Eiffel Tower and the Louvre

[Brokenfurnitureandroses]

Hi.
we are hoping to visit Paris as a family of 5 over the Easter break. I’ve heard that if you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, you have to book it well in advance. What site should I book it on (preferably to get the best price)? Also, with the Louvre do you have any tips for visiting? I see that the 1st week in April is crossed out - does this mean that the tickets have not been released yet?
Thanks in advance!

I've just booked Louvre tickets, did via they own website. Children under 18 are free and I paid around £28 for my ticket with an option to add an audio guide

Oh great, I will have two children with me so I will only have to pay for myself! Is the audio guide expensive?

For the Eiffel Tower, advance tickets are released a fixed period in advance. It might be two months but I wouldn’t swear to it - check their website. I would only buy from
their website.

When we did it two years ago you needed to be on the website at midnight French time (usually 2300 U.K. time) as they were released. You can get tickets to the top (“sommet”) or the lower levels. Even doing this, I only managed to get tickets to the top around 2100. I suspect a lot go to tour agencies. You may get them on the day depending on availability but it involves queuing.

Eiffel Tower have their own website, which is the basic price. Other sites sell tickets but generally bundled with river cruises etc.

We went a few months ago. I didn’t manage to get the tickets I wanted online but we got them on the day. Queues weren’t too bad in the mid afternoon (3.30pm ish in winter so went up in the light and it was dark by the time we were at the top). Worked perfectly!

Don’t do what we did and go to the Louvre on a Tuesday, it’s closed.

What website did you use? I’m worried that we will use an incorrect site or a scam site or something? The one that we are looking at now has available tickets for tomorrow for example and there are summit tickets available for March according to that site.

Use the official Eiffel Tower website for tickets.

You are right, Louvre tickets have not been released yet. Look again 8 weeks before you want to go.

For the Louvre use one of the quieter entrances. More info below

www.turnipseedtravel.com/blog/secrets-of-the-louvre-for-the-savvy-traveler

We used the official site: https://ticket.toureiffel.paris/en. I imagine there’s less demand for tickets in January than for May! But for Easter time I would secure them as soon as they’re released, personally.

You also get great views from Tour Montparnasse, which include the Eiffel Tower in the view.

No, I think it was 6 euro to add it on (not sure if that would includes th headphones). This is the official site https://ticket.louvre.fr/en

Be careful when booking things as I nearly for caught out with one site wanting to charge me nearly 80 for my and a 10 year old

I know theis doesn't answer your question but don't waste your time in Paris with the Louvre and the Tour Eiffel. I say that as someone who has lived on and off in Paris for 23 years.

Don't do what my family did when visiting at Easter and not check the weather in advance.

It was cold, it was wet and it was blowing a gale.

We sheltered behind a foot of the Eiffel Tower before agreeing it was fucking awful and giving up in favour of somewhere with central heating.

I booked the Eiffel Tower on the official site, you only have to book in advance if you want to go all the way to the top in the elevator, walking up the stairs tickets are available on the day (but obviously could sell out). I would recommend the elevator tickets though as it’s worth it to go right to the top. I booked about 3 weeks in advance I think but it was for February so less busy.

Louvre we booked also about 3 weeks in advance I think, using their own website too. Children under 18 are free. We went quite late around 4pm on a late opening day, so it was a little quieter. My main tip is to plan a route in advance (some available on their website) as you won’t manage it all in one visit. We didn’t bother with the audio guide

Yes I initially went onto a site and it looked as though it would be €80 for all
of us, hence I’m asking the question here. I knew mumsnetters would have the answers and all the tips!

Oh but the kids are actually v interested in seeing these places, so no think we will have to!

Thank you. I wanted to make sure that I have the correct site.

Good to know! We will be in France over Easter so I’m hoping that it will be open a bit over the Easter weekend but not sure yet…

Thanks everyone for all of the tips and suggestions, I really appreciate it. 🙂

I personally find the London museums better than the Louvre. I personally wouldn’t go in Easter unless the weather was lovely and you could combine it with a long seine walk.

Check the Louvre's galleries in advance so you know what you want to see. The museum is huge and you will never see everything, Find a couple of things and if you see more, it's a bonus.

The Mona Lisa - it's mayhem, in case you want to go. You are squashed in a group of people and shuffle forward until you can see the painting for a minute and then the staff is hurrying you along.

That’s actually a good idea- we will
make a plan in advance. We will be interested in some things more than others for sure. Thank you.

I preferred the Hotel des Invalides - hope I've spelled this correctly - and Napoleon's tomb than the Louvre.

Deffo book Eiffel Tower well in advance. We didn’t and ended up trying to just go on the day. Queued up 3 times and just as we got to the head of the queue they closed the top as full!! We did get up eventually but at night.

Another to consider is Orsay - it's much less overwhelming that The Louvre.

You’re always going to get the posters who say ‘don’t go here’! But you’re taking your kids to Paris, of course you’re going to go there! 😂

I recommend get your guide for booking this kind of stuff, if will be busy but it is what it is and will be amazing even so.