Paris Attraction Tickets

If you want to go to these places, you need to buy tickets in advance. Paris is very crowded this year and I rode by the Louvre on a bus last week and was shocked at the lines to get in, the courtyard was full of people. You need to make your reservation in advance and the same thing is true for the Eiffel Tower. If you want to go up there, you need to book it in advance.

Yes, reservations for everything. The only place we went this spring without a reservation, was the Rodin museum. The museum garden were magical, but not sure what it would look like in December. But still...the outdoor sculptures and view of the top of the Eiffel Tower. Lovely.

The Louvre requiers reservations/tickets be purchased in advance. The Orsay does not. Ste Chapelle, the Catacombs, and Galeries Dior all require tickets being purchased in advance which can be done from the respective websites.

For December, I would not purchase tickets for the Eiffel Tower in advance. I would simply show up early, it opens at 09h30, on a day with relatively good weather. Otherwise you risk holding tickets for a rainy, zero visibility day when no one really sees anything from the Eiffel Tower.

My advice is to buy tickets in advance for the things you have your heart set on seeing/doing, especially with a group of 6. You don’t want to go all that way and miss things you came all that way to see.

I do think, as others have said, that it is a bit tricky to plan for the Eiffel Tower, though, because of possible weather/visibility issues.

Have you decided whether you are going to the summit (or some lower level), whether you’re hoofing it or using the elevator, whether you want day or night views?

Before COVID we rarely stood in line anywhere because we got tickets ahead and knew which entrance had low lines. We could buy tickets at the newstand in front of the Orsay and just walk in with little or no line while others stood in a long. long line to get tickets. But since COVID EVERYONE has tickets and most places require them. They are timed and lines are organized by the half hour, so you do manage lines somewhat but now we pretty much always stand in line to get in. This fall we had a line of about 50 ahead of us at the Carousel Entrance to the Louvre which used to be zip zip and the Pyramid entrance was blocks long.

The only two ways I know now to avoid lines is to have a Carte Blanche membershp to the Orsay (and Orangerie) and an Amis du Louvre membership to the Louvre. Holders of those memberships bypass lines. The Carte Blanche is particularly good; a local friend has one and for example we were able to be admitted to the Impressionist exhibit last spring and the Caillebout exhibit this fall without reservation and a very short line compared to those with regular reservations who were in a line of 100 plus people.

katrina_rodriguez,
Aside from ticket purchase lines or reserved time lines, you will undoubtedly have to go through security lines. Often they move much more slowly than the entrance lines. Be prepared for the possibility of long lines for that, so you aren't disappointed at the time you visit.

The bottom line is this :

My advice is to buy tickets in advance for the things you have your heart set on seeing/doing, especially with a group of 6.

I'll just add not to be seduced by 3rd party ticket sellers who promise "skip the line tickets". Any ticket purchased ahead of time from each museum's website is a skip the TICKET line ticket. No one skips the security line.

The Cluny Museum (Museum of the MIddle Ages) does not require prior booking nor does the Army Museum. IF you tell us the things you are wanting to see the group can give you specifics. Definitely yes, purchase ahead for Eiffel Tower and Louvre.

To me, in general, the Paris Museum Pass is not a good value any more. Even with my museum heavy visits (which is probably way more than you want to do if you have kids in the group of 6) it's easier to book directly with the museum ticketing offices OR work in smaller museums as I have time.

How many days will you be in Paris? We can also give you suggestions on how to divide things up based on what YOU want to see.

Bonjour!
Thank you for taking the time to reply and for ALL the fantastic tips and advice!
There is a LOT of information out there and it can be overwhelming!

Would welcome any tips on getting the most out of our 4 days in Paris. We are renting an apartment in the Latin Quarter (anyone familiar with that area?).

I found an app called “Get Your Guide” where I can book tours like “Seine and Louvre”, Eiffel Tower photo shoot etc. Lol. Has anyone ever used that app? Is it better to book directly with museum, sights etc?

We are booked 12/27-12/31:

Must See:
Eiffel Tower (best way to book?)
Seine River Cruise (evening best in Dec?)
Le Louvre
Notre Dame
St Chapelle
Les Galleries
Catacombs
Muse Orse
Muse Orangey
Arc De Triomphe
Christmas Market

Of course we have 4 daughters so will need to add time to shop…

Any restaurants we must make a res for? Places we must get Hot Coco, pastries, or cocktails?

