Paris Museum Pass

Before our first day of hard-core sightseeing in Paris I figured out what attractions we were interested in visiting and determined that a Paris Museum Pass was a good value for us. The pass can be purchased for two, four, or six consecutive days and costs 30, 45, 60 Euros respectively. It may seem like a lot of money, but with each major attraction costing between 7.50 and 15 Euros a pop, and Versailles costing 20 Euros, it makes sense if you plan to visit a few things.

We opted for the four-day pass and, even though we only used it for three days, determined that we saved money on the deal. Besides, I like the pay once system. Somehow I feel like I spend less when I’m not reaching for my wallet over-and-over again. And, I am more likely to visit things. Also, with the museum pass you are able to skip some of the lines. Pass-holders get preferred entry to many of the sites.

The passes can be purchased in advance online, at tourist information centers throughout the city, or at any of the attractions. With over 60 monuments and museums included, purchasing the pass was super easy.

The pass itself is about the size of a credit card and folds out to include a ton of information. All sixty-plus sites are listed, with their hours of operation and a brief description in English. This was extremely helpful to us, as I actually changed the order of what to see based on the days that things were opened. (How glad was I that we didn't travel all the way out to Versailles on Monday, only to find out that it was closed?)

In addition to Versailles, we also visited the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, the l'Orangerie Museum, and Saint-Chapelle.