Best Ways to Skip the Line (Paris Skip-the-line Tips)

If this is your first trip to Paris, you probably want to visit the most famous museums and landmarks in Paris. After many years of dreaming of Paris, finally, you have the opportunity to see the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, and other iconic buildings in Paris with your own eyes!

But maybe you forgot that Paris is one of the most visited cities on this planet, so you won’t be alone. Actually, right now, there are thousands of people planning their very first time in Paris on the same dates, which means that the waiting lines can get long. Very long.

So, how to skip the lines in Paris? How to avoid the lines in Paris’ top tourist attractions? Keep on reading this article with my best tips to skip the lines in Paris.

Are You Planning a Trip to Paris Last Minute?

If you are booking a last-minute trip to Paris, I’ve got you covered! Below are our must guides, top tours, hotels, and more:

» Plan: Paris Travel Planner; Paris Arrondissements Guide; Check out the best Paris Metro tickets for tourists

» Book your flight tickets with Omio; book your train tickets with Omio

Book your transfer from the airport to the city with Welcome Pickups.

» Where to Stay: Best Districts to Stay in Paris

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!)
Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne (super central 4-star hotel near the Louvre)

» Top-Rated Paris Tours & Tickets:

Want skip-the-line access at museums & attractions in Paris? Get your hands on a Paris Museum Pass!

» Don’t leave without travel insurance! SafetyWing Essential plan works well for long and short trips (from 5 days up). Can also cover electronics theft through their add-on.

Skip the Line – Paris Tips & Tricks

These tried-and-tested skip-the-line Paris tricks can’t eliminate lines entirely, but they will cut the waiting time significantly. Instead of waiting in line, spend your time in Paris eating croissants or drinking a glass of wine!

1. Buy a Paris Skip-the-line Pass

A Paris Skip-the-line Pass (or Paris Tourist Pass) allows visitors to save time and money thanks to its Paris skip-the-line tickets and many discounts. The Paris Museum Pass skip-the-line is the most popular Paris pass skip-the-line (you can read my review here), but there are other Paris passes that might suit you better. Check out my Paris Pass Comparison with the best Paris tourist passes.

2. Buy Paris Skip the Line Tickets or Tours

If you want to visit only a few Paris tourist places but still hate the idea of wasting your time waiting in line, the best option is to buy separate skip-the-line Paris tickets or tours.

Most popular skip-the-line tickets and tours in Paris

Websites like Get Your Guide and Tiqets also offer interesting skip-the-line Paris combo tickets, which are great for people who only want to visit a few attractions and still save money.

Most popular Paris Combo tickets

COMBO	TYPE	DURATION	INCLUDES	PRICE
Skip the Line Louvre & Orsay	2x skip-the-line guided tours	5-5.5 hrs	Louvre Museum + Orsay Museum	View

3. Know the Best Time to Avoid Crowds

Skip the line Paris tourist places — Orsay Museum in Paris

The best time to visit Paris to avoid the crowds is during the low season, which runs from 1st November to 31 March, except for Christmas in Paris and NYE in Paris.

Then, for each tourist attraction, there are days and time slots when there are fewer crowds, according to statistics.

Below, you will find the best time to avoid crowds for each of the most popular Paris attractions during the low season and the high season in Paris. For the most visited attractions, I also have dedicated posts with more travel tips. The colours on the tables correspond to the estimated waiting time by time slot: green means less waiting time, while red means very long lines.

Skip the Line Paris-Eiffel Tower

5 Avenue Anatole France, Paris 7

The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris and France. It is located in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris (often nicknamed ‘the Eiffel Tower district’). If you are visiting Paris for the first time, you cannot miss going up the Eiffel Tower!

Best Time to Visit the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower never rests; it opens every day!

» During the high season, there is no best time to visit the Eiffel Tower, and the Eiffel Tower waiting time with a regular ticket can be up to 2 hours within the time slots marked as “very strong.”

