# Things to do in Paris: a practical guide for first-time visitors Canonical: https://ticketglide.com/paris Language: en Publisher: TicketGlide Facts checked: 2026-10-11 Most of what first-time visitors come for lies along the Seine: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Orsay, Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, with Montmartre a short metro ride north. Two things catch people out in 2026: the big museums close one day a week (the Louvre on Tuesdays, Orsay and Versailles on Mondays), and visitors from outside Europe now pay more at the Louvre, Versailles and Sainte-Chapelle. Book the few timed tickets ahead and walk the rest. **Book these before you go** - Eiffel Tower summit: lift tickets go on sale 90 days ahead and the summit sells out - Louvre: book a timed slot, and remember it is closed on Tuesdays - Palace of Versailles: timed entry to the palace; closed on Mondays - Catacombs: book online; no more than 200 people are allowed underground at once ## Top 10 things to do in Paris Ranked for a first visit. For each we name the one ticket or tour we would book, or say when you do not need one. Prices checked on 11 October 2026. ### 1. Eiffel Tower 2–3 hours · Summit by lift €36.70 Lift tickets go on sale 90 days ahead and stairs tickets 60 days ahead, and summit tickets can sell out on the first day. The cheapest way up is the stairs to the second floor (€14.80, 674 steps); the summit is lift-only from there. It is open daily, currently until 11pm, and the views after dark are worth the wait. ### 2. Louvre 3–4 hours · €32 (€22 for EU/EEA residents) Closed on Tuesdays, open until 9pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. Since January 2026 visitors from outside the EU and EEA pay €32; under-18s and EEA residents under 26 go free. There is no longer a free first Sunday: entry is free on the first Friday evening of the month after 6pm (not July or August). A guided tour helps if you want the highlights without getting lost. ### 3. Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle 2 hours · Notre-Dame free · Sainte-Chapelle €22 Notre-Dame is free to enter, with an optional free time slot on its official site; the towers cost €16, are sold online only and are 424 steps up. A short walk away, Sainte-Chapelle’s stained glass is best on a sunny day; it costs €22 for non-EEA visitors (€16 for EEA), with timed entry through the security checks of the law courts. ### 4. Musée d’Orsay 2–3 hours · €16 online The Impressionists in a former railway station. Closed on Mondays and open until 9:45pm on Thursdays, when entry from 6pm costs €12 online. There is no extra charge for non-European visitors here. Paris Museum Pass holders must book a time slot during building work until summer 2028. ### 5. A Seine river cruise About 1 hour · From €15 online A one-hour sightseeing cruise is the easiest way to see the riverside monuments in one go: Vedettes du Pont Neuf from €15 online, Bateaux-Mouches from €17. The Batobus (€23 for 24 hours) is a hop-on hop-off water bus without commentary. Go at dusk to see the city light up. ### 6. Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur Half a day · Free · dome €8 The basilica is free and open daily from 6:30am to 10:30pm. The dome costs €8, is sold on site only and is about 300 steps up. Take the funicular from Anvers for one metro ticket, or arrive from Abbesses to walk down through the village. Keep an eye on your bag around the steps, a known pickpocket spot. ### 7. Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées 1 hour · €16 (October–March) The rooftop view straight down the Champs-Élysées is one of the best in Paris, and it stays open until 10:30pm. Tickets cost €16 from October to March and €22 from April to September, the same for all nationalities. The lift is under maintenance, so it is 284 steps. Use the underpass from Charles-de-Gaulle–Étoile; never cross the roundabout. ### 8. Palace of Versailles Full day · Passport €35 (€25 from 1 November) The palace, the Trianon estate and the gardens make a full day. It is closed on Mondays, and the palace needs a timed entry. The Passport costs €35 for non-EEA visitors until 31 October and €25 from 1 November (€32 and €22 for EEA visitors). The Musical Fountains play at weekends until 1 November. Take the RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, about 30–40 minutes. ### 9. A food tour in Le Marais Half a day · From €89 Cheese, bread, pastries and wine with someone who knows which shops are worth it. In restaurants, service is included by law, so tipping is optional (5–10% if you were pleased), and you can always ask for a free carafe of tap