museum pass

The Museum Passes for the Louvre and the Orsay

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One of the oldest articles for this blog is one I wrote on the Paris Museum Pass and whether you should get it when visiting as a tourist. My answer then and now is: only get it if you’re really into art.

That idea of being “really into art” segues nicely into today’s topic, which will cover the two museum annual passes that I have held at different times, the Amis du Louvres and the Orsay’s Carte Blanche. You used to have to go in person to get the cards the first time, but the Orsay has since introduced digital membership and renewal, and the Louvre is in the process of doing both, I think.

Some of the marketing behind such passes is that you will have “broken even” on the cost for these annual passes on the 2nd or 3rd visit. But I think that marketing misses the point entirely. Do not get these passes if you are only going to go to the Louvre or the Orsay a few times in a year. I recommend these cards for those who are going to go a minimum of 12 times in a year. Hear me out.

People save money and wait years so that they can come to these museums sometimes once in their lives. As a resident of the city, and someone who loves art, and has easy access to go during times that are not crowded for a bargain basement price, you’d be silly to pass up on these cards. Let me share a few reasons why you should consider getting them.

You Get to See the Whole Place

While the Orsay can be seen, from start to finish, in one long day, it will take you weeks to accomplish the same thing in the Louvre. Why stress yourself out when you can see both museums at your own pace, dividing your visits into floors and wings, spending an hour or so seeing what you want to see, and then getting out? While you could see the entire Orsay over 2-3 leisurely visits, it took me 10 well-planned visits to see all of the Louvre.

You’ll never do this without a plan, so before you buy these, designate a day you’ll go (e.g. 3rd Thursdays, 2nd Saturdays) and just block that out for the rest of the year. People who just say, “Oh, I’ll go sometime” never end up using these cards.

Exhibitions are Free

Those special rotating temporary exhibitions that everyone else has to pay for? Those are included in your subscriptions. Just flash your card and get your ticket. You’re never confined only to the permanent exhibitions. Even better, with the Amis du Louvre card you get discounts at other museums and with the Carte Blanche you get free access to the Orangerie anytime. The Carte Blanche also offers a discount at the bookstore, while the Amis du Louvre gives a 10% discount in the Carrousel, the mall built under the Louvre.

You Can Bring a Friend

The Orsay used to allow you to bring a friend for free on Wednesday nights. They seem to have removed that benefit but added a new ongoing benefit of entry 30 minutes early (that’s a treat!) as well as “duo” cards which always allow you to bring an additional person with you anytime. The Amis du Louvre card has always allowed free entry on Friday nights (a fantastic time to go, I’ve taken many a friend during this time slot when the weary tourists have given up and have cleared out) even if you only have a solo card. Indeed, if you have a “duo” Amis du Louvre card you’re probably allowed to bring two friends with you.

You Will Sink Into the Art

When you become as familiar with these museums as the layout of your own home, you get to enter into the art in a way that so few can. How many times have I sat and simply people-watched in front of David’s Coronation of Napoleon, one of the largest paintings in the Louvre, and one which is a spectacular accomplishment of memory (and propaganda), and simply enjoyed watching people encounter this canvas for the first time? More than I can remember.

Something else I really enjoyed doing was engaging my friends in conversation to purposely distract them while we were coming up on the staircase that houses Winged Victory. When I knew it was about to come into view, I’d casually say, “Oh, what’s that?” and bask in the pleasure of seeing people take in their breaths as they see a piece of art presented in a stunning manner. We’d then be able to talk more about it as we got closer and I’d quiz them about which wing on the statue is original and which had been reconstructed (you can tell…just take your time looking).

Just as when you revisit great books or films, you’ll find something new, so it is with great art. I’ve gained so many insights just sitting with paintings, sculptures, and objets d’art in an unhurried manner.

You’ll notice that I don’t list “save money” as one of the reasons to get these because that’s not why you’re buying them. You’re buying them for the kind of access that people around the world dream of, and people in Paris take for granted, but you have decided to invest in, on your own behalf (and of your friends), to get serious about the treasures in these museums. You may not renew after a year of access (indeed, I only held both of these cards for one year) but that year that you hold them is going to be a special one.