» During the low season, the Eiffel Tower lines are shorter, especially during the weekdays. The best time to visit the Eiffel Tower during the low season is early in the morning and late afternoon (except on Friday afternoon, when weekenders arrive).

TIP: During the low season, the last access to the Eiffel Tower by stairs is at 6 pm, while the last access by lift is at 11 pm!

Tickets to the Eiffel Tower can be purchased three months in advance. Tickets purchased directly from the Eiffel Tower website sell out very fast. If nothing is left on the official site for your dates in Paris, check out companies like Get Your Guide or Tiqets. These Eiffel Tower tickets, however, often come with guided tours or an escort.

Buy Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tickets or Tours

When buying an Eiffel Tower ticket online, you need to choose a specific date and time slot. Time slots are every 30 minutes, so you are sure to get in within that period (perhaps a bit longer if ticket controls are slow).

Only guided tours by companies like Get Your Guide and Tiqets offer skip-the-line access. Most of them allow you to cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive a full refund (see conditions in the tour description).

Best skip-the-line Eiffel Tower tickets and tours which are fully refundable:

Eiffel Tower direct access tour to the summit by elevator – free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance
Eiffel Tower priority access summit & audio guide – free cancellation up to 72 hours in advance

Skip the Line Paris – Louvre Museum

Rue de Rivoli, Paris 1

The Louvre Museum in the 1st Arrondissement is the most popular attraction in Paris, with 10.2M yearly visitors. The Louvre Palace was home to the Kings of France in Medieval times until King Louis XIV moved the court to Versailles. In August 1793, the National Assembly opened the Louvre as a museum with a collection of 537 paintings.

Check out my dedicated post with the best skip-the-line Louvre tips

TIP: if your time in Paris is limited, but you still don’t want to miss the world’s best museum, check out how to visit the Louvre in 2 hours or less

Best Time to Visit the Louvre Museum

The best time to visit the Louvre depends on the season. Generally speaking, it is a good idea to go during the week, maybe arriving half an hour before the opening time.

Because the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, the previous day and the day after (Mondays and Wednesdays) are more packed than Thursdays. Thursday is my suggested day to visit the Louvre.

On Wednesday and Friday, the museum also has a night session from 6 pm to 9.45 pm. Wednesday night is a good time to visit the Louvre, but Friday night is more crowded with weekenders.

The tables below do not consider the free night session on the first Friday of the month, when the Louvre is free to visit for everybody. The free night session is the worst time slot if you want to avoid crowds.

Buy Skip the Line Louvre Tickets or Tours

The Louvre shows the “sold out today” panel quite often (picture above). Only online tickets bought in advance can guarantee entry to the museum, especially during the high season.

You can buy skip-the-line tickets alone or combine them with an audio guide or a guided tour. The truth is that a skip-the-line Louvre guided tour is a temptation difficult to resist in one of the most interesting museums in the world!

Skip the Line Versailles Palace

Place d’Armes, Versailles

Home to Kings Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI, the Château de Versailles makes a wonderful day trip from Paris. Check out my dedicated post with the best Versailles skip-the-line tips.

The Versailles Estate consists of different buildings, surrounded by the beautiful Versailles Gardens and forest: Château de Versailles, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, and the Queen’s Hamlet. Use this Versailles guide to plan your day trip to Versailles from Paris.

Best Time to Visit Versailles

The best days to visit Versailles are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Generally speaking, try to visit the Château early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Remember that the Trianons and the Queen’s Hamlet open at noon. If you want to visit everything in the Versailles Estate, prioritize the visit to the Château early in the morning.

Buy Skip the Line Versailles Tickets or Tours

You can skip the line through a separate entrance and save time! You can decide to visit all of the Domain or just the Palace, independently or with a guided tour.

However, I recommend booking a skip-the-line guided tour with a small group. Guided tours access the Château through a special entrance and are a more interesting and interactive experience. Some guided tours include transportation from Paris.

Get Your Guide offers well-rated skip-the-line Versailles tours and tickets. With Get Your Guide, you can cancel for up to 24 hours and get a full refund!

