Paris Pass Review 2025: Is It Worth It? Honest Pros & Cons
Paris is shaping up for another record year in 2025 – and if you’re planning to visit, you’ve probably run into the Paris Pass in your research. It’s one of the most popular sightseeing passes in Europe, offering entry to dozens of top attractions for one upfront price, plus extras like a Seine River cruise and hop-on hop-off bus tour.
But is it a good deal? And more importantly, is it the right pass for your style of travel?
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the Paris Pass in 2025 – what’s included, what’s not, current prices, who it’s best for, and how to get the most value from it. Whether you’re heading to Paris for the first time or just looking to skip the ticket lines and see more in less time, this review will help you decide if the Paris Pass is worth it for you.
Note: This article was last updated in July, 2025. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. This helps to keep this site going.
Wondering: Is the Paris Pass still worth it in 2025?
Paris continues to draw record crowds in 2025, and summer is especially busy. The Paris Pass and Paris Pass Plus bundle more attractions than in previous versions — and while prices have risen since 2024, gate fees have often increased even more — so the pass is actually a better value this year.
- Paris Pass includes a Paris Attractions Pass and access to major experiences like the hop‑on/hop‑off bus tour, Seine cruise, and guided Eiffel Tower climb.
- Paris Pass Plus adds the Paris Museum Pass, which covers popular museums like the Louvre, Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, Sainte‑Chapelle, and more.
Who the Paris Pass makes sense for:
- First‑time visitors who want to see and do a lot in just a few days
- Travelers keen on experiences like the bus tour, river cruise, wine tasting, or guided climb
- Visitors who want to skip ticket lines at major attractions
Who might choose something else:
- Museum lovers who don’t care about tours or daytime excursions — just get the Paris Museum Pass
- Visitors staying in Paris longer than 4 days who prefer to go at a slower pace
- Travelers on a tight budget who plan to skip most major attractions
Value check:
- Most 3‑day passes top out around €80–90/day, while a full Museum Pass alone costs about €90–€110 depending on duration
- Many users report saving 15–20% off full gate prices if you use it efficiently
Money‑saving tips:
- Start early — Louvre and the bus tour fill up quickly, and early hours let you hit two big attractions before lunch
- Group attractions by neighborhood (e.g., Louvre / Orsay / Seine cruise) to minimize transit time
- Make the Hop‑On Hop‑Off bus tour and sunset Seine cruise your first priority — they’re included and excellent value
Editor’s Note: How to Get the Best Value
After using many of these city passes over the years, I’ve learned that the biggest difference between those who love the Paris Pass and those who regret buying it comes down to planning and timing. The good news is, getting great value doesn’t mean rushing around — it just takes a bit of strategy.
- Start your day early. Paris’s top attractions (especially the Louvre, bus tour, and Seine cruise) get busier as the day goes on. If you start sightseeing by 9:00 AM, you can fit in two major activities before lunch.
- Plan your route the night before. The Paris Pass comes with a handy map showing attraction locations and opening hours. Use it to group nearby stops and avoid zigzagging across the city.
- Mix in shorter experiences. Places like Sainte‑Chapelle or the wine tasting take under an hour, making them perfect to slot in between bigger sights.
- Watch the weather. Save outdoor activities (like the Eiffel Tower climb or the hop‑on/hop‑off bus) for dry, clear days if you can.
If you’re willing to do a bit of pre-planning and pace yourself wisely, the Paris Pass can help you skip lines, save money, and see the best of the city in less time.
