Paris Visite pass

It would be more economical to just buy the packet of 10 tickets, called a "carnet" and pronounced "carnay", for the 2 days you will be using public transportation.

Thanks Norma. Where would we purchase a Carnet?

Buy a carnet at any metro station. Cheapest option. Frequently we will metro to something, say the Louvre, and then mostly meander back (stopping for lunch of course). The system is easy to navigate. Actually for two days I'd probably only buy a few individual tickets. You're probably staying within walking distance of some sites. Personally, and yes I mean just for me anyway, the bus system is a dud. The RER is usually a level below the Metro and requires it's own ticket (without a pass). No big deal.

Contrary to Marie, I love the buses and prefer them to the metro. If you will be using the metro and/or bus a lot in one day, you can purchase a one-day pass called a Mobilis. I forget the price but a good website for this info is parisbytrain.com

If you think your travel party will use 10 tickets in those 2 days, then a carnet is a good option. It costs €13,30. If you buy the tickets individually, they cost €1,70 each. These tickets are good on the metro or bus. The Ticket Mobilis is good for unlimited rides on the metro system for one day. A zone 1-2 ticket (which covers central Paris) costs €6,60. The Paris Visite pass doesn't seem like a good deal – it costs €10,55 for unlimited rides for one day. I'd go with either the carnet or Mobilis, depending on how much metro/bus travel you'll be doing each day. Have a great trip!

You can also buy a carnet of tickets at a tobacconist's. . Called TABAC, they're all over the place, often in the corner of a bar.