I purchased tickets for the Tresors Engloutis D'Egypte exhibition at the Palais-Grand through FNAC:
www.tresors-engloutis-degypte.fr/

Is there any FNAC location that is best to pick up tickets? How long should I allow for this?

All FNACs in Paris are zoos.

The pick up desk though is not normally as bad as queueing at the cashiers.

Just go early in the morning.

There are FNACs all over Paris and the suburbs. If you additionally want to spend time in the store, FNAC Forum des Halles is the biggest, and FNAC Ternes is also extremely big but much calmer.

I just go to the one most convenient to where I am -- either when I am out during the day, or maybe near my hotel. I don't know what difference it would make, it probably varies more by time of day or day of the week than anything. It's not as busy during a weekday when a lot of people are at work, of course. I don't usually spend more than 5-10 minutes at it, but I think sometimes the lines at Bastille have been a bit longer. Still, I doubt if I waited longer than 10 minutes in line.

I will admit that they are all madhouses on a Saturday afternoon.

Thanks, all. It sounds like it will really be no big deal.

Just an FYI....when I picked up tickets in November, in addition to the credit card I used to pay, the clerk wanted to see my passport for ID. There was something on my email from them about a 'pièce d’identité'. Don't recall that happening before.....this was at avenue des Ternes.

You have to show a piece of identity at FNAC just to buy something with a foreign credit card, also. They started that a few years ago. They do it at the FNACs in Spain, also.

Thanks, Christina - the last time I picked up tickets was at least two years ago.

You make it sound like it's not just picking up pre-ordered tickets (which may have been paid for a while ago) but with a purchase you made that day.

That's interesting - no other place where I used my credit card, e.g., restaurants, Longchamps, where I spent quite a few Euros asked for other id....

I noticed there's an FNAC location at Gare du Nord:
Gare du Nord
18, rue de Dunkerque
Mezzanine RER
75010 Paris

Because I'm arriving at Gare du Nord, I guess I could just run down there and pick up the tickets?

No, that's just a "FNAC Service" at Gare du Nord -- selling photo and audio accessories -- basically just a booth. No ticket counter.

I like the one in Blvd St Germain. The counter to pick up/buy tickets is very close to the entrance so you can quickly be in and out!

And the one on St-Germain is generally not too crowded during the day, in my experience.

Its just a block or two east of Odéon station.

Just go to whichever FNAC is most convenient to you -- they are all over Paris, and all of the ticket counters are efficient.