There are many ways to save money in Paris. One of the easiest ways to spend less on your trip to Paris is to travel on the first weekend of the month, as there are many free museums in Paris on the first Sunday of the month.
There are many free museums in Paris on the first Sunday every month, but a certain number of museums – usually the most famous – are only free to visit during the low season. Unfortunately, the concept of “low season” varies from one museum to another: from October to March, from November to March, or from November to May! The lists below will clarify that.
Without further ado, here’s the list of the free museums in Paris on the first Sunday of the month, with something for every traveller. The list also includes a (non-exhaustive) list of the best free museums in Ile-de-France on the first Sunday of the month.
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- Le Pavillon de la Reine (historical 5-star hotel in Le Marais)
- Hotel La Comtesse (mid-range hotel with Eiffel Tower view from all the rooms!)
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- Louvre Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket
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Free Museums on the First Sunday of the Month in Paris
An important thing to know is that some free museums in Paris on the first Sunday of the month require online reservation of a time slot on the official website. Check the conditions on the site carefully before you go!
Last but not least, all the museums of the Ville de Paris are ALWAYS free to visit, so if you can’t be in Paris on the first Sunday of the month, there are still many interesting free museums in Paris to visit, and they usually don’t see the crowds.
- Musée du Quai Branly (Indigenous art and cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas)
- Musée Eugène-Delacroix (French Romantic artist, regarded as the leader of the French Romantic School)
- Musée Jean-Jacques Henner (French painter noted for his use of sfumato and chiaroscuro)
- Musée Gustave Moreau (French artist and an important figure in the Symbolist Movement)
- Musée Rodin (only from October to March included)
- Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine (museum of French Monuments)
GOOD TO KNOW: The Louvre Museum’s free entrance on the first Sunday of the month does not exist anymore. Now, visitors can visit the Louvre Museum for free on the first Friday of the month after 6:00 p.m., except in July and August. Check out my quick guide to the Louvre Museum.
Free Monuments on the First Sunday of the Month in Paris
- Arc de Triomphe (only from November to March included)
- Panthéon (only from November to March included; check out my article about the Panthéon)
- Hôtel de la Marine (only from November to March included)
- Conciergerie (only from November to March included; check out my article about the Conciergerie)
- Sainte-Chapelle (only from November to March included; check out my article about the Sainte-Chapelle)
Best Free Museums on the First Sunday of the Month in Ile-de-France
This is a non-exhaustive list of the best free museums in Ile-de-France on the first Sunday of the month. This museum list is organized by department.
77- Seine-et-Marne Department
- Château de Fontainebleau (only from September to June included; check out my article about the Château de Fontainebleau)
- Château de Champs-sur-Marne (only from November to March included)
- Musée de la Grande Guerre in Meaux
78- Yvelines Department
- Domaine national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon (only from November to March included; check out how to plan a day trip to Versailles)
- Musée National d’Archéologie in Saint-Germain-en-Laye
- Villa Savoye in Poissy (only from November to March included; check out my article about the Villa Savoye)
92- Hauts-de-Seine Department
- Château de Malmaison à Rueil-Malmaison (check out my article about Château de Malmaison)
- Musée National Auguste-Rodin in Meudon (only from November to March included)
- Musée des Années 30 in Boulogne-Billancourt
- Musée et Jardin Départemental Albert-Kahn in Boulogne-Billancourt
93- Seine-Saint-Denis Department
- Basilique de Saint-Denis (only from November to March included; check out my article about the Basilique Saint-Denis)
- Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in Bourget
94- Val-de-Marne Department
- Château de Vincennes (only from November to March included; check out my article about the Château de Vincennes)
