Is Paris Pass Worth It?

The Paris Tourist Card is a great option if you're on holiday in the City of Light, with over 80 attractions included and excellent discounts, the Paris Pass will be your main ally.

Nicolas Reffray

Nicolas Reffray

9 min read

Is Paris Pass Worth It?

Paris, France | ©Chris Karidis

Tourist cards can be very useful when visiting a city, especially in the case of Paris, which has a large number of attractions and places to see. The main purpose of these tourist passes or cards is to save you a few euros and in some cases skip the annoying queues at the most popular attractions.

If you are looking for what to see and do in Paris, I can assure you that there are plenty of options. It is a huge city, full of incredible things to do. So whether you have several days or just a few, the Paris Pass can be a great way to enjoy the French capital without overspending. In this article I'll tell you why it's worth it and how to get the most out of it.

When is it worth buying the Paris Pass?

Photo of the Eiffel Tower| ©Valentin Antonucci
Photo of the Eiffel Tower| ©Valentin Antonucci

If you are planning a trip to Paris, I recommend that you buy the Paris Pass a few days before you arrive in the city, so you can take your time to see which of the available attractions you want to visit. This type of card is ideal if you plan to tour the City of Light and visit museums, climb the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe, stroll along the Seine River or visit the Palace of Versailles.

The Paris Pass includes no less than 80 of the top attractions in and around the city. You can choose from museums, exhibitions, gastronomic tours, entrance to monuments, viewpoints, and much more. You have 2, 3, 4, 4, 5 and 6 day options to choose from, in which to group the sites you want.

If, on the other hand, you are planning a more relaxed trip and just want to wander around at your own pace, or you plan to stay longer and have no urgency to visit everything in a short time, then the Paris Pass is not the best option for you. You should bear this in mind when thinking about buying it.

Buy your Paris Pass Tourist Card now

Is it worth buying the Paris Pass for a long trip?

Amazing Eiffel Tower| ©Pedro Szekely
Amazing Eiffel Tower| ©Pedro Szekely

The reality is that this type of tourist card is designed to pack as many attractions into as few days as possible, so if you're not in a hurry and have more time to wander around at your leisure, it may not be worth it for you. Although you can hire it for specific things, in case you know you want to visit certain museums, such as the Louvre and Orsay, or dedicate some days of your trip to visit, and the rest to rest and enjoy like a flâneur.

If you have several days ahead of you in Paris, you may prefer to take one of the best guided tours of the Louvre Museum, where, in addition to the entrance fee, you will have an expert local guide, to better understand the unfathomable beauty of one of the most important museums in the world.

Buy your Paris Pass Tourist Card now

Is it worth buying the Paris Pass for a short trip?

Packing your luggage| ©Vlada Karpovich
Packing your luggage| ©Vlada Karpovich

Absolutely. The Paris Pass was designed precisely for trips of just a few days. With options ranging from 2 to 6 days, you can enjoy unmissable attractions such as a guided walking tour of the Montmartre district with entry to the Sacre Coeur basilica, wine and gourmet food tastings, skip the line to the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe, entry to the French capital's most important museums, and much more.

If you are only travelling for a few days, the Paris Pass will be your best ally when it comes to sightseeing and saving money. It is ideal if you want to see the main sights of Paris in 3 days, for example. It will also help you organise your time, as you can sync your Paris Pass with the Go City app, so you can see which attractions are closest to you. On the other hand, you will avoid endless queues at each place and you will be able to enter directly.

Buy your Paris Pass tourist card now

Is it worth it if I just want to see the main attractions?

Loire Valley| ©Pedro Szekely
Loire Valley| ©Pedro Szekely

Yes, it's worth it. If you want to see the main attractions in Paris, you can also get this tourist pass, as it includes all the essential places to visit in Paris. Here are some of the monuments or museums that are included in the catalogue of this card:

However, bear in mind that for some of these places you still have to book your visit in advance even if you have the pass. And don't forget that you can also use this card to get on the Big Bus tourist buses, as well as the Bateaux Parisiens cruises.

Buy your Paris Pass tourist card now

Is it worth it if I'm travelling with children?

Guided Tour with Children| ©MTSOfan
Guided Tour with Children| ©MTSOfan

The answer is a resounding yes! When you travel with children you should be able to make the most of your time. With children you can't stand in long queues or take forever, because what used to be a pleasure trip can turn into a nightmare. So if you are thinking of visiting the Palace of Versailles with children or perhaps the Louvre Museum with children, the Paris Pass will save you from waiting and queuing, so you can start enjoying yourself as soon as you enter.

Travelling with children can be a very enriching experience, both for them and for you, but it is very important to be prepared and know that it is not the same trip you could do with your partner or with friends. Travelling with children requires your full attention and dedication so that the little ones have an unforgettable time.

Is it worth it if I go to Paris in summer?

Paris Plages, summer| ©ParisInfo
Paris Plages, summer| ©ParisInfo

Of course it is! Paris is a city with so much to do, both indoors and outdoors, and having the Paris Pass will help you make the most of it all. The city of Paris in summer is ideal for enjoying a boat trip on the beautiful Seine River, the gardens of Versailles, a guided walk through the Latin Quarter or the Rodin Museum.