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What’s Included with the Paris Pass (2025)
The Paris Pass bundles a variety of attractions, tours, and experiences into one prepaid package. Here’s everything that’s included:
Included with the Paris Pass (Attraction + Museum combo)
- **Paris Museum Pass** access (2‑, 3‑, 4‑, or 6‑day durations) — covers entry to the \
Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte‑Chapelle, Arc de Triomphe, Palace of Versailles, and more - **Hop‑On Hop‑Off Bus Tour (Big Bus Paris)** — 1‑day, perfect way to get oriented early in the trip
- **Seine River Cruise** — 1‑hour ride, ideally timed around sunset for the best views
- **Eiffel Tower guided climb to the 2nd Floor** — 700‑step climb with live commentary, included for Pass holders
- **Wine‑tasting experience** — small group tasting with an expert guide and a full bottle per person
- **Guided walking tour of Montmartre & Sacré‑Coeur** — 90 minutes exploring the famous hilltop neighborhood
- **Paradox Museum or Grevin Wax Museum** — choose either one quirky attraction during your stay
- **Parc Astérix** — entry to this theme park outside Paris (only on select Pass options)
Additional benefits:
- Skip‑the‑line entry at many attractions — prioritize the busiest sites (like the Louvre or Versailles)
- Travel‑friendly info booklet and app access — maps, opening times, and suggested itineraries
- Flexible Pass lengths — choose from 1‑, 2‑, 3‑, 4‑, or 6‑day options depending on your travel style
Top Paris Pass Attractions (Expert Picks)
If you’re wondering where to start with the dozens of attractions included in the Paris Pass, here are the ones we think are absolutely worth your time — especially for first‑time visitors:
- Louvre Museum — Yes, it’s crowded and massive, but you’ll want to go anyway. A focused 60–90 minute visit works surprisingly well — just hit the highlights like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, then explore a bit more on the way out.
- Musée d’Orsay — Less crowded, easier to navigate, and filled with iconic works by Van Gogh, Monet, and Renoir. Many visitors enjoy this even more than the Louvre.
- Hop‑On Hop‑Off Bus Tour — A fantastic way to get oriented. Unlike most cities, Paris is compact enough that you can actually use this as transportation between major sights.
- Seine River Cruise — Go around sunset for the best photos. Seeing the bridges and monuments light up while cruising the Seine is pure Paris magic.
- Sainte‑Chapelle — Often overlooked, this Gothic chapel’s stained glass windows are absolutely jaw‑dropping. You can see it in under an hour and it’s a short walk from Notre‑Dame.
- Wine Tasting Experience — Not something you’d normally seek out, but it’s fun and includes a full bottle of wine to take home. Easy to fit in after your Louvre visit.
- Arc de Triomphe — Go up for the views — especially in the morning or at golden hour. Less crowded than the Eiffel Tower and arguably better photos.
- Eiffel Tower Guided Climb — If you’re in good shape, this guided walk up the 700 stairs is a memorable experience — and the views from the 2nd floor are arguably better than the very top.
- Montmartre Walking Tour — A great way to explore one of Paris’ most iconic neighborhoods. The 5PM tour is ideal for catching the golden light on Sacré‑Coeur.
- Paradox Museum or Grevin Wax Museum — A lighthearted option that’s easy to squeeze in between bigger sights. Both are surprisingly enjoyable if you want a break from art and architecture.
Paris Pass vs. Paris Pass Plus: Which One Should You Get?
In 2025, the Paris Pass comes in two main versions — the standard Paris Pass and the upgraded Paris Pass Plus. The difference comes down to whether or not you want museum access included.
- Paris Pass: This includes the All‑Inclusive Attractions Pass. You’ll get access to things like the hop‑on, hop‑off bus tour, Seine cruise, Eiffel Tower guided climb, wine tasting, walking tours, and more — but not museums.
- Paris Pass Plus: This version includes everything above plus a Paris Museum Pass, which gets you into the Louvre, Orsay, Sainte‑Chapelle, Arc de Triomphe, and even the Palace of Versailles.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Choose the standard Paris Pass if you aren’t planning on visiting many museums — or if you just want to focus on tours, views, and experiences like the Eiffel Tower climb, river cruise, or wine tasting.
- Choose the Paris Pass Plus if you plan to visit the big museums or Versailles. Buying the Museum Pass separately can be expensive, and it’s not sold on its own by the official Paris Pass site.
- If you’re unsure, start by making a rough list of attractions you care about — then add up their regular prices. If that list includes at least two major museums, the Plus version is probably your best bet.
How Much Does the Paris Pass Cost in 2025?
Here’s the current pricing structure for the two versions of the Paris Pass, based on public pricing from the official Paris Pass website as of mid‑2025:
- Paris Pass (standard): Access to the hop‑on hop‑off bus tour, Seine cruise, wine tasting, Eiffel Tower climb, Parc Astérix, and many other attractions without museum entry.
