Has anyone used the Paris Museum Pass for Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe or Louvre ?

Question

I have a couple of general questions. Has anyone actually used the Museum Pass at the Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre or Hotel Invalides? Was it beneficial to use at Notre Dame and Arc de Triomphe specifically?

As far as cutting the lines go, do you actually cut the people waiting to climb the tower or just cut the people waiting to purchase tickets? I can't find this specific information anywhere. Is it the same for Arc de Triomphe?

I don't care about the price of the pass, for me it would be the convenience and time saved of cutting the lines.

Last question, I will be purchasing a carnet (10 tickets) for the Metro to use in and around the city. But does the Metro depart from Charles de Gaulle airport? Or can I only take the RER train? How much is it into city center?

Answer 1

Ok, I have not been in Paris for 4 years, so please take this information as an estimation, maybe someone will provide you with more accurate information.

First of all, France's museums and attractions are FREE the first Sunday of every month. So if you have a pass, avoid that day its a nightmare (1h in a half cue for louvre)

The pass allows you to cut ticketing lines for the Eiffel tower, for the museum I am afraid I do not think so, but cues are not that long on ordinary days. I think the pass allows you to cut lines for the arc of triumph as the entrance is direct to the monument and the queue leads to the ticket counter.

The RER goes from CDG to Paris, and the price is around 8 euros (I cannot be sure!) But the RER and metro lines are easily connected. Paris has one of the most friendly metro systems I have encountered. The RER in the city center counts as a metro line, you pay extra only in zones outside the city center.

Instead of buying a rack of ten tickets, I would suggest buying a weekend pass, or a one day pass. You usually travel by metro more than you think and can use this ticket for the bus also.

Be wary of tourist traps, and enjoy your stay in Paris! I do suggest you add musee d'Orsay to your list, as the palais of Versailles.

Answer 2

Museum pass is good for admission to the arc de triomphe but the advantage is only to cut the line to buy tickets.  Try to use the elevator which they will let you take if you have small children.

The museum pass does not get you into the tower at Notre Dame.  It doesn't even get you into the crypts even though it says so on the pass.  Inside the cathedral there is a little paper sign saying that the museum pass does not work to get into the tower or the crypts.

The Louvre allows you to bypass the ticket line but not the security line.  It allows you into the Invalides museum and also into the Rodin Museum and the musee D'orsay and the arte moderne at Georges Pompidou.  Enjoy your stay in Paris!

Here's the pass website.

http://www.parismuseumpass.fr/flash/hp_e...

Answer 3

Please refer to the site below for the museum pass website.  Yes, this pass allows you access to as many as 60-70 Museums/landmarks.  With Louvre and other museums, they have specific entrances for pass holders, no need to cut lines.   But in going up Notre Dame,  Sacré Couer and Arc de Triomphe, I am not sure.  The access staircase, particularly in Sacré Couer limits going up in some area on a single line basis, that in passing or cutting somebody out of line will mean pushing somebody aside, if not bodily crushing him or her.  Anyway, even if you are a healthy sportsman, you can only rush to the upper part of this buildings for some minutes  but not all the way.  It could be taxing to ascend at certain points.

The second site is for the rail pass which gives you the convenience of traveling without having to bother to buy tickets at every point.  These passes save you cost of visits and time as well.  I suggest you get this rather than the the ticket booklet.  You would use that on a per ride basis, while the Paris Visite has unlimited use within specific period you buy it for.  (1, 3, 5, days).

You can take RER from Charles de Gaulle to Center of Paris via Gare du Nord, the the station where international trains pass through.  See 3rd website below.