There are truly so many options for Paris to enjoy in the warmer months of the year. With the Paris Pass you can organise your tour however you like. The city of love is a unique experience not to be missed. Let the pleasant temperatures guide you through the best of Paris. A tip: don't forget to have a picnic on the banks of the Seine.

Is it worth it if I go to Paris in winter?

Snow in Paris| ©Yann Caradec
Snow in Paris| ©Yann Caradec

With its leaden skies, Paris in winter is a great idea for a holiday, and thanks to the Paris Pass you can take in the best indoor attractions for a much lower price. You can visit the Musée d'Orsay, La Orangerie, the Louvre, the famous indoor galleries, the Galeries Lafayette and a host of guided tours of the best of French gastronomy, one of the most renowned in the world.

The Parisian winter, although a little cold, is ideal for visiting the city, and Paris is so vast that you can find activities for all tastes. That's why it's absolutely worth getting a Paris Pass if you visit the city in winter. If you are lucky enough to get snow during your stay, I recommend you wrap up warm and cross the bridges over the Seine, or have a mulled wine to warm you up.

Is it worth it if I'm going to visit Paris for a weekend?

Outside view of Notre Dame| ©Fred PO
Outside view of Notre Dame| ©Fred PO

Paris will take you a long time to get to know, as it is a really huge city. If you only have a weekend and want to visit the main attractions in the French capital, then the Paris Pass is perfect for you.

Touring Paris in 2 days may seem like an impossible task, but with the help of this tourist card you can climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower, take a boat ride on the Seine River, see Montmartre, the incredible architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sainte Chapelle and much more, skipping the queues and making the most of your time. If you are only in Paris for a weekend, don't hesitate, the Paris Pass is absolutely worth it.

Is it worth buying the tourist card if I want to see museums?

Museum corridors| ©Tom Yoemans
Museum corridors| ©Tom Yoemans

Of all the things the Paris Pass has to offer, visiting museums is one of the activities with the most options on the Paris Pass. Its 80 attractions include the Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée de l'Orangerie, the Musée de l'Armée, the Dali exhibition in Montmartre, the Picasso Museum, the Pompidou Centre for modern art, the Rodin Museum, the Musée du Quai Branly, and many more.

You can enjoy the best art spaces in the French capital, skipping the annoying queues and making the most of your time. It is a fact that there is no place like Paris to visit museums and art exhibitions. Check out the 17 best museums in Paris and make the most of your Paris Pass.

Is it worth buying the tourist card if I want to see monuments?

View of the Eiifel Tower| ©Jean-Pierre Dalbéra
View of the Eiifel Tower| ©Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

Of course it's worth it. The Paris Pass offers entry to the main and most popular monuments in the City of Light. You can climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Sainte Chapelle, the Panthéon, Notre Dame Cathedral and much more, without having to wait and spending a few euros less than if you were to visit them without your pass.

The monuments of Paris are absolutely incredible, so your trip can't do without a visit to some of these important French icons: can you imagine seeing the lights come and go from the top of the Eiffel Tower or visiting the Panthéon, where the remains of personalities such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Emile Zola or Victor Hugo can be found? With the Paris Pass you can do it in the most practical way.

Is it worth buying the tourist card if I want to ride the tourist bus?

Tourist bus passing by the Opera Garnier| ©veroyama
Tourist bus passing by the Opera Garnier| ©veroyama

Definitely! The Paris Pass includes a 1-day tour on the famous Big Bus, hop on-hop off, meaning that for a whole day you can hop on one of the best tourist buses in Paris and the world, and tour the city, getting off at the points or attractions of your choice, and hopping back on as many times as you like to continue your tour.

This is one of the best ways to get to know a city, as you can do it at your own pace, with the peace of mind that, at the end of the tour, you return to the starting point, making it impossible to get lost. In addition, an expert guide is included, who will tell you all about the places you stop at in great detail. You will learn about history, art and much more.

Is it worth buying the Tourist Card if I want to take a trip to Versailles or the outskirts of the city?

Palace of Versailles Hall| ©Jean-Philippe Delberghe
Palace of Versailles Hall| ©Jean-Philippe Delberghe

The Paris Pass has a wealth of attractions in the regions around the French capital. Without a doubt, one of the best excursions to do from Paris is to see the imposing Palace of Versailles. Located just 40 minutes from the centre of Paris, Versailles is a must-visit place, with its halls and especially its beautiful gardens, you'll get to see how figures such as King Louis XIV and his son the Dauphin lived.

Keep in mind that tickets to the Palace of Versailles are usually in high demand, so if you don't get the Paris Pass you may have to buy them well in advance.

But, in addition to Versailles, the Paris Pass offers visits to a number of palaces, castles and regions that are close to the City of Light. Some of them are: the Château de Pierrefonds, the Château de Maisons-Laffitte, the Château de Malmaison, the Château de Vincennes, the Château de Fontainebleau, or the house of Auguste Rodin in Meudon, among many others.