Paris

Paris runs on reservations. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Catacombs all sell timed tickets, and the summit lifts and Catacomb slots go first. The city rewards people who decide a few weeks ahead — and punishes those who improvise in August.

This page compares live ticket prices and availability for Paris attractions across our booking partners, so you can see what’s actually bookable for your dates.

When to visit Paris

April to June is the strongest window. Gardens are in full bloom, terraces open, and daylight runs late without the summer crush.

July and August bring the biggest crowds and the highest prices. Many small restaurants and independent shops close for several weeks as Parisians leave the city. The major attractions stay open, but queues are at their longest.

September and October are arguably better than spring. The summer crowds thin, the weather holds, and museum queues become manageable again.

November to February is the cheapest and quietest stretch. Days are short and often grey, but this is when you can walk into the Louvre without a two-hour wait.

Eiffel Tower tickets

Tickets are sold by level, and the difference matters.

Second floor access is available by lift or by stairs. The stairs are considerably cheaper, roughly 670 steps, and the queue is usually much shorter.

Summit access always requires a lift from the second floor and costs more. Summit tickets sell out first and are the reason to book early.

Tickets go on sale roughly 60 days ahead and popular evening slots disappear within days in summer. Sunset slots are the most contested of all.

Security screening takes time. Arrive 30 minutes before your slot. Bags are checked, and large luggage is not allowed on site at all.

The Louvre

The Louvre is enormous and trying to see it all is a mistake. Most visitors spend three hours and see a fraction.

Entry requires a timed ticket even if you hold a museum pass — the pass covers admission, not the slot. Book the slot separately.

The Pyramid entrance has the longest queue. The Carrousel du Louvre entrance underneath the shopping arcade is usually faster.

The museum closes on Tuesdays. Wednesday and Friday evening openings are the quietest times to visit.

Versailles

Versailles is a day trip, not an afternoon. The palace, the gardens and the Trianon estate each take real time.

The palace is busiest between 10am and 1pm, when the tour groups arrive. Going first thing or after 3pm makes a noticeable difference.

Musical Fountain Shows run in the gardens on selected days in season and require a separate ticket — the gardens are free on other days.

Closed Mondays.

Booking ahead vs walking up

The Catacombs deserve their own note. Only 200 people are allowed underground at once, tours run on strict timings, and independent tickets sell out weeks ahead. It is the hardest ticket in Paris to get on short notice.

Getting around

The Métro is the fastest way across the city and runs frequently. A carnet of ten tickets or a day pass beats buying singles.

Central Paris is genuinely walkable. The Louvre to Notre-Dame is about 20 minutes along the Seine, and it’s one of the better walks in Europe.

The RER B connects both airports to the centre. Versailles is on the RER C, roughly 45 minutes from central Paris.

A first-timer’s three days

Day one — the classics. Eiffel Tower in the morning, walk the Champ de Mars, then Musée d’Orsay in the afternoon. Evening on the Seine.

Day two — Louvre and the centre. Louvre first thing, Tuileries, then Île de la Cité for Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame from outside.

Day three — Versailles or Montmartre. Versailles takes the full day. If you’d rather stay in the city, Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur in the morning, Marais in the afternoon.