Paris Museum Pass allows entry to 60 museums and other sites of interest in and around Paris. It covers all the must-sees, from the Louvre and Mussee D'Orsay to chateaus around Paris, including Chantilly and Versailles. The pass is valid for two, four or six days, and if you are able to cram the most iconic sights into a short period, purchasing it saves a lot of money on entrance fees. In addition to monetary savings, the pass guarantees priority entry to attractions -- no queuing apart from the security checks -- which is a huge bonus considering the length of lines for the most popular museums, especially during peak season.
Art Treasures
- The Museum Pass grants entry to some of the most spectacular art showcases in the city. Start with the Louvre, which itself could take days to appreciate fully. The Pass, especially the best-value six-day one, allows for more than one visit and saves queuing time, leaving you free to explore the halls packed with antiques and art up to the middle of the 19th century. Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus of Milo, Leonardo's "Mona Lisa," Michelangelo's Slaves, Ingres' "Odalisque" and Gericault's "The Raft of the Medusa" are all here. A back wing of the Louvre houses a treasure box of design and decorative arts, Musee des Arts Decoratifs. Orangerie and Musee d'Orsay display outstanding collections of impressionists and post-impressionists while Centre Pompidou houses art of the last 150 years in the ultra-modern, inside-out-designed building. Musee Rodin showcases works by the sculptor indoors and in the gardens.
Palaces
- The Pass covers the most remarkable royal and aristocratic residences in the Paris region. The undisputed highlight of the list is Chateau de Versailles, justifiably described by Frommer's as “the most spectacular palace in the world,” with magnificent formal gardens, and Grand and Petit Trianons thrown in. The design of Versailles was inspired by Chateau de Chantilly Conde, another of the must-see palaces included with the Pass; the Grand Stables and Horse Museum are not included. Chateau de Fontainebleau with its splendid interiors, and Chateau d’Ecouen housing the Musee National de la Renaissance both recall the times of Francois I and Henri II. Chateau de Malmaison, the residence of Josephine Bonaparte, demonstrates the classical-inspired consular style of architecture. Chateau de Vincennes, with its highest donjon in Europe, harks back to medieval times, as does La Conciergerie, a royal palace of the Capetian dynasty later used as a prison during the French Revolution.
Sacred and Historical Sites
- While many churches and cathedrals can be visited for free, holders of the Pass get access to the Radiant Gothic glories of Sainte-Chapelle, up the 422 steps of the towers of the Notre Dame and into its crypt, and to the monumental early Gothic Cathedral of Saint Denis. The superb collection of medieval artifacts of the Musee National du Moyen Age is divided between the 1,000-year-old Gallo-Roman baths of Lutece and the 500-year-old house of the abbots of Cluny. Musee de l'Armee at the Hotel National des Invalides chronicles the history of the French military. The Pass also covers entrance to Napoleon's Tomb and to the terrace of the Arc de Triomphe with its iconic views of the Champs Elysees.
Other Cultures
- As often is the case with Parisian museums, the buildings are as interesting as the exhibitions inside. The ultra-modernist building of Musee du Quai Branly displays ethnic art from Africa, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. Institut du Monde Arabe is dedicated to Arab art, crafts and science, but is worth a visit for the 2012 building itself, in which design blends modern and traditional Arab and Western elements, and the views across the Seine from the observation terrace. Musee Guimet des Arts Asiatiques completes the trio of museums showcasing non-European artifacts, covering the art of the Indian subcontinent and the Far East.
Odds and Ends
- Children and adults alike will have educational fun exploring the science and technology exhibits at Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie at the Parc de la Villette. You can even visit the Parisian sewers, Les Egouts, although those sensitive to odors should take into account that this is the real deal, not just the models and drawings. If you are interested in modern architecture, take a trip to Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye in Poissy, a modernist house designed as a embodiment of his theories.