- Paris Pass Plus: Includes everything in the standard pass PLUS the Paris Museum Pass (entry to 50+ major museums and monuments such as the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte‑Chapelle, Arc de Triomphe, Palace of Versailles).
| Duration | Paris Pass | Paris Pass Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 1‑Day Pass | €89 | N/A |
| 2‑Day Pass | €139 | ~€179–199* |
| 3‑Day Pass | €164 | ~€224 |
| 4‑Day Pass | €184 | ~€264 |
| 6‑Day Pass | €214 | ~€314 |
*Prices include small seasonal discounts, for example a €179 price on the 2‑day Paris Pass Plus rather than €199. Some third-party guides list a €239 option for a 3‑day Pass, but those appear to be unofficial or bundled offers.
- The Paris Pass does not include transit—unlike older versions or some competing city cards, you’ll need to buy metro/RER/bus tickets separately.
- Many individual attractions cost €11–€23 (e.g. Louvre €23, Musée d’Orsay €16, Sainte‑Chapelle €11.50, Arc de Triomphe €16) so the Museum Pass reaches breakeven in about 3 or 4 visits alone.
- Optional experiences like a Seine cruise (€19), Hop‑On Bus (€49), or Eiffel climb (€39) offer extra value – but only if you use them.
Sample Itineraries for 1, 2, and 3-Day Paris Passes
Planning ahead is essential if you want to get good value from your Paris Pass. The city is compact, and many attractions are close together, so with smart routing you can pack in more than you might expect.
Here are a few suggested itineraries to help you make the most of your pass, depending on how many days you have.
1-Day Paris Pass Itinerary
- Start at 9:00am: Hop-on, hop-off bus tour – do the full loop or hop off at the Louvre
- Mid-morning: Louvre Museum (Paris Pass Plus only)
- Afternoon: Wine tasting near the Louvre (includes a free bottle)
- Sunset: 1-hour Seine River cruise (aim for golden hour for the best photos)
You’ll easily get more than €100 in value from a 1-day pass if you follow this route.
2-Day Paris Pass Itinerary
- Day 1:
- Hop-on, hop-off bus tour in the morning
- Louvre Museum and/or Orsay Museum (Plus only)
- Wine tasting or the Paradox Museum
- Seine cruise at sunset
- Day 2:
- Guided climb of the Eiffel Tower (reserve in advance)
- Arc de Triomphe observation deck
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Optional: Montmartre walking tour or the Wax Museum
With two days, you can easily fit in 6 to 8 attractions if you start early and plan your route by neighborhood.
3-Day Paris Pass Itinerary
- Days 1 & 2: Follow the 2-day plan above
- Day 3:
- Day trip to the Palace of Versailles (included with Paris Pass Plus)
- Return in the afternoon and visit any missed sights like the Orsay Museum or Sainte-Chapelle
The 3-day pass works best when you include a visit to Versailles, which alone is worth €21 and takes half a day or more.
How to Get the Most Value from Your Paris Pass
You can absolutely get great value from the Paris Pass – but only if you use it smartly. Most people who feel disappointed by passes like this either started their sightseeing too late in the day or didn’t plan a good route in advance. Here are the keys to making sure your pass saves you time and money rather than causing stress.
- Start early: Aim to leave your hotel by 9:00am. Top attractions like the Louvre and the bus tour get more crowded after 11:00am, so you’ll get a smoother experience and pack in more if you begin early.
- Plan by location: Use the included map or a Google Maps route to group attractions together. For example, the Louvre, Orsay Museum, Seine cruise, and wine tasting are all within walking distance.
- Use the HOHO bus for sightseeing and transit: Paris is one of the rare cities where the hop-on, hop-off bus is actually useful for getting between major sights—especially if you start with a full loop for orientation.
- Make a short list of “can’t-miss” items: Instead of trying to see everything, pick your top 5 or 6 attractions and build around those. That way, you won’t feel rushed or disappointed if you don’t fit in everything.
- Book timed entries where needed: Some popular sights like the Louvre and Eiffel Tower require advance reservations even with the pass. Don’t assume you can just show up.
And one final tip: don’t skip the included tours and experiences just because they seem like minor add-ons. The Seine River cruise and wine tasting are highlights for many, and even the Paradox Museum or Wax Museum can be a fun bonus when they’re already covered.
Who Should - and Shouldn’t - Buy the Paris Pass?
