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Useful Information (if you don't want to join the activities)

Here are some information you might need during your stay regarding budget, transportation or French ways and customs if you want to visit Paris and its neighbourhood on your own.

BUDGET

The Paris Museum Pass allows you to visit 60 monuments in Paris and its region without queuing.

  • 2 days : 32 euros
  • 4 days : 48 euros
  • 6 days : 64 euros

Musée du Louvre

  • The museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm every day except on Tuesdays.
  • 9 euros : full-day access to the Louvre, except for temporary exhibitions in the Hall Napoléon. Also valid for the Museum Eugène Delacroix.
  • 6 euros : from 6 pm to 9. 45 pm on Wednesday and Friday evenings.
  • Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month.

Musée d'Orsay

  • The museum is open from 9.30 am to 6 pm every day, and from 9.30 am to 9.45 pm on Thursdays. It is closed on Mondays.
  • 8 euros : full rate
  • 5, 50 euros : from 4.15 pm (except Thursdays) and on Thursday evenings from 6 pm. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month.
  • Combined ticket Orsay/Orangerie : 13 euros, valid from Wednesday to Sunday and for visits on the same day.
  • Combined ticket Orsay/Rodin : 12 euros, valid for visits on the same day.
  • In the week following the date of your Musée d'Orsay entrance ticket, you can take advantage of reduced rates to visit the Palais Garnier (Paris National Opera) unguided.

Palais de Tokyo

  • The museum is open from 12 am to 12 pm, except on Mondays.
  • 6 euros : full rate
  • 4, 50 euros : group of 10 people

La Colline des Musées is a pass that allows you to visit 4 museums (1st visit : full price of admission ; 2nd and 3rd visits : reduced rate of admission ; 4th visit : free admission)

Chartres Cathedral

  • Train ticket : 27, 20 euros for the return.

Versailles

  • The Castle is open every day from 9 am to 6.30 pm, except on Mondays.
  • 20 euros : full access to the castle (25 euros : on Tuesdays and weekends)
  • 13, 50 euros : access to the castle (10 euros from 3 pm)
  • 15 euros : access to the castle at night on Saturdays from 6.30 pm to 9 pm.
  • 10 euros : Trianon and Marie-Antoinette domains (6 euros from 4 pm)

Claude Monet Foundation in Giverny

  • The Foundation is open every day from 9.30 am to 6 pm.
  • Full access ticket : 6 euros
  • Train ticket to Giverny : 25 euros for the return

Malmaison Castle

  • The Castle is open every day from 10 am to 5.45 pm, except on Tuesdays.
  • 6 euros (5 euros/person for a group of 10)
  • Free admission on the first Sunday of every month

Montparnasse Tower

  • The panoramic visit of the tower is open every day of the year from 9.30 am to 11 pm.
  • Ticket : 10, 50 euros

Bateaux-Mouches

  • Cruise along the river Seine from the Eiffel Tower or from Notre-Dame : 10 euros (11 euros at night from Bastille)
  • Cruise along the Canal St Martin: 13, 50 euros
  • Cruise along the river Marne : one-day trip : 31 euros

Deauville (on the Atlantic coast)

  • Train ticket : 30 to 50 euros for the return

Wine tasting

  • Visit of the Wine museum + 1 glass of wine : 11, 90 euros
  • Visit of the Wine museum + 3 glasses of wine : 17 euros

TRANSPORTATION IN AND AROUND PARIS

Pass Navigo Découverte : 5 euros for the pass (bring an ID picture) +

  • 17, 20 euros/week for zones 1-2
  • 22, 70 euros/week for zones 1-3
  • 27, 90 euros/week for zones 1-4

Pass Paris Visite

  • 28, 30 euros for 5 days zones 1-3 (adult)
  • 48, 40 euros for 5 days zones 1-6 (adult)
  • The pass entitles you to reduced prices to the Arc de Triomphe, Musée Dali, Quai Branly, Panthéon, Bateaux Parisiens, Château de Vincennes, Fontainebleau, Auvers-sur-Oise, Musée Grévin, Cité des sciences, Tour Montparnasse, Galeries Lafayette.
  • If you buy the 1-6 zones pass, you won’t have to pay the tickets to/from the airport. Remember to buy the pass as soon as you arrive, at the airport’s tourists office.

Airport tickets

  • Orly-Paris (via Anthony RER B) : 9, 85 euros/person with Orlyval
  • Orly-Paris (via Denfert-Rochereau) : 6, 40 euros/person with Orlybus
  • Roissy-Paris (Opéra) : 9, 10 euros/person with Roissybus
  • Roissy-Paris : 8, 40 euros/person with the RER B

Vélib'

  • This self service "bike hire" system, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allows you to pick up a bike from one service point and drop off to another.
  • 1 euro for a day ticket and 5 euros for a 7-day ticket
  • The first 30 minutes of each journey are free of charge.

FRENCH WAYS AND CUSTOMS

Restaurant

You are not bound to buy an expensive bottle of water, such as Evian or San Pellegrino, unless you really want to. Simply ask for "une carafe d'eau", i.e. a jug of tap water. The water of Paris is as good as bottled waters and very much controlled by the Health Ministry.

In France, all prices shown include tax and service. Tipping is not compulsary. If the service has been particularly good, you might wish to leave a tip in order to show your appreciation. In this case, as a general rule, the amount is 5 to 10 % of the total bill.

Average prices for everyday consumer products

  • 1 full-price museum admission : 7 to 9 euros
  • 1 sandwich : 3 to 5 euros
  • 1 pizza : between 8 and 10 euros
  • 1 small coffee : 1 euro at the bar, 2 euros sitting down
  • 1 full meal (starter, main dish, dessert) : between 15 and 20 euros for lunch, much more for dinner as it is often à la carte
  • 1 baguette of bread : 0.80 euro
  • 1 beer in a café : 2 to 4 euros
  • 1 seat at the cinema : 9 euros