Don’t Be Sad in Paris—These 14 Attractions Need to Be Booked in Advance (Plus 7 That Don’t)

One of the most common questions I get about Paris is what actually needs to be booked in advance, and what you can safely and easily visit on the spot.

When planning a trip to Paris, the goal is to schedule your itinerary just enough to avoid missing out, without filling your days so tightly that you lose the freedom to wander.

Some attractions are difficult or even impossible to visit without advance reservations. Others allow walk-up visitors, but booking ahead can save you a long wait or help you get a much better entry time. And there are plenty of places where you really don’t need to reserve anything at all.

Here’s what I’d recommend booking in advance, and what you can leave flexible.

14 Places You Should Consider Booking in Advance

1. Louvre Museum

The Louvre is the most famous museum in the world, home to thousands of incredible masterpieces. It’s also one of the busiest attractions in Paris, so booking ahead and choosing the right entry time can make a big difference in your experience.

Tickets for the Louvre regularly sell out, especially during peak season, and the earliest morning slots are almost always the first to go. If you want to visit at one of the best times of day, I’d recommend booking at least a few weeks in advance.

My first choice is the 9 am time slot (arriving 15-20 minutes early to be towards the front of the security line). This gives you roughly 60-90 minutes before the museum really starts to fill up, making it much easier to enjoy the most popular galleries without the biggest crowds. If 9 am isn’t available, 9:30 and 10 am are the next best options.

Another great option is visiting on Wednesday or Friday evenings, when the Louvre stays open until 9 pm. I usually book around 5:30 pm, giving me about three hours to explore before galleries start closing around 8:30. The crowds thin out considerably in the evening, especially in the popular Denon wing, which I like to save for last.

If tickets are already sold out, you can also check availability for a guided tour. Tours can be a great option even when regular tickets are available, since the Louvre is enormous and having a guide take you directly to some of the most important masterpieces makes the museum much easier to navigate.

2. Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is one of the most popular day trips from Paris, and an incredible display of royal wealth and power. It’s also one of the busiest attractions in the region, so booking ahead and choosing the right entry time can make a huge difference.

I highly recommend booking the 9 am time slot, right when the palace opens. I’ve found that the first hour is dramatically less crowded, and you can walk through some of the most famous rooms with just a handful of other visitors. By 11 am, the palace is usually packed, especially the State Apartments and Hall of Mirrors.

You can buy tickets on-site, but the lines can be long, and admission is still subject to availability and isn’t guaranteed.

There are a few different types of tickets you can buy, but I recommend the Passport ticket, which includes entrance to the palace, gardens, the Trianon estates, and other side buildings.

If tickets are sold out, you can also check availability for a guided tour, which is also a great way to understand more about the history and significance of the castle. Another really fun option is a bike tour of Versailles town and grounds, which includes a guided tour of the palace.

3. Opéra Garnier

The Opéra Garnier is one of the most beautiful buildings in Paris, with its grand marble staircase, elaborate gold decorations, and spectacular Grand Foyer. And you don’t need to attend a performance to see it, you can visit during the day on a self-guided tour.

Self-guided visits require online booking, as tickets aren’t sold on-site. Tickets are released approximately 30 days in advance and can sell out, so I’d recommend reserving yours as soon as you know when you want to visit.

One thing to know is that the auditorium isn’t always accessible. Rehearsals and performances can restrict access, so even with a ticket, you’re not guaranteed to see the theater itself.

You can also book a guided tour, and I’ve done and would highly recommend the “Mysteries of the Palais Garnier” tour. This is an after-hours tour, so you get to explore the incredible building without the usual daytime crowds.

And make sure you’re booking the Opéra Garnier, the historic opera house, rather than the modern Opéra Bastille. Both are part of the Paris Opera, but they’re two very different buildings.

4. Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs are one of the most unusual places to visit in Paris. Deep underground, you’ll walk through narrow tunnels lined with the bones of millions of people, arranged into walls and decorative patterns.

This is another place where you must book in advance. Tickets are released 7 days in advance, sold exclusively online, and almost always sell out. I’d recommend booking as soon as tickets become available for your preferred date.

If you don’t manage to get a ticket, another option is to book a guided tour. Tours are especially interesting because they include access to areas of the Catacombs that are closed to regular visitors. I’ve done the guided tour myself and really enjoyed it.

5. Notre Dame Towers

Climbing the towers of Notre-Dame is a completely different experience from visiting the cathedral itself. You’ll climb a long spiral staircase to reach the upper levels, where you can get an up-close look at the famous gargoyles and chimaeras, see the cathedral’s enormous bells, and enjoy some incredible views over Paris.