The Paris Pass can be a great deal—but not for everyone. It really depends on how you like to travel, how long you’re staying, and how much sightseeing you actually want to do each day.
- ✅ Great for: First-time visitors who want to see as much as possible in just a few days. The pass helps you skip lines and avoid juggling tickets and cash at every stop.
- ✅ Great for: Travelers who enjoy organized sightseeing and want to cover the main museums, monuments, and tours with less hassle.
- ✅ Great for: Visitors who would book the HOHO bus tour and Seine River cruise anyway. Both are included, and they’re genuinely helpful ways to see a lot fast.
- ❌ Not ideal for: Travelers who prefer to wander without an agenda or only want to see one or two sights per day.
- ❌ Not ideal for: Visitors staying in Paris for a week or more who want to take their time and stretch out sightseeing over many days.
- ❌ Not ideal for: Hardcore museum fans who plan to focus entirely on the Louvre, Orsay, and Versailles—those travelers will probably save more with the Paris Museum Pass on its own.
If you’re not sure which pass is right for you, ask yourself this: “Would I realistically do three or four paid attractions per day for two or three days straight?” If the answer is yes, the Paris Pass can easily pay for itself. If not, a more flexible (and possibly cheaper) option might suit you better.
Pros and Cons of the Paris Pass
Like most sightseeing passes, the Paris Pass is best for certain types of travelers and trip styles. Here’s a quick overview of the main advantages – and a few drawbacks to consider.
- ✅ Save money – If you visit at least 3 or 4 included attractions each day, the pass almost always pays for itself—and then some.
- ✅ Skip the ticket lines – Many popular attractions offer fast-track entry with the pass, saving you time at places like the Louvre and Orsay.
- ✅ Easy planning – Having one pass that covers nearly everything makes trip planning simpler and reduces stress once you’re in Paris.
- ✅ Includes tours and experiences – The hop-on hop-off bus, Seine River cruise, wine tasting, and walking tours add extra value beyond just museum entry.
- ✅ Encourages you to see more – If you’re on the fence about certain attractions, you’re more likely to check them out when they’re already included.
- ❌ Requires early starts – To get the best value, you need to hit the ground running—no sleeping in if you want to break even.
- ❌ Not ideal for slow travelers – If you prefer to linger in one museum or spend long afternoons at cafés, you may not squeeze out full value.
- ❌ Some attractions need reservations – Especially post-pandemic, you’ll need to book time slots in advance for the Louvre, Eiffel Tower climb, and others.
- ❌ May feel rushed – Trying to fit in too many attractions to “make it worth it” can lead to travel burnout or museum fatigue.
The Paris Pass is a powerful tool for ambitious travelers who want to see the best of Paris quickly. But if your style is more slow and spontaneous, it might not be the best fit.
Final Verdict: Is the Paris Pass Worth It in 2025?
For many first-time visitors to Paris, the answer is a solid yes – especially in 2025. While the price of the pass has gone up slightly, the prices of individual attractions have increased even more, so the potential savings are actually better than they were in previous years.
If you’re the kind of traveler who wants to see the best of Paris in just a few days – Louvre, Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Seine River cruise, wine tasting, Eiffel Tower climb, Montmartre walking tour, and more—then the Paris Pass is a no-brainer. The convenience of skipping ticket lines, the ability to book everything in advance, and the added tours and experiences make it one of the best-value sightseeing passes in Europe.
But if you’re a slow traveler, visiting friends, or planning to spend your time wandering neighborhoods, relaxing at cafés, and seeing one or two sights per day, then it might not be the right fit. In that case, the standalone Paris Museum Pass or even just paying à la carte may serve you better.
Bottom line: The Paris Pass is worth it in 2025 for anyone who wants to see a lot, move efficiently, and avoid wasting time in queues. With a bit of planning – and a 5% discount – it’s one of the best ways to get the most out of a few amazing days in the City of Light.
Thanks for the great info and finding time to answer all of the questions here. Reading through the thread, I have decided to get a 2day pass since I will be in Paris late September for 4days, and in those 4 days my friends who are with me will be travelling to Lourdes and I will try to explore Paris on my own for 2 days they are not with me. I plan to do the Seine River tour and go from there where my feet will bring me…I have planned the routes ahead and I plan to get lost in Paris too.
