Fauchon in Paris) for the upgrade, the supermarket for the standard.

About

1 of 38 tools in France Trip Toolkit. Independent. Based on Paris 2019 arrêté 1058 on park alcohol and the FCD 2024 grocery price index.

Privacy

No tracking.

Disclaimer

Estimate only. Local park rules vary. Confirm with the city of your picnic.