[FRANCE] Tips on Using Paris Museum Pass (Including 2 Day Itinerary Using The Pass)

09:43 Travel Bunny 0 Comments

Types of Paris Museum Pass:
It has 48, 96 or 144 consecutive hours option.

Price of the pass:
48 consecutive hours (2 days) pass - EUR 57
96 consecutive hours (4 days) pass - EUR 73
144 consecutive hours (6 days) pass - EUR 83

I bought the 2 day pass at EUR 48 last year (2019). Previously the pass is used as consecutive days instead of hours.

Is it worth it to buy the pass?
If you’re considering whether to buy Paris Museum Pass, I would suggest to buy it if you plan to visit more than 4 museums listed in the pass. Do a quick calculation of the list of places you plan to visit (2020 ticket price reference as below) and see whether buying the pass will give you some savings.

Louvre Museum - € 17
D'Orsay Museum - € 14
Pompidou Center - € 14
Picasso Museum - € 14
Triumphal Arch - € 13
Les Invalides - € 14
Sainte-Chapelle - € 11.50
Versailles - € 20
L'Orangerie Museum - € 9
Conciergerie - € 9
Rodin Museum - € 12
Army Museum - € 12
National Pantheon - € 11.50

Below is the list of attractions I visited using the pass. I had a saving of € 28 based on the pass price and ticket price last year (see below).
Louvre Museum - € 15
Triumphal Arch - € 12
Sainte-Chapelle - € 10
Versailles - € 18
National Pantheon - € 9
Les Invalides - € 12

* Notre Dame Cathedral was originally on my list. Unfortunately, it was badly damaged during a fire on 15 April 2019 and it is closed since then for the restoration.


What are the other benefits of the pass?
Skip the line with the pass (except when there are security checks in place). This is important to me as it save me a lot of time without queuing, especially for places notorious for long queuing time - Louvre Museum and Versailles.


How to buy it?
Option 1: Buy online and collect it at central Paris Tourist Office (to avoid shipping costs). You can also buy it online and have it shipped to you for a fee.

Official Website:
https://booking.parisinfo.com/il4-offer_i148-paris-museum-pass.aspx

Option 2: Buy the pass in person at the following locations:
1) Charles de Gaulle Airport / Orly Airport Tourist information desk
2) Paris Offices of Tourism and Visitor Centres at major train stations (Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare Saint-Lazare, Gare Montparnasse, Gare d'Austerlitz)
3) ticket office at museums in Paris eg. Louvre Museum, D'Orsay Museum, L'Orangerie Museum etc.
4) Paris Tourist Office : 25 rue des Pyramides, Paris 1st.

I collected my pass at the tourist office at Gare du Nord Train Station.


How to use it ?
Fill in the back of the pass with the date and your name. Scan the barcode at the back of the pass before entering the chosen first museum.
* Take note that erasures or deletions are not allowed. Do not fill in unless you are certain of the date.


What attractions are not included in the pass?
Eiffel Tower
Opéra Garnier
Grand Palais
Paris Catacombs
Espace Dalí (Salvador Dalí Museum)
Jacquemart-André Museum
Luxembourg Museum
Musée Marmottan Monet
Montmartre Museum
Elevator at La Défense
Dome at Sacré Coeur

* The Pass also does not cover admission to special exhibits, audio guides, or special events taking place at a particular museum or attraction.


What is the main difference between Paris Museum Pass and Paris Passlib'?
The Paris Museum Pass is only valid for museums and monuments. The Paris Pass includes admission all the same museums/monuments as the Paris Museum Pass along with unlimited travel on public transportation, 1-day Open Tour bus pass, 1-hour Seine boat cruise and Guided tour of the Perfume Museum - Fragonard & free mini-box.


My 2 day itinerary in Paris using the Paris Museum Pass
Day 1: Sainte-Chapelle -> Notre-Dame Cathedral (exterior only) -> Shakespear and Company bookstore -> National Pantheon -> Les Invalides -> Eiffel Tower (exterior only) -> Triumphal Arch -> Avenue des Champs-Élysées -> Opera Garnier (exterior only) -> Galleries Lafayette -> Louvre Museum

Tip: Pre-booking your time slot is required for Louvre Museum. You MUST have your pass in hand before you can make your reservation as you need the unique number on the back.Do so immediately once you get your pass to ensure guaranteed entry.