The pass is activated on the first time it is used and a day is based on date and not on 24hour time, am I correct? So is it beneficial to get the pass from the redemption center a day before I use it? Are there more pick-up points for the Paris Pass or that’s the only one?
Thanks so much!
Joyce,
I’m always happy to hear that people find this information helpful. Yes, the Paris Pass works on calendar days, so it expires at midnight even if you don’t start using it until midday. I’m only aware of that one pick-up center for the Paris Pass, but fortunately it’s very central and actually near quite a few attractions. Most people prefer to have the Paris Pass shipped to them at home, although for one short pass the shipping charge might seem like a lot. Once you buy the pass, you have up to one year to activate it, by the way. So it could be wise to pick up your pass in Paris the day before you want to use it, and then start early the next morning with the sightseeing.
And you probably won’t get too lost in Paris, but I love the idea of just wandering around a bit rather than racing from one attraction to the next. It’s a stunningly gorgeous city and there is a visual treat around every corner. Have a great trip. -Roger
My wife and I will be in Paris in late September. Will there still be long lines at the usual attractions? Just thinking that maybe we wont need to get a Paris Pass to avoid ticket lineups.
Thanks,
Greg
Greg,
The ticket queues in late September are usually a bit shorter than they are in July and August, but they can still be quite long for the most popular attractions. It’s really only the coldest months where queues are reliably short because Paris is so incredibly popular with people from around the world. So a Paris Pass will likely save you some time, but if you go to the most popular things just before they open for the day, you can still see a lot without it. Best of luck. -Roger
Will be in Paris week of August. 22 for three days. We already have a few excursions planned and we are staying at kyriad bercy village. I was wondering what would be the best transportation from the Kyriad into the main city of Paris and is there a pass available?
Margo,
It looks like your hotel is fairly close to the city center, and only 2 blocks from the Cour St Emilion Metro station. Once on the Metro, you can get anywhere in central Paris in only 10 or 15 minutes.
The Paris Pass comes with a Visite Pass, which is good for unlimited rides on the Metro, so it would work out well for you. Have a great trip. -Roger
Hello Roger,
Firstly, fantastic piece! Pretty much got all the information I was looking at in one place with all the different passes and seeing who would benefit from each type of pass.
I just have a few questions and looking for advice from yourself if possible;
1) I noticed when looking at the museum pass and in the comments above that EU citizen/nationals under 26 get in for free at the main muesums, do I therefore have to be in the queue with everyone else or is there a way to get tickets in advance with this offer?
2) My Girlfriend and I are staying in Sofitel La Defense, would you recommend a Metro pass or like a carnet of 10 tickets? As I know we are a little bit away from the centre.
Any other tips or places to go for a romantic getaway would be great :).
Thank you
Daniel,
Thanks for the kind words.
1) Visitors who qualify for free admission at museums and such do not get a ticket. They just get in the entry queue and show ID/proof to get in to the person collecting tickets from those (suckers) who have to pay.
2) Your hotel is a bit outside the center of Paris, so you’ll be riding the Metro many times a day. It’s a great system because there are stops every few blocks, so it can save time even on trips where walking might only take 20 minutes. Personally, I’d go for the Visite Pass with unlimited Metro rides because it’s fairly cheap and it means you don’t have to worry if you make a mistake or want to add another quick trip somewhere. My guess is that you’d want to take at least 4 Metro rides per day, so with two of you you’d go through those 10-ticket carnets pretty fast. With a Visite Pass, you should be able to buy one for your whole trip before your first ride, and then you wouldn’t have to deal with ticket sellers anymore (many of whom don’t speak much English).
I don’t have any specific tips on romance in Paris, but you’ll have nothing to worry about. The city center is just one gorgeous sight after another, only broken up by parks and the Seine. Actually, one thing not to miss would be to plan a stroll through the Montmartre area in the evening, and take the funicular up to the view area in front of the cathedral there. That part of town is stunning at night, and the views from the top are hard to beat. Watch or rewatch the movie Amélie, which was mostly shot in that neighborhood. Bon voyage. -Roger
Hi roger,
by tomorrow we are in paris,after reading your article we are not taking paris pass,we are coming for 3 days in paris, and one day already booked for disneyland, just checking for 2 days plan,
would you please suggest main attraction in paris in 2 days without any pass, just thinking for one days hop on hop bus,
please suggest..
