Travel in Paris: Is the Paris Pass value for money?

Most of this site is about London, but as Paris is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, and just 2 hours from London by Eurostar, it’s easy to get to from the UK: a two-centre vacation is very easy indeed. This article is designed to help anyone going to Paris, whether from England or not!

 What exactly is the Paris Pass?

It’s a Paris attractions pass, designed to give you all-inclusive entry to certain key museums, gardens, and Paris attractions. It tries to make your sightseeing as easy as possible by including everything in one pass and letting you skip the lines to enter attractions – you can queue for hours in hot Paris summers! Not ideal if you’re only there for a short visit or there with children. 

How much does the pass cost?

It’s not cheap, and the passes are priced in euros (you can use a credit card online to buy in advance, but if you do so, make sure you buy at their official site – there have been scams recently about these passes in some cities, so don’t get caught out!)

STOP PRESS - I have found a voucher code to get 5% off all the above prices - use PARPAS05 at the checkout!

What about the attractions included? What is the coverage like? A Paris Pass review. 

Disadvantages of the Paris pass

There aren't very many.

The key one is that it does not include the Eiffel Tower, a fabulous Paris attraction which should be a fixture on anyone's visit to Paris . But you can get a stairs ticket for just €4.50 or a lift ticket for about double that, so it's not so expensive to add this one attraction on. 

You have to use the pass on consecutive days. So if you get a three day pass, the 'clock' starts from the first day you use the pass. 

Advantages of the Paris Pass

• It includes almost all the travel you are likely to need. Apart from getting to and from the airport and going to the palace of Versailles then this pass includes travel on every major transport type in the centre of Paris. 

• The chance to skip the lines on some of the attractions. In the summer this is a really important perk. TheFrench have many virtues but queueing in an orderly and fair manner is not amongst them! Waiting to get into the museum or attraction can be quite stressful in the busier tourist attractions, especially if it's a hot day or if you have children tugging at your sleeve!  The Paris Pass let's you skip all that.

• The Pass is particularly good value for North American and other Non-European visitors. EU visitors under 26 get free entry to state musuems in France, others have to pay. But this is only for visitors from Europe, so if you're from anywhere else then the pass is even better value.

• And most importantly of all, the pass includes almost all of Paris's top attractions:

Versailles palace. The stunning home of King Louis XIV and others. Just outside Paris. 

L'Arc de Triomphe - you get to go inside and see the view down the Champs Elysees. 

O Chateau - Wine Tasting. This is the highly regarded wine tasting experience that is the #2 top attraction on Tripadvisor. 

Paris bus tour. Hop-on, hop-off bus to help orientate you in Paris. Usually I don't like these things but they certainly help you find your way around. While we're talking transport it also includes the Bateaux Parisiens river cruises which are a fabulous and romantic way to spend part of an evening!

Louvre Museum. See the Mona Lisa and some of France's most beautiful art.

Sainte-Chapelle, Saint Denis (the world's first gothic building) and Notre Dame (yes, of 'Hunchback of Notredame' fame!) The most important and awesome of Paris's churches. 

The Museum D'Orsay. Truly one of the world's most fabulous museums. Seeing the work of the Impressionist Painters in the flesh is one of life's most special experiences. 2 - 3 hour wait for tickets in the Summer without the pass.

Rodin Museum. Again, a fantastic gallery, where you can find your inner Thinker! 

It also includes dozens more. Of course, you're never going to visit all the museums, especially not on the consecutive days which the pass requires. But the chance to just 'pop in' to a quirky museum you are passing (even if just to find an elusive Parisien restroom!) is sometimes what makes the best vacation! (e.g. Sewer museum, anyone?!)

Is the Paris Pass worth it?

On balance, we think the Paris Pass is a good deal. It's probably not the absolute cheapest way to see Paris, but the convenience and great range of attractions make it a deal really worth considering. Remember, if you want to buy it, then do so at the official site only. There's no point paying double to go through a middleman. Enjoy your time in Paris and try and visit London sometime too! I guarantee it will amaze and excite you, just like Paris. 

This guide was written in Fall / Autumn 2011 and is reviewed every six months to make sure it is spick and span and up to date!

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