First Time in Paris: What to Book Before You Go

Book the few things that can rearrange the whole trip, then stop. For most first visits, that means an Eiffel Tower ticket if you want to go up, one major museum, and Versailles only if you are certain you want to give it most of a day. Choose those before making restaurant reservations.

Paris gets less enjoyable when every hour has an admission time attached to it. I would protect one important reservation each day and let neighborhoods, shopping and most meals fill the space around it. A Louvre morning can lead naturally to Palais-Royal and the Marais. An Orsay visit belongs with Saint-Germain. The route should do some of the planning for you.

A summit ticket is the first thing I would watch. The Eiffel Tower releases elevator tickets up to 60 days ahead and stairs tickets up to 30 days ahead. Its own guidance strongly recommends advance booking for summer, school holidays and public holidays. Buy from the official ticket office.

Choose the level before paying. A second-floor ticket cannot be upgraded to the summit once you are there. Summit visitors change elevators on the second floor, so this is not a quick ride to the top. The tower asks timed-ticket holders to arrive beneath the monument at the stated time and allow roughly 15 to 20 minutes for security.

If online tickets are gone, the tower says immediate-entry tickets may still be sold on site. That is a backup with a queue, not something I would build a short trip around. If the view matters more than going up the monument itself, keep the afternoon flexible and see the tower from Trocadéro or the river instead.

The Louvre is normally closed Tuesday. Orsay is normally closed Monday. That single fact settles more itineraries than any ranking of the museums. The Louvre is usually open until 9pm on Wednesday and Friday. Orsay stays open until 9:45pm on Thursday. Check the Louvre calendar and Orsay visitor page for your actual dates.

The Louvre recommends a timed reservation even for visitors who qualify for free entry. I would book a morning and decide which collection you care about before arriving. The museum covers far too much for a useful plan built around seeing everything. Also remember that leaving ends the visit.

Orsay is the better first choice if nineteenth-century art is the reason you are excited and you want a more concentrated museum morning. During the museum's renovation, scheduled from March 2026 through summer 2028, access routes can change while the museum remains open. Orsay is asking visitors to book online.

Still deciding? Our Louvre or Orsay guide compares the collections and the day each one creates.

Do not add Versailles because there is a spare square in the calendar. The Palace is only one part of the estate. The gardens, Trianon palaces and the walking between them are the reason a visit expands. Decide whether you want that day before booking more Paris museums.

The Passport with timed entry covers the Palace, gardens, Trianon Estate and park. Only the Palace uses the timed slot, but Musical Fountains and Musical Gardens dates affect garden admission and ticket choice. Museum Pass holders still need a free Palace reservation, and the pass does not include garden access on musical-show days.

For a first trip of two or three days, I would usually stay in Paris. With four or five days, Versailles becomes a real choice. Our Versailles guide explains the full-day route and what to leave out if you want a shorter visit.

The Paris Museum Pass is useful when your chosen places make it useful. It comes in 48, 96 and 144 consecutive-hour versions and covers places including the Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, the Arc de Triomphe and Musée Rodin. It does not remove the need for timed reservations at sites that require them.

Write down the places you would pay to visit anyway, compare their official admission prices with the pass, then consider convenience. Do not add museums just to make the arithmetic work. The pass can save money on an art-heavy trip, but it can also turn a good afternoon into a race to claim value.

Use the Paris tourism office pass guide to check the current list and duration rules. Reserve the Louvre and Versailles separately after buying the pass.

Book the restaurant you would be disappointed to miss and leave the rest open. I would reserve one special dinner, plus any small dining room that is central to the trip. Breakfast, bakery stops and most lunches are better chosen around where you actually are.

After the Louvre, Juveniles is a small wine bar and bistro worth planning for on a weekday. Maslow 1er is the useful vegetarian choice by the Seine and serves continuously Monday through Saturday. Our food guide near the Louvre has breakfast, lunch and coffee options with what each place is best for.

Near Orsay, Les Antiquaires works for a classic bistro lunch after the museum. For coffee and brunch farther into the Left Bank, use Coutume Babylone. The Orsay food guide gives more choices and explains which side of the museum each one suits.

1. Decide whether you are going up the Eiffel Tower. If the summit matters, watch the official 60-day ticket window.
2. Choose the Louvre or Orsay. Let the Monday and Tuesday closures shape the calendar, then reserve a timed entry.
3. Decide on Versailles. Make this choice before filling the same day with Paris plans.
4. Price the Museum Pass. Count only attractions you already want to visit and remember the separate reservations.
5. Reserve one or two important meals. Keep everyday food close to the route.

Then choose the actual shape of the trip. Our two-day Paris itinerary keeps arrival day loose, the three-day itinerary covers the first-visit essentials, and the five-day itinerary makes room for a second museum or Versailles. If you have not chosen a base, compare the room details and atmosphere in our Paris hotel guide.