deeps,
I agree that a hop-on, hop-off bus tour is a good choice for a short visit. Not only does it help you get oriented, but it will show you nearly all of the main sightseeing options so you can choose the ones you’ll want to visit later. There are so many sightseeing options in Paris that I can’t really recommend anything without knowing your preferences. But I’m sure you won’t be bored, and that you’ll find more than enough things to do once you are there. Also, even if you don’t buy a Paris Pass, the website is actually a great guide to most of the top attractions. Bon voyage. -Roger
Hi Roger,
My boyfriend and I will be visiting Paris this coming August for full 4 days. We are staying at Rue Vicq d’Azir. Should we get the 2 days or 4 days pass? Would a 2 days pass be enough to cover the famous museums so that the other 2 days we can spend the other 2 days visiting other places that do not need the Paris Pass.
We are looking at going to Montmartre,Palace Versailles, Les Champs Elysées, The Louvre – Museum,The Arc de Triomphe, The Eiffel tower, Seine river boats, Notre Dame cathedral, The Musée d’Orsay and maybe The Moulin Rouge. Is there anything else that we should cover?
Sorry if my English is bad. Thank you!
Desiree,
Your English is quite good and I assumed you were a native speaker until that last sentence. 🙂
Yes, I do think that your plan of buying a 2-day Paris Pass is probably best. You’ll have enough time in those two days to fit in all the sights that it covers on your list. And I also think it’s desirable to have other time set aside in Paris where you won’t feel the pressure to go from one sight to the next. It’s a gorgeous city with many charming neighborhoods, so you’ll enjoy having at least one day (or two half days) to just roam around and window-shop and such.
All of the things on your list should be great highlights, with the possible exception of the Moulin Rouge. It’s interesting to see it from the outside, but people who go inside seem to agree that it’s overpriced and VERY touristy (because the audience is only tourists, no locals at all).
If you start on your Paris Pass days with the bus tour and the Seine River Cruise, you’ll get more ideas of things you want to go back and see more closely. And again, I don’t think it’s wise to create a very long list of attractions to see. The major ones on your list will take most of your time, and then you’ll want to stroll around and sit at cafes and that sort of thing with much of your remaining time. Have a great trip. -Roger
Will the Swiss Half Price Card deduct 50% off when I buy train tickets from Zurich to Paris and Paris to Zurich? Or it is only for rides within Switzerland?
I have posted the following in Switzerland forum. But didn’t get much reply. Could you PLEASE help me ?
I am going to Switzerland for the first time in the end of July. I would like to take rest in a remote countryside village in a valley and enjoy nature. It would be good if it is not too cold. And I would like to take a day trip from there to see green mountains and snow cap mountains of Switzerland. Could you please tell me which village should I choose and which day trip? I will get down in Zurich. I was thinking I will take rest in Murren and take a day trip to Jungfrau. But it seems that Murren is in high altitude and will be very cold. I will have elderly parents with me. In a day trip I would not mind if it’s cold but I would like to rest in a comfortable (not too cold) and quiet place and enjoy countryside in a small cottage or even a small bed and breakfast or be a paying guest in an outer house provided by a family.
Would it be a better choice near Zurich or near Interlaken?
Urmi Ray,
This is an unusual place to ask a question like this, but I’ll try to answer it anyway. I’m sure the Swiss Half Price Card is ONLY for rides within Switzerland so it wouldn’t half your fare all the way to Paris. But, it’s possible that you could get a 50% discount on the portion of the ride that is within Swiss borders (Zurich to Basel). You might have to buy the discounted ticket from Zurich to Basel and then another ticket from Basel to Paris, but that should still save you money and it won’t add much, if any, time to your trip.
The classic town to visit the Alpine villages is Interlaken, but there are some great possibilities from Lucerne as well. Either should be just what you are looking for, and you’ll have many options once you get there so you should be able to find something that fits the amount of exertion and temperature you prefer. One of the best small Alpine villages is Gimmelwald, near Interlaken. It’s small, car-free, and there are several friendly guesthouses and restaurants that should be just the sort of thing you are looking for. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for all the time you put in to answering all our queries! There are 6 of us in our party travelling to Paris in July. We will be travelling with 2 kids under 17 (ages 12 & 15) and visiting mostly those venues that they would get in free to. If we bought Paris passes just for the adults, would the kids be able to enter with us through the admissions line or do they still have to stand in the ticket line to be “validated” as free? Thanks!