water. Parisians dine from about 8pm. ### 10. Day trip to Mont-Saint-Michel Full day · Tours from €99 The abbey on its tidal island is about 3–4 hours from Paris by train with a change and no direct service, so a coach tour is the simpler way to do it in one day. Closer options: Versailles, Disneyland Paris (about 40 minutes on the RER A) and, until 1 November, Monet’s garden at Giverny. ## Paris itinerary for 1, 2 or 3 days Group each day by area and check closing days first: no Louvre on Tuesday, no Orsay or Versailles on Monday. ### Day 1: the Eiffel Tower, the Seine and the Arc de Triomphe - Morning: the Eiffel Tower at your booked time. - Afternoon: a Seine cruise; Bateaux-Mouches leaves from the Pont de l’Alma, along the river from the tower. - Evening: the Arc de Triomphe rooftop, open until 10:30pm, then the Champs-Élysées. ### Day 2: Île de la Cité and the Louvre - Morning: Notre-Dame, then Sainte-Chapelle in the sun. - Afternoon: the Louvre, or keep it for a Wednesday or Friday evening, when it is open until 9pm. - Then walk through the Tuileries to the Musée de l’Orangerie for Monet’s Water Lilies (closed on Tuesdays). ### Day 3: Orsay, Saint-Germain and Montmartre - Morning: the Musée d’Orsay (closed on Mondays). - Midday: lunch in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. - Afternoon: Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, staying for sunset over the city. ### With more time Add Versailles (not on a Monday), the Catacombs (€31, closed on Mondays, book online), Disneyland Paris, or a day at Mont-Saint-Michel. Monet’s garden at Giverny closes for the season after 1 November 2026. ## Paris museum prices in 2026 for visitors from outside Europe Since January 2026, visitors from outside the EU and EEA, including the UK, US, Canada and Australia, pay more at the Louvre, Versailles and Sainte-Chapelle. - Under-18s of any nationality go free at the national museums and monuments, and EEA residents aged 18–25 go free too. - The Paris Museum Pass costs €85, €105 or €125 for two, four or six days. It covers the Louvre, Orsay and Versailles but not the Eiffel Tower, and you still need to book a time slot at the Louvre, Orsay, the Orangerie and the Versailles palace. - The higher non-EEA prices make the pass better value: it usually pays off if you will visit four or more of its sites. | Site | Non-EEA visitors | EEA visitors | | --- | --- | --- | | Louvre | €32 | €22 | | Versailles Passport (to 31 October) | €35 | €32 | | Versailles Passport (from 1 November) | €25 | €22 | | Sainte-Chapelle | €22 | €16 | | Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie | €30 | €23 | | Musée d’Orsay | €16 online | €16 online | | Arc de Triomphe (October–March) | €16 | €16 | ## When to visit Paris: closing days, weather and events Paris is good all year, but plan around each museum’s weekly closing day and book the timed tickets that sell out. - Weather: average highs of about 26°C in July and 8°C in January; May is the wettest month, and late December has only about 8 hours of daylight. - On Sunday 1 November 2026, the first Sunday of the month, entry is free at Orsay (booking required), the Orangerie, the Rodin museum, the Arc de Triomphe, Sainte-Chapelle and the Notre-Dame towers. - Christmas: the Champs-Élysées Christmas market runs from 22 November 2026 to 4 January 2027. New Year’s Eve on the Champs-Élysées was free in 2025, with a light show on the Arc de Triomphe and fireworks. - The Centre Pompidou is closed for renovation until 2030. - Coming up in 2027: the Paris Marathon on 4 April and Roland-Garros from 17 May to 6 June. | Site | Closed | Book ahead? | | --- | --- | --- | | Louvre | Tuesday | Yes, timed slot | | Musée d’Orsay | Monday | Recommended | | Palace of Versailles | Monday | Yes, timed palace entry | | Catacombs | Monday | Yes | | Musée de l’Orangerie | Tuesday | Recommended | | Eiffel Tower | Open daily | Yes, lift tickets 90 days ahead | | Notre-Dame | Open daily | Optional free slot | ## Free things to do in Paris and how to save money Notre-Dame, Sacré-Cœur and eleven City of Paris museums are free, and a few habits save a lot more. ### Free things to do - Notre-Dame and Sacré-Cœur, both free to enter. - The permanent collections of eleven City of Paris museums, including the Petit Palais, Musée Carnavalet and the Musée d’Art Moderne. - The Louvre on the first Friday evening of the month after 6pm (not July or August), and the first-Sunday free days at Orsay and other museums. - The rooftop terrace of Galeries Lafayette on boulevard Haussmann, with free views over the rooftops (closed in bad weather). - Walks along the Seine, the Tuileries, the Luxembourg Gardens