I love the New York Times 36 hours in [insert city] articles and definitely use them as reference for when I travel¹. Just today, there's a great post by Seth Kugel that gives you insight on how to make an extravagant, concierge curated Paris day turn into a feel good, money savvy boasting trip. This alone makes me want to visit ASAP and see how much I can save / spend.

Mr. Ilisca was formulating a perfect Paris day for a fictional well-heeled guest. Cost: about 1,000 euros (or a little more than $1,100). I was sipping espresso, taking notes for the task ahead — creating the most similar day I could for one-tenth of the price.

Further reading into the comments and one reader's suggestion goes even as so far as staying at a breakfast provided hostel, taking meats from the buffet, and getting wasted on grocery store bought beer. Sounds perfect!