Hi. I’m a single mom traveling to Paris for first time during last week in March with 16, 14 and 11 year olds. My kids are seasoned travelers and adventurous. We are prepared for cold weather. I’m reading Rick Steves Paris guidebook now. I saw something online called PARIS PASS which looks like it takes the place of MUSEUM PASS and VISITE PASS TRAVEL CARD. Would you recommend I buy that for our family for 3-4 day pass? Arrive on Saturday. Then Sunday go explore and to Eiffel Tower (already have tickets.) We plan to go to Versailles on Tuesday and hit Louvre and other museums Wednesday and Thursday. Friday depart.
Posted by
1226 posts
RS' book has a page listing the entrance fees for many sites. You can add those that you plan to visit and compare to what is included in the passes you are considering (which RS also describes). I don't remember the details, but for us, paying individual entrance fees was cheaper...
Posted by
Washington DC
27062 posts
Hold off on the pass until some recent visitors to Paris have time to weigh in. Going from memory, I believe it is unanimous here that the museum pass can be a good deal (depending on your sightseeing plans) but that the broader pass that includes transportation is severely overpriced.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10176 posts
The Museum Pass can be worthwhile, but the Paris Pass is overpriced. I haven't taken children or teens to the Paris museums for decades, but it seems from what I've read here children and teens have free entrance--which others may confirm or dispute. So the Paris Pass would definitely be a waste of money.
As for the transportation part of the Paris Pass, you would be better off buying books of 10 Metro tickets, called carnets, or getting for each person the Pass Navigo with unlimited travel, including Versaille and the airport, which you could use from Sunday until you leave on Friday.
So, conclusion--the Paris Pass is a waste of money for you and for anyone else.
Posted by
1172 posts
We decided against the Paris pass when we looked at what it offered and what we wanted to do. Its as not worth the cost for us.
Look at the things you want to do and look at what the pass covers.. tally up the cost of what you want to do that is covered by the pass and compare to the cost of the pass.
We have used the Pass in many other cities but for us , the Paris one did not make sense
Posted by
Grand Rapids, MI
768 posts
I've been to Paris with each my 3 kids when they were teens, and they can get "museum-ed out". But they did like the Catacombs, Sewer Tour, climbing up the Arc de Triomphe, and all you can eat choc. mousse at Chez Janou.
Posted by
Paris
2466 posts
If you add up the admission fees, the Museum Pass makes sense. You can get it at the airport.
Make sure to check for opening times.
You can buy 4 days for the museums, and your minor children do not have to have tickets., so you'll save money.
The tickets run consecutively, you cannot skip days. Sign the ticket first.