Unlike the cathedral, which is free to enter without a reservation, the towers require advance tickets. Tickets are only sold online, with no on-site sales, and they regularly sell out weeks ahead of time, even during the off-season. I’d recommend booking as soon as tickets become available for your dates.

6. Sainte-Chapelle

Sainte-Chapelle is a small Gothic chapel on the Île de la Cité, famous for its spectacular stained glass windows that cover nearly every inch of the upper chapel’s walls. It’s one of the most popular monuments in Paris, and the lines to get inside can be surprisingly long.

You can visit without a reservation, as there’s a separate standby line for visitors who want to purchase tickets on-site. However, this line is usually much longer than the one for visitors with timed tickets, and admission depends on available capacity.

Online tickets usually sell out, even outside the peak travel season. If Sainte-Chapelle is on your must-see list, I’d strongly recommend booking a timed-entry ticket ahead of time so you can avoid a potentially long wait.

7. Musée de l’Orangerie

The Musée de l’Orangerie is best known for Monet’s enormous Water Lilies paintings, displayed in two specially designed oval rooms. It’s a relatively small museum, but it’s also one of the most popular places in Paris to see Impressionist art.

You can buy tickets on-site without a reservation, but I strongly recommend booking ahead. Timed tickets do sell out, and visitors without reservations usually have a longer wait, especially during busy periods.

If seeing Monet’s Water Lilies is a priority for your trip, I’d reserve a time slot a few weeks ahead of time.

8. Galerie Dior

Galerie Dior is a museum dedicated to the history of the Dior fashion house, and it’s one of the most visually impressive museums in Paris. The exhibits are beautifully designed, with rooms filled with elaborate gowns, miniature dresses arranged by color, and displays showcasing decades of Dior fashion.

Timed-entry tickets usually sell out online, so I’d recommend booking as early as possible. However, the museum does reserve some tickets for walk-up visitors, so you can still get in without a reservation.

Just be prepared for a potentially long wait, and I’d recommend arriving earlier in the day. If you show up toward closing time, there’s a chance you won’t get in at all.

9. Popular or High-End Restaurants

Paris has no shortage of great places to eat, but popular and high-end restaurants do often get booked up. This is especially true for smaller dining rooms, Michelin-starred spots, and places that are widely recommended online.

If there’s a specific restaurant you’re excited about, don’t assume you’ll be able to walk in. Many restaurants accept reservations through their website, and checking reservations early will usually tell you how far in advance they tend to fill up.

10. Moulin Rouge Show

The Moulin Rouge is Paris’s most famous cabaret, known for its elaborate stage productions, extravagant costumes, and classic French cancan. There are typically two performances each night, at 9 pm and 11 pm.

Performances can sell out weeks in advance, especially on weekends and during peak travel seasons. The 9 pm show is particularly popular and tends to sell out before the later performance. If seeing the Moulin Rouge is on your list, I’d recommend booking as early as possible, especially if you prefer the earlier show.

Browse tickets for Dinner + Show, or tickets for Show + Champagne

11. Seine Dinner Cruise

A dinner cruise on the Seine is a fun way to experience Paris after dark, with illuminated landmarks, a relaxed meal, and views you don’t get from the riverbanks.

Boats do fill up, and the best seats by the windows usually sell out first. If a dinner cruise is something you really want to do, I’d recommend booking at least a couple of weeks ahead, especially if you want a window table with uninterrupted views of the city.

12. Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is a popular day trip from Paris, especially for families, and it can get particularly busy during school holidays, weekends, and summer.

Tickets aren’t normally sold at park entrances, so you need to purchase your tickets online before arriving. Popular dates do sell out, so I wouldn’t recommend waiting until the last minute.

There are two main ticket options: dated tickets, which are valid for a specific day, and undated tickets, which give you more flexibility. However, if you purchase an undated ticket, you still need to register your visit date online in advance, and reservations are subject to availability. Simply having an undated ticket doesn’t guarantee you’ll be able to enter the park on any given day.

13. Eiffel Tower

Buying Eiffel Tower tickets can be surprisingly tricky, especially if you’re hoping to visit the summit.

That said, whether or not you actually need to book ahead to visit the Eiffel Tower depends on a few factors, and I’ve actually visited many times without reservations.

There are four different ticket options:

• Second floor by elevator: Take the elevator up to the second floor, where you’ll find two observation levels.
• Summit by elevator: Take an elevator to the second floor, then a second elevator all the way to the top.
• Second floor by stairs: Climb approximately 674 steps to the second floor.
• Summit by stairs + elevator: Climb the stairs to the second floor, then take an elevator to the summit. This option is generally only available for purchase on-site, with limited online sales during the low season.