Merci!! Merci!!

Alas, with four days I fear you cannot hit all of your must-sees. Try paring the list down, unless you expect to spend a very short amount of time at each place get very lucky with waiting times in security lines, and can teleport yourselves from place to place. Sad but true, I am sorry to say.
Best of luck with your planning.

I agree that four days is not enough time to see all those things on your list. You could "see" them but if you want to go inside and explore then no way. Also, double check the Christmas market schedule to make sure they are still open after Christmas. Each market has it's own hours. I would also point out that even with a reservation or "timed entry" ticket, you might end up waiting in security lines just to get in so when planning your day, be sure to leave time for that.

Katrina,
One suggestion.....try to group the things you visit geographically. e.g. Notre Dame and Ste. Chappelle and Seine River cruise; the Eiffel Tower, Rodin Muiseum and Invalides (Napoleons tomb); Opera and Galeries Lafayette; Musee d'Orsay and l'Orangerie (walkable distance through Tuilleries gardens). You will save time and frustration moving about Paris.
Also, you generally are better off NOT getting tickets through a third party. They will charge you more and you will NOT skip the security line. Go to the websites for the places you really want to see to check times, days open, prices, etc. Other than some guided tours and walking tours, many companies are a waste of money, and often their visit to a place is a walk/by our drive/by only.

Get yourself a map of Paris to locate your sights and group them in the best way for you. And do a search on the forum for recs of specifics. (e.g. "Paris visiting the Louvre") filter for the forum, then one year or less or two years or less.
Bonne chance!

I agree with the above...much better to book directly with museums and tour guides. Get your Guide and Viator are 3rd party consolidators so they don't actually run the tours/experiences. On the Viator website you can find out the name of the company that actually runs the tours and book directly. I've not looked at the Get Your Guide website enough to know if this information is transparent on there or not.

Your List:

Eiffel Tower (best way to book?) - Book Directly on their website unless you miss out on tickets which go FAST!

Seine River Cruise (evening best in Dec?) - Just wait and see how the weather is and grab one. Many like Bateau Mouches. Don't do a dinner cruise

Le Louvre - Yes, you must book ahead. This is the official website. Look now to see how far out they are booking. I'd expect times to sell out in December.

https://www.ticketlouvre.fr/louvre/b2c/index.cfm/home

Notre Dame - Supposed to open Dec 8. Unknown right now if you will need a timed entry. It will be free as it's a working church. Keep watching the forum as folks here will be on the information as soon as it's released.

St Chapelle - Yes, book ahead on their official website.

https://tickets.monuments-nationaux.fr/en-GB/families

Les Galleries - Do you mean the department store Galleries Lafayette?
Catacombs - You have a lot to do. If this is a must for your group, get tickets ahead. Otherwise, I'd put this off until your next visit.
Musee d'Orsay - I'd probably go ahead and get timed admission tickets. There may be a combo Orsay and Orangerie ticket.

https://billetterie.musee-orsay.fr/en-GB/home

Musee Orangerie - Yes to timed entries.

https://billetterie.musee-orangerie.fr/en-GB/home-orangerie

Arc De Triomphe - I'd wait on this one and check their ticketing website to see how they are selling. YOu may be able to just work this in.

Christmas Market - no advance ticketing necessary

I suggest you make a chart or calendar of your days and then put in the days each museum is closed and go from there in figuring out your itinerary.

Notre Dame - Supposed to open Dec 8. Unknown right now if you will need a timed entry. It will be free as it's a working church.

Just a note that the Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, proposed a few weeks ago that churches in France (which are owned by the State even if they are still operated as churches) start charging 5€ entry. It is unclear yet whether they will actually implement this proposal but it would bring in a lot of money to help the government run the tourist/visiting side of the churches.

Kim! I had missed that bit of news, so thanks for posting that. To me it makes sense as they all have increased costs for cleaning and maintenance with hordes of visitors tromping thru.

In London the biggies (Westminster Abbey 30GBP and St Pauls 25 GBP) have charged for years. Worship services are, of course, free.

I just got back from Paris yesterday.

I suggest scaling down your list and prioritizing your must to do’s. Even though your list is filled with musts. You will not be able to accomplish all your list.

