The comparison at a glance
| Site | Official price (October 2026) | Slot | Does a reseller add anything? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musée d'Orsay | €16 (€12 on Thursday evening) | Compulsory since March 2026 | Only an audio guide or a guide |
| Musée de l'Orangerie | €12.50 | Compulsory | Nothing extra, except in a combination |
| Sainte-Chapelle | €22 outside the EEA, €16 EEA residents | Yes, online | A guide, or a combination with the Conciergerie |
| Sainte-Chapelle + Conciergerie | €30 outside the EEA, €23 EEA residents | Yes | The guided tour adds Notre-Dame |
| Arc de Triomphe (terrace) | €16 from October to March, €22 from April to September | Advised | A combination with a cruise |
| Louvre | €22 EEA, €32 outside the EEA | Yes | A guide: see Louvre tickets |
| Paris Museum Pass | €85 (2 days), €105 (4 days), €125 (6 days) | Yes, at the busiest sites | No: buy on the official site |
Sources: the official sites of each museum and of the Centre des monuments nationaux (2026 rate sheet, in force since 12 January 2026 for the Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie), of the Louvre and of the Paris Museum Pass, read on 19 October 2026. Under-18s enter free almost everywhere, and EEA residents under 26 at most national monuments.
What a reseller changes, and what it doesn't
A resold museum ticket opens the same door as the official ticket, at the same slot: it does not save you a queue, because the queue that remains is the security check. The "from" price on a platform can look lower than the official rate because it is the cheapest category: always look at the total. A reseller adds something in three cases: a guide (or audio guide), a combination (two sites, or a site and a cruise) and a slot when the official site is sold out.
The offers that really add something
- Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie and Notre-Dame with a guide. This 2 h guided tour, tickets included, at about $85 links three sites on the Île de la Cité. The official €30 combined ticket alone has no guide; the tour adds one.
- Orsay with an audio guide. The dated ticket with a digital audio guide, from €28.32 costs more than the official €16: the difference pays for the audio guide, on an app to use with your own earphones.
- Arc de Triomphe and cruise. The terrace and Seine cruise combination, about $45 bundles two visits into one purchase.
For more detailed comparisons: Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie and Arc de Triomphe.
Paris Museum Pass or single tickets?
The pass costs €85 (2 days), €105 (4 days) or €125 (6 days) and does not exempt you from booking a slot at the busiest sites. An example for a visitor from outside the EEA, at October 2026 prices: Louvre €32 + Sainte-Chapelle €22 + Orsay €16 + Arc de Triomphe €16 (October to March) = €86. The two-day pass at €85 therefore just breaks even with four major sites, and pays off with a fifth or if you add Versailles (Passport €35 in high season, free with the pass). For an EEA resident, who pays €22 at the Louvre and €16 at the Sainte-Chapelle, four sites come to about €70: single tickets are cheaper. For a short stay centred on one or two museums, skip the pass. Full details are in our Paris Museum Pass review and the pass comparison.
Pitfalls
- Fake ticket sites. Check the museum's web address before paying.
- The lost slot. A dated ticket is usually not refundable: re-read the time.
- The free first Sunday. It also needs a slot and draws crowds.
- Closing days. Orsay is closed on Mondays, the Orangerie on Tuesdays.
- The pass and exhibitions. The Paris Museum Pass excludes temporary exhibitions.
Our advice
Without a guide or combination that gives you something extra, buy direct on the official site. For one museum a day, no pass. For the Île de la Cité, the Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie are worth the combined ticket or the guided tour. See also the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée de l'Orangerie, the Arc de Triomphe and booking ahead in Paris.