Elevator tickets are released up to 90 days in advance, while stair-access tickets are released up to 60 days ahead. Summit elevator tickets are especially popular and in peak season can sell out within minutes or hours of being released. In the quieter months, though, tickets are often available much closer to your travel dates.

Additional tickets are sometimes released closer to the visit date, around 60, 30, and 7 days beforehand. This isn’t a guaranteed schedule, but if you miss the initial release, I’d recommend checking again on those dates. Some visitors have also reported better luck accessing newly released tickets by setting their device’s time zone to Paris time.

If you’re visiting during the busy season and want to go up in the middle of the day, I’d strongly recommend booking ahead. Otherwise, buying tickets on-site is often pretty straightforward, especially if you arrive first thing in the morning or later in the evening and are willing to take the stairs.

Personally, I prefer climbing the stairs to the second floor. It’s not nearly as bad as it sounds, and you get to spend more time surrounded by the Eiffel Tower’s incredible ironwork, which is pretty cool.

One final thing to know is that the summit can close temporarily due to strong winds, severe weather (either hot or cold), or heavy congestion. Even if you’ve booked a summit ticket, access to the very top isn’t always guaranteed.

14. Musée d’Orsay

Housed inside a former train station, the Musée d’Orsay is best known for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection and is one of the most popular museums in Paris.

While it doesn’t regularly sell out the way the Louvre does, I’d still recommend booking a timed ticket in advance. The museum has separate entrance lines for visitors with timed reservations, visitors with tickets but no reserved time slot, and those who still need to buy tickets. The timed-entry line is generally the fastest.

You can still buy tickets on-site, but lines can get quite long, especially in the middle of the day. If you don’t book ahead, I’d suggest arriving right when the museum opens or visiting on Thursday evening, when it’s open until 9:45 p.m.

7 Places You Don’t Need to Book in Advance

1. Most Other Museums

Outside of the major exceptions on this list, most museums in Paris don’t require advance reservations. You can usually buy tickets on-site without much of a wait, even during busy travel seasons.

That gives you plenty of flexibility to visit smaller museums whenever you have some extra time or happen to be nearby, without having to plan everything out in advance.

A few examples of these types of museums include:

• Rodin Museum: A beautiful museum dedicated to the sculptor Auguste Rodin, with famous works like The Thinker displayed in a mansion and sculpture garden.
• Pompidou Center: A major modern and contemporary art museum, famous for its unusual inside-out architecture. Currently closed for renovations.
• Picasso Museum: Housed in a historic Marais mansion, with an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, and drawings by Pablo Picasso.
• Cluny Museum: A fascinating museum of medieval art, best known for its Lady and the Unicorn tapestries.
• Conciergerie: A former royal palace and Revolutionary prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution.
• Gustave Moreau Museum: The former home and studio of the Symbolist painter, filled with his elaborate paintings and a beautiful spiral staircase.

This is just a sampling of the many museums Paris has to offer. If you want more ideas, check out my Ultimate Guide to Paris Museums.

2. Notre-Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame is one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals in the world, known for its soaring architecture, beautiful rose windows, and centuries of French history.

Visiting the cathedral is free, and while you can make a timed reservation, you really don’t need one. The lines outside can look intimidating, but they’re well organized and move surprisingly quickly. In my experience, even when it’s busy, I’ve rarely waited more than 10 to 15 minutes to get inside.

I’d actually recommend skipping the reservation and keeping your plans flexible here. That way, you can stop in whenever you’re nearby without having to plan your day around a specific entry time.

3. Sightseeing Seine Cruise

A sightseeing cruise on the Seine is a relaxed way to see many of Paris’s landmarks from the water, usually lasting about an hour and focused on views rather than food or a fixed dining experience.

Unlike dinner cruises, sightseeing cruises are frequent and flexible. Boats from either the Bateaux Parisiens or Bateaux Mouches companies run throughout the day, tickets are easy to buy on the spot, and availability is rarely an issue, even during peak season.

You’ll often see lines at the docks, but they tend to move quickly as boats load and depart regularly. Unless you must go at a very specific time or with a large group, there’s no real need to book this in advance – it’s an easy activity to play by ear.

4. Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe sits at the end of the grand Champs Élysées Avenue, and is one of my favorite monuments in Paris. The views from the top are phenomenal, with sweeping sightlines down the Champs Élysées and across the city in every direction.

Lines to buy tickets on site are generally short and move quickly, even during busy periods.

