Is it worth buying Paris Museum Pass and shipping it to the US?
 

Hello,

My husband and I will be touring Paris in July (first week) for 3 days. Our main visits will be Louvre, Palace of Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, Luxembourg gardens, Arc de Triomphe. We are thinking of buying the Museum Pass to avoid the ticket lines.

1. Is it worth buying the pass?
2. Should we ship the pass to the US? (as we live in the US and will be flying from here). Or can we buy the pass at the CDG airport?

Thanks.

In 3 days you will be on a forced march to get to all those, especially Versailles, and some are not covered by the pass. Plan to go to a small museum like the Rodin (and a very worthy one) and buy it there, after you decide what you can do in two days.

If all you make it to in two days is Versailles, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe (this last has very long hours, so you can visit in the evening), the pass will pay for itself, not to mention the advantages of skipping the line when you are on a short timetable. It would be reasonable to see those on the two-day pass. I too think you will be very hard-pressed to make all those sights in three days. Versailles takes most of a day unless you skip the grounds (which would be a shame), and in any event it will take more than half a day. Ste-Chapelle is the one sight where having the pass will buy you only a minute or two of time, as there is no skip-the-line privilege, you just save the time of buying a ticket when you get to the front of the line. Note, the Eiffel Tower is not included on the pass and the Luxembourg Gardens are free, so don't visit those during your two-day pass period.

Some people use the pass and some don't, you'd have to figure out yourself if it is worthwhile based on your plans.

I don't know why why you'd have to have this in advance before your trip, it's up to you, but they don't mail it to you for free. I sure wouldn't pay that, but I've never bought one. I don't like to go to that many museums in one day, anyway. Eiffel Tower isn't even on it, and surely you don't think you need tickets to go into parks.

Yes, you can buy it at the airport if you want to buy it. The website tells you where www.parismuseumpass.com

When on vacation spend money to save time. Those long lines you typically see at the Louve are not people waiting to get in; they are people waiting to buy tickets to get in. Even if you were only going to one or two museums, the pass would be worth it for the time it will save you, especially if you have the major museums on your list.

The Museum Pass lets you bypass the tickets lines but not necessarily the longer security lines. As noted, most of the places on your list are not included in the Museum Pass and of those which are, the pass would only give you a big advantage at le Louvre.

Yes, agree that Versailles will take the better part of a day, especially if you are visiting in July. It's very crowded during the high season - expect to be in wall-to-wall throngs as you pass through the public rooms. The grounds are lovely, and will be easier to enjoy, I think.

We found the Pass to be worth it, using it at the Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay and Ste. Chappelle.

As Gretchen suggests, go to the closest small museum to get your pass. We did this on the night of our arrival and then we had it in hand the next morning without having to stand in line to purchase it. Just see which museum might be closest to your hotel or on your way to some place. It doesn't "start" until the date you write on it, so you can purchase one day and not use it til the next.

Does the 3 days include your arrival day? If so you really only have 2 full days plus a jet lagged slog on day one.

Or - are you leaving Paris on your 5th day (arrival half day + 3 full days + departure day)?

If the former -- forget about Versailles, the Arc and going up the ET - you won't have time.

If the latter -- then you can probably squeeze in your whole wish list.

No reason - ever - to have the museum pass shipped to the US. As others have said, buy it at a smaller museum or at CDG, or we bought ours at FNAC. No line, very quick.

It is worth buying the pass but absolutely not worth it to buy it ahead of time. You can get it at any of the museums or even at the information desk at CDG. Many people like to go to a small museum first with no line (like the Cluny or whatever), which makes the purchase a very relaxed affair.

And although museum strikes do not happen often, they <b>can</b> happen unexpectedly and it would be quite foolish to have the pass if the museums are closed.

The long lines as has been said are for security, not necessarily for tickets.
Choose an alternate entrance to the Louvre, if you have your ticket--not the Pyramid, etc.

Appreciate all the quick replies. This is so useful! I think I'll buy the pass at a small museum (closest to our hotel) or at the airport. Thanks again!