Can museum passes be bought at tourist info counters in the airport, or RER stations? It would sure be easier than waiting in line to buy it at our first museum stop.

Unless your "first stop" is teh Louvre or Musee d Orsay, there usually aren't any lines to speak of. Easier IMHO to just buy at the first site you'd use the pass (again, as long as not the Louvre/Orsay)

ttt

unless recently changed, they are sold in 'major metro stations' - try at RER station in CDG or tourist office there first.

yes, they are sold at the Paris Tourist Office kiosques/offices.

We bought them at a Metro station near our hotel when there was no line.

When you write the date on the pass, just be sure to use the European format: dd/mm/yy.

Woody

I don't believe they are sold at Métro stations any more. The only outlets mentioned on the http://www.parismuseumpass.fr website are the museums themselves, the Office de Tourisme de Paris, and Espace de Tourisme Ile-de-France.

Espace de Tourisme Ile-de-France - as this i believe is in the Louvre's underground shopping mall this may be the way to buy one at the Louvre without a long wait?

<< Espace de Tourisme Ile-de-France >>

I believe this is close to the inverted pyramid. If you are facing the Virgin Megastore, it's to the left.

Woody

In front of Notre Dame, there is an entrance to some underground ruins. It's not an incredibly popular attraction, so there were no lines.

Just to reinforce that museum/monuments pass is no longer sold in metro/RER stations.

Whether it makes sense to buy it at the tourist office depends on IF you are already in the neighborhood. Otherwise, don't make a detour to get them there - just buy them at your first covered museum/site . . .

Send an email to your hotel and inquire where they can best be purchased. Some hotels keep them some on hand for guests. Ours did.

Just bought the pass early on a Saturday morning at the Rodin, no problems, no lines. They accept credit cards too.

Make your first museum visit to purchase the pass a medium sized museum like the Cluny (the Middle Ages museum) or the Rodin museum, as mentioned above. At small museums, they may be out of stock (this happened to me when I tried to buy one at the Nissim de Camondo museum) and at the "big guns" like the Louvre or Orsay, you may run into a long line.

We bought ours last year at the Musee Delacroix, and no line at all. We've also bought it at the Pantheon and no line.
Sandy

Also the Notre Dame crypt (about 100 yards northwest of the cathedral front door).

We bought ours one morning at the Cluny Museum, which was near our hotel. No one else was there, took no time at all to purchase. I agree with the others, smaller museums are a great place to buy the pass. I'd definately avoid purchasing it at the Louvre or d'Orsay.

We bought them at the Rodin when we were passing by it (we went back later for a real visit). There was a very short line - it's a "medium" sized museum and I highly recommend a visit - at the very least to the garden!!!

i believe you might actually be able to buy them at some of the hotels

<< Espace de Tourisme Ile-de-France >>
<< I believe this is close to the inverted pyramid. >>

Last May, we purchased our Paris Museum Pass at the tourism office as Woody indicated; from what I could discern, this is the only location where you can buy it at the Louvre. There was no line and the staff was very helpful. I believe we were there mid-morning.

Maybe everyone's so afraid of there being lines to purchase the pass at the Louvre that they all stay away? (There were plenty of lines for the regular ticket windows under the main pyramid.)

As others have said, you can no longer purchase the pass at Metro/RER stations, but there are so many other options that your risk of waiting in a line to do so is slim.

ggreen