and Montmartre’s streets. ### Ways to save - Book the Eiffel Tower stairs to the second floor (€14.80) instead of the summit lift (€36.70). - Visit Orsay on Thursday evening, when entry from 6pm costs €12 online. - Do not pay for water: restaurants must give you a free carafe of tap water with a meal, and service is already included in the price. - A Navigo Easy card costs €2 and holds your metro tickets; there are no discounted ten-ticket books any more. ## Getting around Paris: airports, metro tickets and taxis You cannot yet tap a bank card at Paris metro gates, so buy tickets in the official app or on a €2 Navigo Easy card. ### From the airports - Charles de Gaulle: the RER B takes about 35 minutes to Gare du Nord and costs €14 with the airport ticket. Roissybus stopped running on 1 March 2026. - Orly: metro line 14 reaches Châtelet in about 25 minutes, also €14. - Taxis have fixed fares: from Charles de Gaulle €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank; from Orly €45 to the Right Bank and €36 to the Left Bank. - Beauvais: the Aérobus to Porte Maillot takes from 1 hour 15 minutes and costs €17.90 online. ### Metro, RER and buses - A metro-train-RER ticket costs €2.55 and gives two hours of metro and RER journeys, but it does not cover buses; a bus-tram ticket costs €2.05. - A one-day Navigo Jour costs €12.30 for all zones except the airports. - For a full week, the Navigo Découverte pass costs €32.40 from Monday to Sunday, including the airports, plus a €5 card that needs a passport photo. - Bank cards already work on buses and the Montmartre funicular; metro line 1 follows in July 2027. ### Driving - Do not drive in: street parking costs up to €6 an hour in central Paris, and the low-emission zone bans older cars on weekdays. ## Paris with kids, on a rainy day or as a couple Under-18s go free at the national museums, the Louvre and Orsay are made for rainy days, and the Seine at night is made for couples. ### With kids - The Eiffel Tower and a Seine cruise. - The Louvre and Orsay, free for under-18s of any nationality. - Disneyland Paris, about 40 minutes on the RER A. ### On a rainy day - The Louvre, Orsay and the Orangerie. - The Catacombs (closed on Mondays; book online). - Sainte-Chapelle is still beautiful under cloud, though the glass glows most in sun. ### For couples - A dinner cruise on the Seine. - The Moulin Rouge: no shorts, flip-flops or trainers; jacket and tie not required. - Sunset at Sacré-Cœur, or the Arc de Triomphe rooftop at night. ## Paris tours and tickets by type Browse every bookable option by type, with live prices and availability for your dates. - **Attraction tickets:** The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Orsay and the Arc de Triomphe, many with a guide and reserved entry. - **Seine cruises:** One-hour sightseeing cruises, the Batobus, and lunch and dinner cruises. - **Day trips:** Versailles, Mont-Saint-Michel, Giverny until 1 November, and the Loire châteaux. - **Food tours:** Le Marais, Montmartre and Saint-Germain, with cheese, pastries and wine. - **Cabarets and shows:** The Moulin Rouge and other cabarets; check the dress code before you go. - **Guided and walking tours:** Montmartre walks, Notre-Dame and Île de la Cité, and evening tours. ## Frequently asked questions about visiting Paris ### How many days do you need in Paris? Three days covers the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Orsay, Notre-Dame and Montmartre. With five, add Versailles and a day trip such as Mont-Saint-Michel or Disneyland Paris. ### How much does the Louvre cost in 2026? €32 for visitors from outside the EU and EEA and €22 for EEA visitors. Under-18s and EEA residents under 26 go free. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. ### Is the Louvre free on the first Sunday of the month? No, not any more. Entry is free on the first Friday evening of the month after 6pm, except in July and August, and on 14 July. ### How far ahead should I book the Eiffel Tower? Lift tickets go on sale 90 days ahead and stairs tickets 60 days ahead. Summit tickets can sell out on the first day, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. ### Is Notre-Dame free to visit? Yes. Entry to the cathedral is free, with an optional free time slot on the official site. The towers cost €16 and are sold online only. ### How do I get from Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris? The RER B takes about 35 minutes to Gare du Nord and costs €14. Taxis charge a fixed €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank. The Roissybus no longer runs. ### Can I pay for the Paris metro with a contactless bank card? Not yet at the metro