The comparison at a glance
| Offer | Duration | "From" price | What is included | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private tour with ticket (3 h) | 3 h | About $205 | Private guide, museum entry (per the listing title) | Families, history lovers | See |
| Semi-private, 8 people maximum (Babylon Tours) | About 2 h | About $121 to $156 depending on the snapshot | Guide, ticket, group of 8 at most | Couples, small groups of friends | See |
| Guided tour of Les Invalides and Napoleon's Tomb | see the listing | see the listing | see the listing | A short visit with a guide | See |
| 2-hour guided tour (Smart City Tour) | 1 h 45 to 2 h | About $57 | Guided tour, starts at La Tour-Maubourg | Tight budget, still want a guide | See |
| Entry ticket: Napoleon's Tomb and Army Museum | Self-paced | €17 | Entry to the museum, the Dôme and the tomb | Most visitors | See |
What you are really buying
Napoleon's Tomb, the Dôme and the Army Museum are the same with or without a guide. The official ticket costs €17 (€12 reduced) and opens the whole site from 10 am to 6 pm every day except 1 January, 1 May and 25 December: see our guide to the Hôtel des Invalides. The courtyards and gardens can be walked through for free. What changes from one offer to the next is who goes with you and for how long.
Private tour with ticket
The most expensive option, from about $205 per person, over 3 hours, centered on the museum, the world wars and the tomb. It is rated 5 out of 5, but from a single review, which is too few to judge. The listing title announces museum entry; another snapshot of the same family of offers showed tickets not included, so check the "included" line before paying. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. See the offer.
Semi-private, 8 people maximum
About two hours with a Babylon Tours guide, 8 people at most, from about $121 to $156 depending on the snapshot (the listing appears under two titles, rated 5 out of 5 from about thirty reviews). The ticket is included and the route covers the museum and the Dôme. Not suitable for wheelchair users. See the offer.
Guided tour of Les Invalides and Napoleon's Tomb
Price, duration, rating and what is included: see the listing. See the offer.
2-hour guided tour
From about $57, 4.5 out of 5 from 77 reviews, 1 h 45 to 2 h, starting at La Tour-Maubourg metro station. Some travelers find the commentary hard to hear in a larger group: check the group size. It is the cheapest of the guided tours we kept. See the offer.
Entry ticket (Napoleon's Tomb and Army Museum)
This is the best-selling ticket: €17, 4.6 out of 5, 11,008 reviews, wheelchair accessible. It lets you set your own pace; one review says the self-guided visit can be a little hard to follow. See the offer.
What is not included and the pitfalls
- The price does not drop. The GetYourGuide ticket costs the same as the museum's official site: the only benefit is booking everything in one place.
- Free entry. Conditional free entry should be checked on the official site; it does not apply to a guided tour, whose price you pay.
- The meeting point. It changes from one tour to another (La Tour-Maubourg): read it before you leave.
- Group sizes. Some listings show 8 or 12 people: confirm it.
- Walking. Several tours are not suitable for wheelchair users.
- Reviews. Small-group tours have few reviews compared with the ticket, so their ratings are less reliable.
- Passes. The Paris Museum Pass also opens the Invalides: see the Paris pass comparison.
Which offer should you choose?
- Most visitors: the €17 entry ticket, with the help of our guide page.
- Tight budget but you want a guide: the 2-hour tour around $57.
- Couple or small group: the semi-private group of 8 at most.
- Family or history lovers: the 3-hour private tour.
- You are in the area anyway: the Rodin Museum is very close.
Booking at the best time
Our guide recommends a Wednesday outside school holidays, around 10:30 am. Tuesday is the busiest day. Also read booking ahead in Paris.