Photos of my cards.

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Don’t Buy the Paris Pass

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I really think that Americans in particular don’t leave enough unscheduled, unstructured “white space” in their European travels.  They run around, convinced that they will never return, and so they have to see everything.  I know.  I get it.  That was me once upon a time as well.  But while that allows you to mentally “check off” the big sites, it doesn’t really allow you to enjoy Europe — and Paris — the way these destinations are truly inviting you to enjoy them.  Here’s a sample of said freneticism, from an email I received from someone planning a trip:

Upon our arrival we are spending most of the day on the 26th at the Louvre.  On the 27th we are traveling to Versailles.  On the morning of the 28th I would love to accomplish two things, a quick tour of the catacombs and then a stroll in the areas of the fashion houses.  Is that at all possible to accomplish both?

I had only been in Paris a few months at the time, and I already knew that her itinerary was problematic, to say the least.  The lady had prefaced this by saying she had waited 28 years to come to Paris.  And this was her plan?  Alas she refused to take my advice to cut one or more things from her crazy itinerary.

This “do all the things!” trend seems to be endemic to Americans.  They want to see everything and are overwhelmed with advice and information (half of it terrible) from friends, family, blogs, and TripAdvisor.  If this attitude sounds familiar (no need to raise your hand!) the key is to focus and craft a schedule with the really important things you hope to do.  Add “white space” to the schedule: time to just relax and enjoy the city and the magic moments that can happen, instead of rushing around to see “the next thing.”

This leisured manner of sightseeing, that leads to lasting memories instead of a confused blur, is something you are unlikely to do with the Paris Pass, something designed for the FOMO-obsessed visitor who has to see everything.  So, to underline my perspective, here are four reasons you shouldn’t drop hundreds of euros on this tourist trap of a product.

1.  It’s overpriced.  As with most “deals,” you spend your time trying to knock out the big-ticket items so you can prove to yourself you got a deal, even if you have only the vaguest interest in said item.  Do you think they bundled all this together to save you money?  The Pass is about convenience, and they want to get paid for that.  Anyone who actually saved money using this thing only did so by running around the city at top speed.

2.  The bundled Museum Pass isn’t for everyone.  Yes, I’m an art lover and in a past life I gave private tours of the Orsay and the Louvre, but plenty of visitors are not that obsessed with art and museums, and are happy to just go to a few of the museums in Paris; they don’t want the weight of obligation (or the rushed timeline) that having a “pass” puts on you.

3.  You won’t use the metro nearly as much as you think.  This comes with an all-you-can-use Metro pass for a set number of days, which is a huge waste of money.  People have no idea that Paris is so walkable — and beautiful to walk.  If you’ve walked enough, you can opt for the shared Velib bikes or the ubiquitous electric scooters.  If and when you need to use the Metro, use an easily refillable Navigo Easy.  If you are going to be here for more than a week, and plan to head out of Zones 1 and 2 a lot (Versailles, Disneyland, Fontainebleau, etc.) starting on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, stop in and get a Navigo Decouverte.

4.  You will be stressed, not aided, by their 120-page book.  They boast entrance into places that are too varied and uneven in their characters to be “must-sees” for every single guest.  Even one of my favorite Parisian buildings (and included in the Paris Pass), the Garnier Opera House, is not a “must-see” on your first visit to Paris.

So, save yourself time, money, and stress by NOT buying the Paris Pass.  it’s for people interested in frantically running around the city so they can later tell people what a “deal” they got by buying some overpriced card, or for people who think Rick Steves knows what he’s talking about.  If you’re interested in taking this city on at a reasonable pace, with white space sprinkled throughout the day, and are willing to not see “all the things,” you should avoid the Paris Pass (and its advocates).  Paris is a place to be experienced, not a checklist to be achieved.

Did you enjoy this article? TAIP is 100% reader-supported through tipping. If you want to leave us a tip of any amount it would be highly appreciated. These tips help support our efforts to keep TAIP an ad-free environment. Just as at a cafe, the tips are split evenly among the team.