5. Other Major Monuments

Several of Paris’s other famous monuments are very easy to visit without advance reservations. You can buy tickets on-site, and even during busy periods, the lines are usually manageable.

• Panthéon: This enormous monument in the Latin Quarter has a beautiful interior and a crypt containing the tombs of some of France’s most important historical figures.
• Les Invalides: Home to Napoleon’s tomb and the Army Museum, this large historic complex is one of my favorite places to explore in Paris.
• Sacré-Cœur: This famous white-domed basilica sits atop Montmartre, overlooking Paris. The line is usually fairly long, but moves quickly. You can also climb the dome for panoramic views, with tickets sold separately on-site.

6. Neighborhood Cafés and Brasseries

While certain restaurants in Paris really do need reservations, many neighborhood cafés and brasseries work very differently. These are casual, everyday spots that are meant to be visited on a whim rather than planned weeks in advance.

Most don’t require reservations, and many don’t take them at all. You can usually choose a café based on where you are, what looks appealing, or how the day is unfolding.

This is one area where staying flexible makes the experience better. Some of the most enjoyable meals in Paris come from sitting down somewhere unplanned and seeing where the moment takes you.

However, if you want some ideas for where to eat in Paris, here are a few of my favorite places to start:

• 9 Cozy Bistros and Brasseries in Paris For a Traditional Meal
• 18 of My Favorite Restaurants in Paris (And What to Order)
• 15 Prettiest Cafes in Paris

7. Free Museums and Attractions

One of the best things about Paris is how many incredible places you can visit completely for free, usually without any advance planning.

There are several excellent free museums, including the Musée Carnavalet and Petit Palais, where you can walk right in without a reservation. You’ll also find beautiful churches, historic monuments, and plenty of other interesting places that you can stop by whenever you’re nearby.

I’ve put together a full list of my favorite free museums in Paris, along with even more free things to do in Paris, if you’re looking for ways to explore the city without spending a fortune.

A Few Extra Booking Tips for Paris

Paris Museum Pass

The Paris Museum Pass covers admission to dozens of museums and monuments across Paris, and it can be a good value if you’re planning to visit several attractions over a few days.

However, having the pass doesn’t mean you can skip advance reservations. Some attractions, including the Louvre and Versailles, still require you to book a timed-entry slot. The pass can save you from waiting in ticket-buying lines at other attractions, but you’ll still need to go through security, and it doesn’t guarantee immediate entry.

My Paris Museum Pass guide covers more information on what the pass covers and if it’s a good value for you.

Visiting Paris with Kids

Many museums and monuments in Paris offer free admission to visitors under 18, which can save families quite a bit of money.

However, some attractions still require children to have their own free timed-entry reservations, while others allow them to enter with a ticketed adult. Be sure to check the rules for each attraction when booking your family’s tickets.

Why Free Museum Days Aren’t Always Worth It

Several major museums in Paris offer free admission on the first Sunday of the month, although the participating museums and dates vary. Some also require you to reserve a free ticket in advance.

These free days can be extremely popular, with longer lines and more crowded galleries than usual. Quite honestly, I’d often recommend paying for admission on a quieter day rather than planning your visit around free entry.

Timing Matters More Than You Think

I touched on this in several of the sections, but it’s worth repeating. The time of day you visit can make just as much difference as whether you book ahead. Early mornings are often the least crowded, while the middle of the day can be quite busy at major attractions.

I especially recommend booking the earliest available time slots for places like the Louvre and Versailles. And quite a few spots do a late-night opening once a week — a great way to avoid crowds.

Tours Can Be a Great Option

Guided tours aren’t just a backup plan when regular tickets are sold out. They can make a huge difference in how much you get out of a visit, especially at places with extensive collections or complicated histories.

This is especially true at places like the Louvre, Catacombs, and Versailles. Some tours also have their own ticket allocations, so they’re worth checking if regular admission is sold out.

Planning the Rest of Your Time in Paris?

Knowing what to book ahead is an important part of planning a trip to Paris, but there’s plenty more to consider. Here are a few of my other guides to help you plan your visit:

• 25 Overlooked Churches in Paris – Discover some of Paris’s most beautiful churches, from spectacular stained glass to incredible architecture.
• Hidden Gems in Paris – Lesser-known places worth adding to your itinerary, including museums, historic sites, and interesting spots you might otherwise miss.
• Where to Stay in Paris – A neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown to help you choose the right base
• Ultimate List of Things to Do in Paris – Nearly 100 sights and experiences, from must-sees to hidden gems

If you want everything in one place, my Paris travel guide page pulls together neighborhood guides, attraction and museum guides, foodie recommendations, and travel tips in one hub.