gates; bank cards work on buses and the Montmartre funicular. Buy tickets in the official app or on a €2 Navigo Easy card. ### Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it? Usually if you will visit four or more included sites, especially now that non-EEA visitors pay more at the Louvre and Versailles. It costs €85 for two days and does not include the Eiffel Tower. ### Which museums are closed on Monday in Paris? The Musée d’Orsay, the Palace of Versailles, the Catacombs, the Rodin museum and the City of Paris museums. The Louvre and the Orangerie close on Tuesdays instead. ### Do you tip in Paris restaurants? Service is included in French menu prices by law, so tipping is optional; 5–10% is a kind gesture for good service. ### Is the Centre Pompidou open? No. It closed for renovation in September 2025 and is due to reopen in 2030. ## Sources - [Eiffel Tower: rates and opening times](https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/rates-opening-times) - [Eiffel Tower: summit lift ticket](https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/rates-offers/ticket-top-lift) - [Louvre: hours and admission](https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/hours-admission) - [Musée d’Orsay: admission and opening times](https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/visit/admission-opening-times-tickets) - [Notre-Dame de Paris: opening hours](https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/en/faq/opening-hours/) - [Notre-Dame towers: practical information](https://www.tours-notre-dame-de-paris.fr/en/visit/practical-information) - [Sainte-Chapelle: practical information](https://www.sainte-chapelle.fr/en/visit/practical-information) - [Arc de Triomphe: practical information](https://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/visit/practical-information) - [Sacré-Cœur: hours and directions](https://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/en/info-and-visits/practical-information/hours-and-directions/) - [Sacré-Cœur: the dome](https://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/en/info-and-visits/the-dome-tour/) - [Bateaux-Mouches: sightseeing cruise](https://www.bateaux-mouches.fr/en/cruise/boat_tour) - [Vedettes du Pont Neuf: cruises](https://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com/cruises/) - [Batobus: 24-hour pass](https://www.batobus.com/en/24-hour-pass) - [Palace of Versailles: 2026 ticketing](https://en.chateauversailles.fr/2026-ticketing) - [Palace of Versailles: Musical Fountains](https://en.chateauversailles.fr/news/shows/musical-fountains-show-and-musical-gardens) - [Catacombs of Paris](https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en) - [Centre Pompidou: renovation](https://www.centrepompidou.fr/fr/le-centre-pompidou-se-metamorphose) - [Paris Museum Pass](https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/en/pass) - [City of Paris: free museums](https://www.paris.fr/en/pages/which-museums-and-exhibitions-are-free-in-paris-29648) - [Moulin Rouge: FAQ](https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/faq-en/) - [Disneyland Paris: getting there from Paris](https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-int/guest-services/getting-to-disneyland-paris-from-paris) - [Île-de-France Mobilités: 2026 fares](https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/tarifs-titre-de-transport-en-commun-2026) - [Île-de-France Mobilités: end of Roissybus](https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/actualites/fin-roissy-bus) - [Île-de-France Mobilités: paying by bank card](https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/actualites/valider-transports-carte-bancaire-ile-de-france) - [RATP: weekly Navigo pass](https://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/weekly-navigo-travel-passes) - [Légifrance: 2026 Paris airport taxi fares](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000053228231) - [DGCCRF: restaurants, service and tap water](https://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgccrf/les-fiches-pratiques/restaurants-droits-et-obligations-des-professionnels) - [Service-public: tourist tax 2026](https://entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr/actualites/A17929) - [Infoclimat: Paris-Montsouris climate normals (Météo-France data)](https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/-/valeurs/07156.html) - [Galeries Lafayette: the rooftop terrace](https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/the-terrace-at-galeries-lafayette/) --- TicketGlide helps travellers find tickets, tours, attractions and experiences worldwide. 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