I’m planning my fourth trip to Paris for Summer 2025, and as part of my Paris trip planning I am keeping a close eye on when tickets for the most popular attractions go on sale. Personally, I’m willing to trade a bit of flexibility for a guarantee that I will get to visit the places that are most important to me, at a time that is convenient for me.
This guide is going to be short and sweet. I’ll cover the most-visited tourist attractions in Paris, how early tickets go on sale, and where you can buy them from an official source. From museums that start selling tickets six months in advance to historic sites that only open bookings one week early, I’ll help you plan the days and months leading up to your Paris trip to make sure you get to see and do everything that’s on your bucket list itinerary.
Note: The accuracy of this list was confirmed in March 2025 – I did a test booking of every place listed below – but you should always double-check in case things have changed.
When do tickets go on sale?
I have a complete guide to fifty things to see and do in Paris that goes over the highlights of these Paris attractions in more detail. This can help you narrow down which Paris attractions to include in your trip plan, and which might be better saved for next time.
Assuming you already know that you want to visit these attractions, however, the list below will explain exactly when the tickets are expected to go on sale.
For each attraction in Paris I’ve also linked to the official website, which is where I recommend you buy your tickets. For simple Paris attraction tickets, only resort to buying through third-party sites if there’s no alternative (I’ll talk more about that below).
The Louvre
Louvre museum tickets typically go on sale two months in advance. The early morning spots sell out the fastest, but if you’re flexible with when you visit then you can usually find tickets a week or two in advance.
The Louvre is always closed on Tuesdays.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
The Eiffel Tower
Tickets for the Eiffel Tower go on sale 60 days in advance, at exactly midnight Paris time. Overseas visitors often have trouble booking within that first minute or two; the solution is to set your computer’s clock to the Paris time zone an hour or two before midnight (Paris time!). Rumor has it that the Eiffel Tower website uses the clock on your machine – not on their end – to see if the clock has officially struck midnight.
If you need help deciding the best time to book your tickets (morning, afternoon or evening) check out my guide here.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
Musée d’Orsay
Musée d’Orsay tickets go on sale very early – typically between two and four months in advance.
Musée d’Orsay is closed on Mondays.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
The Palace of Versailles
Tickets for the Palace of Versailles go on sale three months in advance. If you try to purchase before that, you’ll get a notice letting you know the exact date and time to come back to complete the purchase.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
Centre Pompidou
The Centre Pompidou will be closing its permanent collections on March 10, 2025 for a period of approximately five years. Check back in 2030 for more information!
Arc de Triomphe
Tickets for the Arc de Triomphe go on sale two months in advance.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
Notre Dame
It’s free to visit the recently reopened Notre Dame church, but having a free reservation helps you get through the queue faster. Reservations open two days in advance and go quickly. If you’re not able to secure a reservation you can still visit, but you’ll have to wait in the general queue.
➡️ Click for the Official Reservation Site (New Window)
Louis Vuitton Foundation
The Louis Vuitton Foundation hosts two major exhibits each year and tickets for the entire exhibit period go on sale once dates are confirmed. Between exhibits you can also visit the grounds for €5, and while tickets go on sale well in advance they can also be secured a day or two in advance.
The Louis Vuitton Foundation is closed on Tuesdays.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
L’Orangerie
Tickets to see Monet’s Waterlilies at L’Orangerie go on sale four months in advance.
L’Orangerie is closed on Tuesdays.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
La Galerie Dior
Tickets go on sale about two months in advance and typically sell out fairly quickly. Several times per year the gallery closes for about two weeks to change over the exhibits; if no tickets are available during your visit this might be why.
La Galerie Dior is closed on Tuesdays.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
Sainte-Chappelle
Sainte-Chappelle tickets go on sale two months in advance. During high season, try to book at least a week in advance to guarantee a spot.
➡️ Click for the Official English Ticketing Site (New Window)
Paris Catacombs
Tickets to the Paris catacombs go on sale one week in advance. They are not available through resellers or tour operators, so if someone is trying to sell you tickets more than seven days out, they’re a scammer.
The catacombs are closed on Mondays.
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
Disneyland Paris
You can buy tickets to Disneyland Paris up to a year in advance. I’ve personally never been – would you recommend it?
➡️ Click for the Official Ticketing Site (New Window)
Tips for Buying Tickets in Paris
Sometimes things just don’t go as planned. If you’re having trouble buying tickets or planning your visit, these tips might help.
Website not working?
Sadly many of the Paris tourist attractions noted above don’t have the most reliable websites. Before up, try switching browsers and switching devices. For example, if you can’t get through the purchase process on your computer, try switching over to your phone.
As I mentioned above, if you’re trying to buy tickets within minutes of them going on sale, it may help to have your computer’s clock set to the Paris time zone.
Tickets sold out?
Most of the attractions listed above do hold back a limited number of tickets each day for walk-up customers. If it’s something that will make or break your trip, head to the ticket office 30-60 minutes before they open in the morning (so you’re first in line) and see what options they suggest.
Skipping the line
Booking a ticket in advance allows you to skip the ticket line, but everyone still has to pass through security. In some busy attractions like The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower that can still take upwards of half an hour. Keep that in mind as you’re planning your daily itinerary, and pack light to get through security faster.
The Paris Museum Pass
Personally, I always get a Paris Museum Pass when I visit Paris. It includes admission to many of the museums and attractions listed above, and of the fifty sites that it includes, only eight require you to reserve an entry time in advance. I’m not connected with the program in any way and don’t make money if you buy a pass from the official website (like I do!).
Third-party sellers
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If you’ve left it took late and absolutely can’t buy a ticket through an official channel, you might be able to buy a ticket through a tour company that booked a block of tickets for their tour customers. You can find them on both Get Your Guide and Viator – just search for the attraction you want to visit and see what options are available.
In order to block book these tickets the resellers often have to operate as guided tours, which means they are more expensive than booking directly.
I have lots of articles about traveling in Paris in my France archives. The most popular guides include my article about where to stay in Paris and my French pharmacy product recommendations.
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