The place is packed. It was a mad house, and I’ve lived in NYC, San Francisco, and visiting big cities is not unique for me. I’ll repeat, Paris was a mad house. Lines for everything. I had timed entries and an hour later, we were in. Once inside, It’s wall to wall people. We got to St Chapelle and another huge line, and decided to punt.

Angelina’s, by the Louvre, has hot chocolate and 30 euro breakfasts. Yes, there will be a long line. I walked past it right after it opened and it would easily be a 30-45 min wait.

Shopping- if you have special things- google search local stores that offer the items you are looking for. I went into Galleries Lafayette and it was a disappointment. Rue st Honoré has the high end shops and smaller boutiques. Though great stores, depending on what you are looking for, can be found in unique neighborhoods.

Eating- find local bistros and cafes off the main thoroughfares.

Instead of trying to get up in the Eiffel Tower, go to the top of Montparnasse Tower. It’s less crowded and if you time it right, you’ll see the ET sparkle at night.

Pickpockets are every where and they are pros. I didn’t carry a purse or bag. My wallet and iPhone were in inner pockets of my coat.

Thank you for the tips! I hope you had a wonderful time in Paris despite the crowds! Thank you for the pickpocket reminder. Yes, it's no joke. The last time we were in Europe as a family, my husband's backpack was stolen with all six of our passports in it. We had just gotten off a Med cruise and were checking in to our hotel in Barcelona. Two visits to the US Consulate and $2K later for six new passports. It was painful!!

So, I just bought tickets to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower for the six of us on December 28th at 11:00 p.m., the ONLY time slot we could get the entire time we are in Paris. I bought it from the official website which offered the best price. https://www.toureiffel.paris/en

I've been trying to book Le Louvre tickets at the official museum site and every time I try to checkout I get an error message. Not sure why!

Still plan to book Orsay and the scenic Seine, as well as concert tickets to St Chapelle, otherwise, we will just walk and explore, dine, shop, people watch, and see what we can while there!

Katrina, the Louvre website can be tricky and exasperating. I'd suggest trying a different browser or using your phone on the official Louvre website ticketing page. I also usually use my American Express card which almost always goes thru in France.

I'm glad you got your Eiffel Tower tickets!

Be sure to do a screen shot of each of your tickets and add to your notes section or a photo album or someplace it's easily accessible if you don't have wifi.

A good strategy is to plan one thing in the morning and one in the afternoon and then have things to do nearby if you have time.

And the entry line is the security line and if you have tickets ahead you go through the security line for your time slot. The actual museum entry is quick and inside. e.g. at the Orsay, you scan your ticket as you enter the gallery area -- it is the security line that is an actual line. Those with timed tickets get in the securityl ine that matches their time slot.

Same at Louvre -- the ticket is scanned at the entrance to each wing. The long lines are the security line and those with tickets ahead can use the Carousel Entrance for security which is no longer short but shorter than the Pyramid.

Great tip! I can actually make it to Le Louvre checkout cart on my phone. I tried several times in laptop and had error messages every time!!

Question: In your opinion…What is best time to visit Le Louvre? First thing in the morning when less crowded?

We arrive on 12/27 in the morning and planning to visit the museum on 12/28. We live in Texas so it’s a 7 hr time change… and traveling with 4 teenaged daughters! Lol. Trying to decide if 0930 a.m. time slot would be good? There is still plenty of availability that day!! Merci!!

I am a morning person so I usually try to go early however the day after arrival it may be more difficult to get your crew going. If you do 930 you'd probably want to leave your hotel by 830 or so. That means breakfast at 7 or 730. Does it feel like that will work?

I'll add that I haven't been in winter since probably before you were born, hahaha!! I think the last winter visit I had was Christmas 1974.

I'm glad so far the ticketing process is better on your phone!

Just realized my 3 daughters under 18 will get free admission to Orsay and Le Louvre.

Do you think it’s worth it to get museum pass for 3 adults or just buy tix from each museum? Are there any benefits to having a pass??

Merci!!

The only benefit of a museum pass is if you run the numbers and find it saves you a lot of money. It has no other advantage since so many changes in it have been made.

Note that your kids are free but will need reserved tickets some places. I know they do for the Louvre. I think they just walk in with you without at the Orsay -- but double check. They need tickets at Versailles if you do that.