Brenda,
From what I’ve read and heard from others, all of the museums included in the Paris Pass that offer free entry for children (and many other groups), don’t require a ticket for the free entry. Evidently a few of the less popular museums and attractions DO issue a ticket for the free admissions, but none of these have long ticket queues like the famous ones. In other words, in all places where it would matter, you can totally skip the ticket queue if you have a Paris Pass are have children with you. For one thing, I think they’d have a huge problem with eligible people getting their “free” tickets and then selling them to other people in the queue, so checking at the admission door seems to be the only way it would work. Bon voyage. -Roger
Hi Roger just a question. I am 17 so I believe I will get free entry to most of the museums such as the Louvre, Orsay etc. I will be going to Paris in mid June where the ticket queues would be longer. Do I still have to wait in the lines to show my ID and get a ‘free ticket’ or can I skip the ticket lines and show my ID at the entrance? Thanks a lot.
alvin,
I’m not 100% sure about this, but my understanding is that you’d only need to show ID at the admission queue, which tends to be short, as opposed to the ticket queue, which tends to be long (in summer). Many locals qualify for free admission, and I don’t believe they are given tickets, they are just let in. -Roger
Hi Roger, my sister in law and myself( in our 60s and 70s and with some mobility slowness) are visiting Paris from the 4 th to 11 th October this year. We are staying in the centre on one of the islands. We would like to visit Versailles, Givency and Monet gardens, Eiffel Tower, Luxenberg Gardens , markets and some other museums. We would like to also just enjoy the atmosphere.. sitting in the cafes and taking the day as it comes. What would be the best option for us to get around and avoid the queues if they are a problem this time of the year? What is the weather like this time as well..looking forward to some info as I’m confused as to our best way to get the most out of our visit.
Susan,
This is mostly good news because mid-October tends to have smaller crowds and shorter ticket queues. And staying on one of the islands means you could not be more central, so you’ll be pretty close to everything. Since you’ll be there for 7 days, I think you’ll be best off just seeing one or two major sights per day, and spending the rest of the time “cafe sitting” (as they call it) and wandering around the various beautiful neighborhoods in central Paris. The average high temp in October is 61F/15C and average low temp is 51F/11C, so it should be mild. Paris isn’t a particularly rainy city, including at that time of year.
Whether you get a Paris Pass or not, I think the hop-on, hop-off bus tour and the Seine River cruise could be very good for getting oriented early in the trip, and you’ll have plenty of time to go back and see some of the sights in depth in the following days.
Another helpful thing about Paris for you that there is a Metro (underground) station every couple of blocks all over the city. In other words, you are never more than a 4 or 5 minute walk from a Metro entrance, and most of them (but not all) have escalators, plus some have elevators, though not all of those are working. So a Metro Pass (Visite Card) will allow you to take unlimited Metro rides on the days it’s valid, and that will cut down a lot of walking. There’s also a Metro station in front of nearly every major attraction, so you can still see a lot without walking all day long.
Lastly, I think it should be helpful to consider that Paris is a gorgeous city and it isn’t necessary to hit all the famous museums and sights to enjoy yourselves. Just strolling around and stopping once in a while for a coffee and/or pastry will be entertaining for hours at a time, and many neighborhoods are quite unique so you can enjoy each of them in a different way. Hopefully this helps, and let me know if you have other questions. -Roger
Thank you Roger for that appreciated advice. We thought the hop on/ hop off and river cruise would be great for first couple days. Can we buy the HOHO tickets on the bus or do we need to buy beforehand? We thought it should not be a problem to wait until we are in Paris to book any tours we are interested in as it should be quieter? ( namely Versailles and Monet gardens) thanks again !
Susan,
Yes, you’ll easily be able to buy tickets to the bus and river cruise when you arrive. And especially since you’ll be visiting during a slower time of the year, the ticket queues should not be long at all. And that goes for the tours and day trips as well. Once you arrive you’ll be able to take a tour out to Versailles leaving the following morning, so it will be simple to just wing it. -Roger