Best Get Your Guide Versailles tickets and tours are fully refundable:

Versailles skip-the-line tour of the Palace with Gardens access – free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance
Skip the line Versailles full-day tour with lunch – free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance
Skip the line Palace and Gardens half-day tour with transportation – free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

Catacombs of Paris Skip the Line

1 avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, Paris 14

The Catacombs of Paris are former underground quarries that were reused for stocking the bones of disappeared cemeteries in Paris.

Paris Catacombs tours and visits have become very popular among tourists, probably because of their original, spooky character. For this reason, the lines to visit the Catacombs are always long, very long. Check out my review about this Paris Catacombs skip-the-line tour with special access to restricted areas, the best way to visit the Catacombs of Paris.

Best Time to Visit the Catacombs of Paris

The Paris Catacombs are open from Tuesday to Sunday. As you can see in the graphic below, the best time to visit the Catacombs of Paris is early in the morning.

Buy Catacombs of Paris Skip the Line Tickets or Tours

The Paris Catacombs are not included in any Paris Skip-the-line Pass, so I recommend buying skip-the-line tickets or guided tours to avoid the lines. Here are the most popular:

Skip the Line Paris-Arc de Triomphe

Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris 8

Many visitors to Paris want to climb up to the Arc de Triomphe because of its great views of the Champs Elysées and the Eiffel Tower. Apart from one of the best views of Paris, there is a small exhibition space about the Arc’s architecture and sculptures.

Best Time to Visit Arc de Triomphe

Obviously, the best time to visit Arc de Triomphe to avoid the lines is when the weather is bad. However, as you can see in the picture above, the wait time is not that long, except for the last time slot (to see sunset in Paris) and the weekends during the high season.

Skip the Line Paris-Orsay Museum

1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Paris 7

The Orsay Museum, located in a former train station in the 7th Arrondissement, is internationally renowned for its rich collection of Impressionist art, with important collections of Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Paul Gauguin.

The Orsay Museum is one of the most visited museums in Paris after the Louvre, and it usually sees long lines.

Best Time to Visit the Orsay Museum

The best days to visit Musée d’Orsay are Wednesday and Friday. Try to avoid Tuesdays, when the Louvre is closed, so everybody flocks to Musée d’Orsay.

Few people know that on Thursday, the Museum is open until 9.45 pm. From 6 pm to 9.45 pm, Musée d’Orsay’s wait time is shorter (10 minutes maximum), and tickets are cheaper.

Orsay Museum Skip the Line Tickets or Tours

Musée d’Orsay waiting times can be super long. Your best option to avoid the line at Orsay Museum is to book an Orsay Museum skip-the-line ticket.

If you want to get the most out of this wonderful museum, this Orsay Museum Guided Tour by a professional guide is always top-rated and has excellent reviews.

Skip the Line Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is a popular destination in Europe, thanks to its magical atmosphere, fun rides and shows, and location near Paris. Disneyland Paris is located in Marne-la-Vallée, a town 40 km east of Paris. Marne-la-Vallée is home to the two Disneyland Paris parks, all the Disneyland Paris hotels, and a shopping mall.

With more than 1.92 M visitors per year, Disneyland Paris is one of the most popular day trips from Paris, but it is also a destination for itself. Check out my Disneyland Paris Guide with all the information and travel tips to plan your visit to Disneyland Paris.

Best Time to Visit Disneyland Paris

The best time to visit Disneyland Paris depends on many factors, such as the day of the week, local or school holidays, and Disneyland Paris events.

Generally speaking, the colder months see fewer crowds, except for Halloween and the Christmas holidays. Check out our Disneyland Paris Crowd Calendar to avoid the busiest days and how to skip the longest lines once you are there!

And there you have it, the ultimate skip-the-line Paris guide with the best Paris skip-the-line tickets, tourist passes, and travel tips.

Click here to read more Paris Tips

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Read about eating in Paris here
Our Districts of Paris Quick Guide is here
Read why Paris is Always a good idea here

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Cover Picture: Tour Eiffel picture via Flikr CC @Mohamed Yahya