Advance tickets

Tickets for Musée d'Orsay need to be booked in advance beginning Mar 10. (Edited per Tocard's post below, thanks)

Wax museum - do you mean Musée Grevin? If so, you do not have to book in advance.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame does not require pre booking although they do offer a limited number of timed tickets 2 days in advance. The line for those without a timed ticket moves fairly well, perhaps up to a 20 minute wait. There is no charge to visit Notre Dame. Try to arrive early morning before the cathedral becomes overcrowded.

If you want to climb the Towers of Notre Dame you must purchase a timed ticket. Unfortunately, the website to purchase these tickets is currently down.

Thanks for the good info!

sherryjb,
Re Notre Dame, be aware that there are times when the cathedral may not be open for tourists because of a special service there. And, of course, times when services are being held may have a small impact on what you see there and where you can wander.

Reservations for the Orsay become mandatory on 10 March:

https://billetterie.musee-orsay.fr/

You do not need tickets for Notre Dame unless you want to climb the bell tower:

https://www.tours-notre-dame-de-paris.fr/visiter/informations-pratiques

I’ve been to Paris multiple times but it’s crazy how much you need tickets in advance now. Paris is the emptiest I’ve seen it ever but we still couldn’t get into Notre Dame though and walked on to the Eiffel Tower twice. If we waited it out we probably could have. We got our tickets a couple of days later. Same with D’Orsay but I haven’t tried that one yet. Trying to get tickets now online You are peak travel season so I can only imagine it’s way worse than what we are dealing with.

FYI. Tickets are free to Notre Dame. You just have to let them know when you’re coming. I’m also in Paris now so maybe my information may be dated by the time you get here.

How do you let Notre Dame know you are coming? On their website?

Go to their website and enter in your time and date. I’ll look it up in a minute. We tried to go tonight but it was booked. We’ve got it tomorrow though. Hold please!

https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/en/visit/reservation-free/

Thanks - I will hold onto this link and try it the day before or morning we want to go.

I’m in insane low season so if you can I’d probably put it on your calendar a bit earlier. Nothing is busy now in Paris as much as Notre Dame is right now because of the rebuild. Everyone wants to see it. We’ve walked into everything almost. Have a great trip!

If you are interested in a Catholic mass, look up the times they are scheduled at Notre Dame, and there is a special entrance for those coming for the mass (to the right as you look at the front of the cathedral), and you do not have to wait in the long tourist line. But be sure to attend the mass, as that is what this line is intended for. After the mass you are free to look around the cathedral.

I was in Paris less than a month ago and had no trouble getting into Notre Dame. As a matter of fact, I went twice.

There may be a line, but it moves incredibly fast

Even 20 years ago the Musee d'Orsay was one museum you really wouldn't want to approach without ticket in hand; I used to buy them from the newsstand out front and could literally walk into the 'ticketed' door without a line of more than half a dozen while others waited over an hour to buy tickets. Now there are 5 or 6 different lines out front and even with a timed ticket there will be some wait. Without a timed ticket? I woudn't.

Got it - buying them on the internet now!

You do not need to book a ticket for the Cathedral of Notre Dame and you do NOT

have to let them know when you’re coming

If you can get timed tickets, great. If not, just join the queue.

Make sure you are buying from the official Orsay website!!!!!

There are some shadow sites that present themselves as being the Orsay site but charge exorbitant fees.

https://www.musee-orsay.fr/fr

You can change to English in the upper right corner.

Thanks - I bought them and they seemed reasonable and I am sure I was on the museum website.

“You do not need to book a ticket for the Cathedral of Notre Dame and you do NOT
have to let them know when you’re coming
If you can get timed tickets, great. If not, just join the queue.”

You are absolutely correct. I’m traveling with a 10 and 11 year old and I broke my foot three weeks ago so time is of the essence! We’ve been here over a week so if anyone is limited in time or ability I’d do it. I’ve been many times but it’s insanely crowded right now even in the low season. Everything else is way below anything I’ve ever experienced except this. I miss the just walk in good old days!