smilinsnoboarder

On my 2nd trip to Paris this March, I'm actually planning a more structured itinerary so that I get to see the museums and monuments up close this time... Last summer, hung out, relaxed, and met locals the whole time---not a single museum was open when I intended to go or arrived.
So, trying to decide if the museum pass is worth the money, and debating whether to buy the 3-day or 5-day. Is the card only good for consecutive days, or can they be split say Monday, Wednesday, Thursday for example?

Thanks for your help!!!

laartista

They are good for consecutive days

suze

With only 5 days in Paris I would not spend enough time in museums myself to make a pass worthwhile.

HowardR

Please note that starting in March, you'll only be able to get a pass for 2, 4 or 6 days. No more of the 1-, 3- and 5-day options.

twk

It depends on how many museums you are going to visit. The prices are available online, so you can figure out whether or not you would save money by using the pass.

Now, when you're travelling in the summertime, during peak tourist season, the pass offers the added attraction of being able to skip the line to purchase admissions, which can be a real time saver. However, travelling in March, I would think that would be less of an issue.

dina4

The museum pass is not just for museums. It also includes the Arch de Triomphe, the Notre Dame tower, and Versailles. Add up the cost of everything you want to visit by looking online or in a 2005 guidebook, and then only you can decide if it's worth it according to your itinerary. Chances are it will be. ( Remember that it's free for kids under 18.)
Have fun!
dina

Joe18

I always buy a museum card. Being able to skip lines is a big advantage, even in March. (I stood in a long line to get into the Louvre on my first Paris trip in 1990). Plus it encourages you to visit more museums and to pop in to places that you might skip if you had to pay individual admissions.

cls2paris

I get the museum also for the convenience of it. Pop in and out when I feel like it or am nearby and not to have to wait in line. I don't think I've ever saved money with it, but I like the flexibility and that was more important.

smilinsnoboarder

I appreciate all of your comments, thank you! I will have to look into this Carnavalet museum.
So far, I've decided the "touristy things" I want to do this time in Paris are:
Musee D'Orsay
Louvre
Musee Picasso
Musee Nat'l Arte Moderne
Sainte Chapelle
Arc de Triomphe
go up the Eiffel Tower
Maison de Hugo
tour of indoors area at Versailles
Hotel Invalides---is this the actual area where Napoleon's tomb is, or is that in a separate church?
Perhaps, make a 2nd trip to the top of Notre Dame's Towers

Christina

Napoleon's tomb is in the Invalides, down below. This isn't a church, but a government building. I think that area where the tomb is located under the dome used to be a chapel, though.

wco81

I've avoided getting them in the past because I don't want to go to every museum or go every day.

I will spend almost all day at the big museums so my legs get exhausted and don't really want to walk that much again on consecutive days.

If they let you do 3 days without having to do it all in a row, it would be good.

For places like the Louvre, I usually buy the ticket at the FNAC (pay a couple euro service charge) and that also lets you skip lines. I don't think you can buy advance tix for the Orsay or Beaubourg though.

Grcxx3

We've used the passes on 2 different trips to Paris and found them useful both times. I liked not having to stand in the long line to get tickets (that was especially useful at Sainte Chapelle and the D'orsey when it was raining) AND it gave us the opportunity to "stop in" at a few places we wouldn't have normally gone.....like the archeology exhibit just outside Notre Dame (quite interesting).

tuscanlifeedit

As others have said, we use the pass as a convenience. Since museums weren't open when you went or wanted to go to them, I urge you to check opening days and times of the places you've listed here, and make sure you know which days you can visit which places. Especially if you buy a pass; it would hardly be "worth it" unless you plan around closing days.

Pat2003

Saint Chapelle was closed in September for security reasons. Anyone knows whether it is open now? To get to the top of Notre Dame's Tower
you need to stand in line even with a pass.
Young people under 25 get discounts so check this option out before committing. There were no lines to any museums including d'Orsay in the beginning of September. We just walked through. No lines, no crowds.
Invalides has a great museum of maps if you are interested in such things and history of France.
Eiffel Tower is not included in the museum pass. I don't know if you are going to be able o visit all these places you listed during 5 days short stay. Visit to Versailles will take you most of the day. I would need at least a couple of weeks.
Keep in mind, if there is a strike, it happens often in Paris, and some museums of your choice are closed you won't get a refund.

111op

This doesn't include Versailles, does it?

I don't see it listed here:

http://www.parismuseumpass.fr/flash/hp_fr.html

111op

Never mind, part of it is covered.

But which part, do people know?

Thanks.

grantop

We had the museum pass and thinking back, I think we paid extra for the state apartments? We purchased whatever wasn't covered becasue hey - I didn't travel all that way to be too cheap to see everything Be sure to get the audio guide, it is well worth it otherwise it is very easy to wander around and not really have much of an idea of what you are looking at!

111op

Seems like they should have been covered:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34755367

Also Rick Steves:

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...ce/versail.htm

It looks like the State Apartments are the only part covered -- the rest looks uninteresting except for the "music show."

grantop

hmmm, I might have had my info backward, or it may have changed since we were there 2 years ago! Anyway if you arrive and part of the palace is NOT covered, do yourself a favor and spend the extra Euro to see the rest of the interior.

111op

Actually by the way RS claims Trianons are covered by museum pass:

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...ce/versail.htm