Printing tickets in Paris
 

What is the best (easiest) way to print entrance tickets in Paris?
The apartment I will be staying in doesn't have a printer.

I'm specifically asking since the Louvre Museum states they need actual printed tickets for admittance; otherwise, I would have used my phone.
I like to keep my plans fluid and won't be planning exactly which day I'll visit the Louvre until I am in Paris.

Thanks!
Off2CU

There are numerous first-hand reports on tripadvisor forum indicating that you can have your bar code scanned from your smart phone. There are ads from private ticket sellers that also state firmly that their e-tickets are fine on a smart phone.

Whitehall, did you not read the part of the OP that said that the Louvre specifically refuses tickets on phones?

I believe that most of the cybercafés have printing services, but they are becoming rarer as the need for them declines. If you are staying in a hotel, it is very likely that they will be able to print your tickets since they always have a big folder of printed reservations from the internet. All you would have to do is send them an email with your ticket file attached.

It's confusing because the Louvre website does specifically say that you must have a printed ticket, but loads of people have reported (on TA and elsewhere) that they manage just fine as long as the barcode is on their smartphone. In any case, Paris has no shortage of Quick Copy and other small places that will happily print for you at very little cost.

Another idea that might work depending. Are you in touch with your accommodation owner? Is there a management service? If so it probably has a printer. Google cyber cafe and the arrondissement where you are staying. You might find something.

I don't think that is what the OP said, BUT the OP did say "they need actual printed tickets for admittance." The closest thing I can find is their calling the e-ticket a "print@home" ticket (but it doesn't say, from what I see, you have to do that or that you cannot use your phone). So, I would go with the many people on tripadvisor who have offered recent first-hand experiences.

We managed to use our smart phone for every ticket we purchased in Paris a few weeks ago. Barcodes worked at 3 different venues.

Most places with the technology tend to use the QR codes rather than the bar codes these days.

Although e-tickets are sometimes referred to as "print at home" tickets (for the benefit of those who don't carry smart phones or prefer a printed page), every vendor that sells e-tickets knows that they will be presented via phone. And, almost all are ready for them.

As I said, it's confusing. Here's what the Louvre website says:

<<

IMPRIMER SON BILLET

Dois-je imprimer mon billet?Vous devez impérativement imprimer votre billet préalablement à votre visite.
Le billet acheté en ligne ne peut pas être retiré sur place et le courriel de confirmation de votre commande ne constitue pas un titre d'accès.Comment obtenir mon billet?Le billet est imprimable après validation du règlement et enregistrement de la commande. Il est accessible sous forme de lien depuis le courriel de confirmation et sur la page de confirmation finale.
Vérifiez que le logiciel Acrobat Reader, permettant d’ouvrir des fichiers PDF, est bien installé sur votre ordinateur. Son installation et son usage sont gratuits.
Le billet est personnel et nominatif. Vous devez indiquer le prénom et le nom de l'utilisateur de chaque billet pour pouvoir obtenir les documents en PDF imprimables.Comment imprimer le billet?Vous devez disposer d'une imprimante.
Chaque billet doit être imprimé sans modification de la taille d'impression, en pleine page, sur du papier A4 blanc, vierge recto et verso.Mon billet est-il bien imprimé?Un billet partiellement ou mal imprimé, endommagé ou illisible n'est pas valable.
Vous devez pouvoir lire: le prénom et le nom du porteur, les informations liées à la prestation choisie, le code-barres et son numéro.
Vous êtes donc tenu de vérifier le détail et l'état des billets que vous avez imprimé.Je n'arrive pas à imprimer !Si vous avez rencontré une difficulté lors de l'impression de votre billet, vous pouvez la réitérer en utilisant à nouveau le lien de téléchargement de votre billet depuis le courriel de confirmation.Haut de page

ACCEDER A LA PRESTATION AVEC SON BILLET

Quelles sont les conditions d’utilisation du billet?Le billet est personnel et nominatif. Il doit mentionner le prénom et le nom de son porteur.
Le billet est horodaté et valable exclusivement pour la prestation, la date et l'heure choisies. Il permet un accès à la pyramide du Louvre dans la demi-heure de l’horaire indiqué sur le billet. Au-delà de ce créneau horaire, le porteur du billet imprimé à domicile est soumis aux mêmes conditions d’accès et d'attente que les visiteurs sans billets.Comment mon billet est-il contrôlé?L'accès à la prestation est soumis au contrôle de la validité du billet.
Le billet comporte un code-barres unique contenant les informations relatives à la prestation achetée.
Vous devez valider votre billet en présentant son code-barres sur les lecteurs positionnés aux points de contrôle des billets aux entrées des collections.
Seule la première personne à présenter le billet est présumée en être le porteur légitime. L'accès à la prestation peut être refusé dès lors que plusieurs impressions ou copies sont en circulation.
Un contrôle nominatif des billets peut également être effectué. En cas de non présentation d'un document d'identité en cours de validité, avec photographie, l'accès à la prestation est refusé.
Vous devez conserver votre billet durant toute la durée de votre visite.

To piggy back on this question, has anyone tried using their phone at Atelier des Lumieres? Just bought online tickets and came here to ask about the same thing! Thanks!

Yes, smart phone tickets are accepted and scanned per the official site.

Thanks! It did, indeed, work with no problems. And we all loved it!

Do they put two tickets for a couple on the same barcode on one phone?

Merci! Thank you!
 

Thank you to everyone who responded.

I would have assumed I could use my phone which is why I was surprised the Louvre specifically stated paper copy of the tickets.

I plan to try my phone then!

Thanks again everyone!

Just buy a Paris Museum Pass and marshal all your paying sites into a few days and gives priority entrance skipping the line - maybe have to print those tickets too?

You can't do much skipping at the Louvre, as the line is for security. Inside, to get tickets, there is a wallbank of machines, it's never taken long when I did it.

The Museum Pass makes sense if you really intend to visit a lot of the places on the same day. I never want to go to more than one museum a day, so wouldn't make sense for me. Or if I do, it wouldn't be two major expensive museums, as that pass costs 24 euro a day if you only buy the 2 day one, and not that many museums charge 10-12 euro. It gets better if you buy the longer day ones.

But it is NOT digital on your phone no matter what. You have to buy it in person at the TI office or a museum, I think.

Museum Pass is also valid at Versailles Palace and Trainon.

24 euro a day - how much does Louvre and D'Orsay charge - Versailles plus I still read priority entrance - though maybe changed. And Ste Chapelle, Modern Art Museum, Towers of Notre-Dame -Pantheon - all in a compact area and not only museums - can be well worth it IME and you can go in places you may not want to pay for like the Concierge where Marie-Antoinette was held before being beheaded - real close to Notre Dame and Ste Chapelle.