Day 2: Versailles -> Sacré-Coeur -> Montmartre -> Moulin Rouge -> Wall of Love -> Rue Cremieux -> Van Gogh Exhibition at L'Atelier des Lumi

Click on pink font for further reading.

Tip: Go to Versalles first thing in the morning and visit the palace first, it gets crowded if you go later, or worse, you'll get stuck in the long line at the entrance (see photo above).


List of Attractions and Opening Times:
Sainte-Chapelle

Adults: € 11.50
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (Jan-Mar)
9:00 am - 7:00 pm (Apr-Sep)
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (Oct-Dec)
Metro: Cité or Saint-Michel (Line 4)
RER: Saint-Michel (Line C)
Bus: Lines 21, 38, 47, or 85

National Pantheon

Adults: € 11.50
10 am - 6:30 pm
Metro: Saint-Michel (Line 4)
RER: Saint-Michel (Line C) / Luxembourg


Les Invalides

Adults: € 14.00
10 am - 6 pm (Apr - Oct)
10 am - 5 pm (Noc - Mar)
Metro: Invalides (Line 8) / Varennes (line 13)
RER: Invalides (Line C)

Triumphal Arch

Adults: € 13.00
9:00 am - 6:00 pm (Jan-Mar)
10:00 am - 11:00 pm (Apr-Sep)
10:00 am - 10:30 pm (Oct-Dec)
Metro: Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (Line 1、2、6 and RER A)

Louvre Museum

Adults: € 17 (online)
9 am - 6 pm
9 am - 9:45 pm (Wed,Fri)
Closed on Tuesdays

* Visitor with advance tickets (including Paris Museum Pass): entrance via the Pyramid without having to queue.

Metro: Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre station (line 1 / 7), Louvre Rivoli (line 1)
Bus: the following bus lines stop in front of the Pyramid: 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95, and the Paris Open Tour bus.
Batobus: get off at the Louvre stop, quai François Mitterrand.


Versailles

Palace and Gardens: € 20.00
9:00 am - 5:30 pm (Nov-Mar)
9:00 am - 6:30 pm (Apr-Oct)
Closed on Mondays

RER line C: arrives at Versailles Château - Rive Gauche (link is external) train station, just 10 minutes’ walk to the Palace.
SNCF trains from Gare Montparnasse arrive at Versailles Chantiers train station (link is external), which is 18 minutes on foot to the Palace.
SNCF trains from Gare Saint Lazare arrive at Versailles Rive Droite train station (link is external), 17 minutes on foot to the Palace.

* During the Musical Fountains Show and Musical Gardens, the shows and groves are not accessible to the public. To visit the gardens during this period, it is necessary to buy a supplement on the website of the Palace of Versailles or on-site at the ticket office.

See the full list of museums / attractions included in the pass here.


Tips on Using The Pass:
1) Plan ahead and find out which are the attractions included in the pass that you plan to visit. See if the pass fit your itinery, not the other way round.

2) If you are in Paris for a period longer than the length of your pass, separate your days in Paris to Pass days or non-Pass days. Some attractions offer a free admission day.

3) The Paris Museum Pass allows only 1 entry per site to all attractions on the list. Plan accordingly to that. For example, if you go to Triumphal Arch near sunset time, you will get to see the sunset and evening view at one go.

4) Choose your redemption point for your online pass or place to buy the pass wisely. Avoid choosing a popular place such as Louvre Museum or D'Orsay Museum so that you can avoid long queues there.

5) Start your day early and take advantage of evening opening hours for certain attractions like Lovure Museum which is open till 9.45pm on Wednesday and Friday and Triumphal Arch which opens till 10.30pm / 11pm (except Jan - Mar).

6) Make sure that you're standing in the right line which is reserved for Pass holders so that you don't waste time queuing.

7) Children under age 18 accompanied by an adult and EU citizens under age 26 are allowed free access to most museums included in the Museum Pass. They don't need this pass.

I hope this guide helps you in planning how to use the Paris Museum Pass. Bon Voyage!