3 Perks of the Paris Museum Pass

If you're planning a visit to the city of Paris you'll probably want to go to the Louvre to see Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, or the Musée d'Orsay for its collection of Van Gogh paintings. Or perhaps the 13th century stained glass windows of Sainte-Chapelle are on your agenda. You can pay as you go for admission to these sites but if you're planning to see a number of attractions, you may want to consider purchasing the Paris Museum Pass.

Entrance to the Musée d'Orsay, Paris

1.  Convenience

There’s no need to carry around all those extra euros to buy a ticket at every site you visit. The Paris Museum Pass can be purchased online prior to your arrival in France or at a number of locations in Paris, including visitor centres and museums that accept the pass. Activate your pass prior to your first site visit by entering your name and the date on the back of the pass and you're ready to walk through the doors. How simple is that?

Michelangelo's Dying Slave at the Louvre

2.  Save money

If you plan to visit a number of sites and schedule your visits wisely, the Paris Museum Pass can save you money. The pass allows unlimited access to more than 60 of the city’s greatest attractions. Return as many times as you wish. Passes are available for 2 (42 euros), 4 (56 euros) or 6 (69 euros) consecutive days. (To compare prices, the city of Florence has introduced its Firenze Card at 72 euros for a 72-hour pass, with only one visit per site allowed.)

The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry, Musée de Cluny

Here are just a few of the sites you can visit with the pass and the current regular cost of adult admission (in euros):

Musée du Louvre €12

Musée d’Orsay  €9

Sainte-Chapelle €8,5
Musée de Cluny €8,5
Tower of Notre-Dame €8,5

There are also a few sites outside the city, like Versailles and Fontainebleau, which are covered by the pass.

Château de Versailles

3. Save time

For me, this is the biggest advantage of the Paris Museum Pass. For most sites you can skip the ticket line; just show your pass at the checkpoint and walk straight inside. During peak season this can save visitors a lot of time and time is valuable too. One exception is the Tower of Notre Dame Cathedral, where pass holders must join the queue.

The View from Notre-Dame Cathedral

The Paris Museum Pass web site has up-to-date pricing, full information on exclusions and how to use the pass, and a complete list of accessible sites. The web site also provides information on opening hours and dates the sites are closed to help you plan your itinerary and make full use of your pass.