Paris tours and tickets
Paris sells most of its big sights by timed slot, and the busiest ones run out weeks ahead in summer. The Eiffel Tower summit, the Louvre and Sainte-Chapelle are the three to book first. Orsay, the Orangerie and Notre-Dame need less notice. Walks, the Seine and Montmartre can be done on the day, and Versailles is easiest with a ticket in hand.
Book these first
- Eiffel Tower summit
- 4 to 8 weeks ahead in summer. Slots sell out, and the ticket office queue is long.
- Louvre timed entry
- 2 to 4 weeks ahead in summer. Entry is by timed slot, and walk-up places are limited.
- Sainte-Chapelle
- 1 to 3 weeks ahead. Small space and fixed time slots.
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Museums and galleries
Louvre
The largest museum in the city, with timed entry through the pyramid or the underground mall. Options are a standard ticket, an audio guide and guided visits of two to three hours that focus on the main works.
Which to pick. Buy the official timed ticket if you will wander alone and pick three or four rooms. Take a guided visit if you want the Mona Lisa and the big names without the planning.
2 to 4 weeks ahead in summerVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorMusée d'Orsay
Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings in a former railway station. Tickets are timed, and there are guided visits and an audio guide. A late opening one evening a week is the quietest time to go.
Which to pick. The official timed ticket is the simplest buy. Choose the evening opening if you can, since the crowds thin and the building looks its best.
1 to 2 weeks aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorMusée de l'Orangerie
A small museum built around Monet's water lily panels in two oval rooms, with more paintings downstairs. Timed tickets and an audio guide are sold, and a visit takes about an hour.
Which to pick. Buy the official ticket for a morning slot. It is small enough that a guided tour adds little, so skip the tour and spend the saved time in the Tuileries.
A few days aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Monuments and landmarks
Eiffel Tower
Tickets cover the stairs to the second floor, the lift to the second floor, or the lift to the summit. There are also guided visits and summit access with a guide. The summit is the first thing to sell out.
Which to pick. Book the summit lift as soon as your dates are fixed. If it is gone, the second floor by stairs has a shorter queue and a very good view.
4 to 8 weeks ahead in summerVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorArc de Triomphe
You climb a spiral stair to a rooftop terrace with views down the Champs-Élysées and across twelve avenues. Entry is by ticket, and the top closes in bad weather. There is no lift for most visitors.
Which to pick. Buy a timed ticket online to skip the box office, and go near sunset. A tour is not worth it here, since the climb is the experience.
A few days aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorMontmartre and the Sacré-Coeur
The basilica is free to enter, and the dome climb has its own ticket. Walking tours of Montmartre cover the vineyard, the old studios and the back streets, and usually last two hours.
Which to pick. Go on your own for the church and the view. Book a small-group walk only if you want the history of the artists and the cabarets explained.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Churches and palaces
Sainte-Chapelle
A royal chapel of walls made almost entirely of medieval stained glass. Entry is by timed slot, and a combined ticket with the Conciergerie next door is sold. Visits take about 30 minutes.
Which to pick. Book the first or last slot of the day for fewer people and better light. A combined ticket is good value if you also want the Conciergerie.
1 to 3 weeks aheadVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorNotre-Dame
The cathedral has reopened to visitors. Entry is free, and you can reserve a time slot online to avoid the queue. Climbing the towers needs a separate ticket, and an audio guide is sold nearby.
Which to pick. Reserve a free slot online for the interior. If you want the tower climb, book that separately, because it sells out well before the cathedral does.
A few days aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Day trips
Versailles
The palace, the gardens, the Trianon estate and the fountain shows are sold in different combinations. A passport ticket covers most of it, and the palace has timed entry. Guided visits cover the Hall of Mirrors and the royal apartments.
Which to pick. Buy a palace ticket for a weekday morning, and add the gardens and Trianon only if you have the whole day. Avoid Monday, when the palace is closed.
2 to 4 weeks ahead in summerOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorGiverny
Monet's house and the water garden, about an hour from Paris by train to Vernon and a shuttle. It is open from spring to autumn, and the flowers are best in May and June. Combined trips by coach are sold.
Which to pick. Go in May or June on a weekday and book a timed entry. Train and shuttle are easy to do yourself, so a tour mostly buys convenience.
1 to 2 weeks ahead in seasonTours and tickets on ViatorFontainebleau
A large royal palace with a forest around it, about 40 minutes from Paris by train. Entry is by ticket, with audio guides and visits of the royal apartments. It is far quieter than Versailles.
Which to pick. Buy the official ticket on the day or a few days before. It is the best choice if Versailles looks too crowded for your dates.
A few days aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
On the water
Seine river cruise
Sightseeing boats leave from near the Eiffel Tower and the Pont Neuf, with commentary in several languages. Trips last about an hour. Dinner cruises and evening boats with lights are sold as well.
Which to pick. Take the hour-long daytime boat for the views, or the evening one for the lit monuments. A dinner cruise is a meal first and a cruise second.
On the day is fineTours and tickets on ViatorCanal Saint-Martin boat
A slower cruise through locks and under swing bridges in the east of the city, usually two hours between the Arsenal basin and La Villette. It shows a Paris most visitors miss.
Which to pick. Choose it if you have seen the Seine already or want a quiet afternoon. Check the departure time on the day, since boats run on fixed hours.
A few days ahead in summerTours and tickets on Viator
City and museum passes in Paris
- Paris Museum PassA pass for dozens of museums and monuments across a set number of days, including the Louvre, Orsay and Versailles. It pays off with several major visits in a short stay. You still need a timed slot for some sights. Official page
Booking tours and tickets in Paris
Can I skip the queue at the Louvre?
Not entirely, but a timed ticket bought ahead lets you use the entrance for ticket holders, which moves faster. Early morning or the late evening opening is the quietest time.
Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
It is worth it if you plan three or more major museums and monuments in two to six days. For one or two visits, separate timed tickets are simpler.
What is free in Paris?
Notre-Dame, the Sacré-Coeur, many parks and the permanent collections of the city's own museums are free. Many national museums are free on the first Sunday of some months, with long queues.
Can I cancel or change a ticket?
It depends on the seller. Official museum tickets are usually fixed to a date and slot, while tour tickets from partners often allow cancellation a day ahead. Read the terms before paying.
Do I need a guided tour of Versailles?
No. The palace is easy to follow with an audio guide. A guide helps if you want the history of the Hall of Mirrors and the king's rooms, but the gardens are better alone.
What can wait until I arrive?
Seine boats, Montmartre walks, the Arc de Triomphe and Orsay on a weekday can be bought a day or two ahead. Book the Eiffel Tower summit, the Louvre and Sainte-Chapelle first.