Paris is filled with attractions worth visiting and streets worth exploring. So how do you fit it all in one trip? After having visited Paris multiple times, I finally feel like I have a decent understanding of how to best explore Paris.
Our most recent trip was a quick trip and we only had three nights in Paris, so I was thrilled to try the 3-Day Paris Pass, which not only gave us access to some of the most popular tourist attractions, but also gave us the fast pass/skip the line option. Before arriving we sat down and figured out what places we wanted to visit and what museums we wanted to see. Once we made a list of our must-see places in Paris, we mapped them out, figured out which items were included in the Paris pass and scheduled our itinerary.
We visited: Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Saint Chapelle, Pantheon, Musée de l’Orangerie, Musée D’Orsay {the skip the line was SO helpful here}, wine tasting {you receive a free bottle of French wine at the end} & Bateaux River Cruise
Had I not stopped to take so many pictures of the cherry blossoms & enjoyed so many cafés, I also would have added: Hop On, Hop Off tour bus, Versailles, Montparnasse Tower, Opera Garnier guided tour, La Conciergerie, Musée Picasso & Louvre. You also get discounts to other places which I would have loved to have tried.
The Paris Pass not only gives you access to a plethora of landmarks, but it also includes transportation around the city. This was our first visit to Paris where we didn’t have to purchase single use metro tickets and let me tell you, it was life changing. As a New Yorker, I like to think I am pretty savvy when it comes to underground transportation- but even I struggled to figure out which train tickets I needed to purchase {the whole zone thing threw me off a bit}. I could not have been more thankful that the Paris Pass includes all metro, bus, RER, tram and SNCF trains in zones 1-3 {pretty much the heart of Paris}.
Who should buy the Paris Pass?
If you want to visit a few of the main landmarks, visit one or more museum, take a Seine River cruise, do the hop on, hop off bus {we did it in London and loved it}, enjoy a free wine tasting, or want to skip the lines in many attractions- you may want to purchase the pass.
Who shouldn’t buy the Paris Pass?
If you plan on spending 7+ days in the city and want to spread out the sites, if you simply want to look at the landmarks and don’t intend to go inside or climb to the top of them, if you don’t enjoy museums, or if you prefer leisurely walking around & not planning what you want to see- this pass probably isn’t for you. If you don’t plan on visiting at least two landmarks a day, this might not be the best option for you.
How to get the most out of your Paris Pass
Try planning at least three items a day. I recommend starting your day early and finding landmarks located near one another {i.e. Notre Dame/Saint Chapelle/La Conciergerie or Louvre/Wine Tasting/Palais Garnier/Musée de l’Orangerie, etc.}. You could easily visit two landmarks before lunch. Use the Hop On, Hop Off tour bus to get from one location to another and end your days at the Arc de Triomphe or at the top of the Montparnasse Tower for views of the city.
The Paris Pass offers 2, 3, 4 & 6 day options. We had 3-day passes and loved them. We probably could have just used 2-day passes since we have been to Paris multiple times and only visited one landmark the first day, but it was nice having it for the transportation. Overall, while the financial savings weren’t huge for us with the Paris Pass, the time we saved from skipping the lines definitely was!
Have you ever purchased a city pass?
Would you ever purchase one?
be sure to pin this photo & save it for later!
***Two 3-Day Paris Passes were given to me by Accor Hotels, but all opinions are my own
Great informative post! Thank you so much for sharing! Love all your photos!
We bought the city pass in London and didn’t get our moneys worth- however we didn’t plan it like you did. I will definitely buy it when we are in Paris and will sit down and plan it out like you did. So smart!
These Paris posts are making me miss that gorgeous place even more!! Love how informative this is!
Very informative post! I have actually never considered buying a city pass (not sure why), but after reading the benefits of transportation and skip the lines, I will definitely consider it on my next city trip! Sounds like you had an amazing trip and squeezed tons of attractions in seamlessly! Your photos are stunning!
I think the Paris Pass would be great to get while visiting there. It’s not necessarily any cost savings, but the huge convenience of already having your entry and transportation taken care of – with no need to continually stand in line and purchase. Let’s face it, most of us don’t have loads of time to spare when we are somewhere on holidays and anything that can help you to maximise your time and experience there is a huge bonus.
This is such a great post! I would ttally buy the pass if I went to Paris, hopefully I’ll go back soon!
Aaah the beautiful city of love…
Good to know about this City pass! Since Paris is actually one of the more expensive destinations it totally makes sense to see where to save or combine programs. So with this you see all the great locations in a short amount of time which is perfect! Great photographic impressions as well from this beautiful city.
This post has me desiring to visit Paris once again-my most favourite city. I have never heard of the city pass before, but I am not sure it would benefit me as much. I do enjoy museums, but I have seen the landmarks more than once and feel I don’t need to necessarily see again. I enjoy walking aimlessly around Paris and love love the famous market. Glad you made the best of your short time there and got in all the sights!
I love the Paris Pass! I bought the one last time I went to Paris! It reminded me of the fast pass at Disney World. You never have to wait in long lines and can go as many times as you want. I loved it!
I’ve never heard of the Paris Pass, but it looks like it’d be something extremely useful for many people. I’ve been there twice and so far have not had any issues getting around. However, there are still many places I haven’t been to, so if I’m on another visit, I’ll have to consider it so I can possibly check more places off my list!
I always see the city passes advertised and sometimes they can be worthwhile. I agree you do need to sit down before hand and research which places you want to see and when to work out whether they are worthwhile. The queue jumping can be a big advantage though, especially if you are going at a busy time.
I haven’t purchased it but my mom has… and she always talks about it even though she did so a few decades ago lol
I wish I had thought to do this my first time in Paris as it seems like a really good deal. It definitely helps to be able to skip the line at some popular tourist sites. The wine tasting thing sounds like a lot of fun – I’ll have to check that out next time I’m in Paris.
Based on your post, I would purchase a Paris Pass most likely. The price is also a big factor but this would save me time in getting into different places. I wonder if they have a discount for a group of friends and families.
I will totally keep this in mind when we plan our trip to Paris! Such a great idea.
xo
Katie Ann
http://www.the-holly-tree.com
The Paris Pass was so helpful! I did the 4 day one for our 5 days there and it was so perfect! The line skipping was probably the best part!
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Honestly, appreciate this post, so useful. Three items a day seems not too much, but for the first time it`s enough.