Paris trip
 

We (family of 4 adults) will be visiting Paris in August for 4 days. Is it worth buying the Paris Pass or should we go in for regular tickets for transportation and sight-seeing. Appreciate any suggestions.

The Paris Pass is not a good deal (read all the details and see). Take a look at the Museum Pass and decide if you will save money/time by using it. Also see just how much you will be using the metro - we ended up buying carnets rather than a pass.

Just to add to my first post, we will be arriving Paris by train from Brussels and leaving Paris by flight. I have already booked online tickets for Eiffel Tower visit.

No, do NOT buy the Paris Pass! It is way overpriced and includes all kinds of silly offers that no one would ever want or be able to take advantage of. Big rip-off aimed at the naïve.

It's well worth investigating the Museum Pass, though,to see if it will save you money and time.

For transportation, the best options are either a carnet of 10 t+ tickets or, depending on the days of the week you are there, the Navigo Découverted. Do NOT get the Paris Visite pass - another overpriced product.

Thanks Kathie and StCirq. We will be in Paris for the week-end, arriving on Friday and leaving on Tuesday. Will be tickets be cheaper during week-ends?

No, ticket prices are always the same. A Navigo Découverte won't work for you over a weekend, so just get a carnet or two of t+ tickets.

No, ticket prices are always the same. A Navigo Découverte won't work for you over a weekend, so just get a carnet or two of t+ tickets.

Thanks StCirq. That means I will have to buy the carnet t+ tickets. Hope I can buy these from the station on arrival from Belgium.

Buying them at the station will be no problem. You can buy a carnet either at the window of from one of the machines near the metro entrance area.

All the advice given is right on. Additionally I would suggest you contact Michael Osman to be your family's guide for at least one day. He is superb, and you will maximize your very short time in Paris by his expertise. He will design a day (or more) as you wish to see, or will do what you tell him you want to do. He is very reasonable, and a wonderful "teacher" without the pedantics. Nothing "canned". He is an American--long time in Paris, and an artist himself. Fun fellow.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Dennis, you don't have to buy a carnet if you don't think you'll use 10 tickets - it's just that there's a discount for buying the booklet of 10 (carnet). You can buy individual t+ tickets as well. On the other hand, it's not hard for two people to go through a carnet over a weekend.

One ticket t+ costs 1.70€
10 tickets t+ cost 13.70€
A ticket purchased from a bus driver, good only for on the bus where purchased, is 2€

The ticket t+ is valid anywhere on the métro and on most buses.

A group of 4 adults could use a carnet in one day. You might want to get two carnets to start and then get another if you find that you need it.

Hi everyone, this is Dennis again (Sorry for the delayed appearance !).

Regarding the ticket t+, what is the validity of one ticket ? Suppose I travel from station A to B and then B to C, should I use two t+ tickets or is it just one ticket ?

A ticket if used on the metro will take you from start to finish ,, including a correspondence ( when you switch to another line at a station) as long as you do not exit the station .. but just follow the signs "correspondence" .However I think it is different if you take a bus, one ticket per bus.

The Museum Pass ( not the Paris Pass) can work out to be a good deal.. if you use it at least 2-3 times a day.. or for some folks the main advantage is that it allows you to skip sometimes long lines at some places.. notably the Orsay.. sometimes St Chapelle etc. It also includes Versailles.. but if you go to Versailles on the weekend you would have to pay an 8 euro supplement because they do fountain shows on weekend.. my advice is.. don't go on weekends.. Also.. many museums close on Monday or Tuesdays.. so do be careful.. check the days ..

Thanks Justineparis. Will certainly consider the Museum Pass. Museums are not closed for weekends, I suppose. Could you please suggest top, say 5, museums as we got only 4 days in hand. Our plan is to spend 3 days in Paris and one day trip to Versailles.

Here is a nice link from TimeOut http://www.timeout.com/paris/en/muse...ssable-museums

If you click on the links they give you opening hours etc. I pretty much agree with them although I also love the Picasso Musuem and Rodin which they don't include as unmissable. But with you limited days, these are a good start.

Here is another link with some more great choices:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...galleries.html

I suggest playing your trip to Versailles by ear--see if once you are in Paris with your wanna-see list, if a whole day (out of an already short trip) to go to Versailles is worth losing out on the City of Light and its treasures.
The top museums? Do you know anything about the collections in the Paris museums? Do you like Impressionist paintings. Do you admire Rodin sculptures? How about a museum dedicated to depicting a history of Paris in its art? Stained glass windows? The archaeology of Notre Dame? A room full of tapestries? Monet's great water lilies paintings? Would your child enjoy a war museum? The Louvre? It is in itself a chateau (like Versailles). Please get a guide book.

A guidebook is essential. My top 5 museums might be your least favorite. Learn how to navigate the city at www.ratp.fr and www.parisbytrain.com.