Visiting Paris: A Practical Guide to Top Sights and What We Wish We Knew

Wherever tickets were required we purchased them online before we traveled.

Notre Dame Cathedral

We chose to attend the 8:30 mass on Sunday morning. As you approached the cathedral there was a partitioned line to the left which was already fairly full of people, signed as being for those without tickets.  There was also a long, straight line that led to the main entrance. It turned out that was the line for those attending mass. 

This was our first experience with Parisian crowd signage. It exists, but it’s typically on 3 foot high stanchions, which makes it easy to miss in crowds. Find someone connected to the location you’re visiting so you don’t wait in the wrong line. 

Tickets are not needed to attend mass, and tickets to visit the cathedral are free. You may request tickets 72 hours before your planned visit. So, on the morning of the 12/25 I visited the website and was told they weren’t yet available. When I came back to the website that afternoon, the tickets were sold out.

As it turns out, tickets aren’t really necessary. The line for non-ticket holders was long but constantly moving. And, at the end of the mass, we weren’t required to exit the cathedral, so we could walk around and take in the remarkable restoration.

Bateaux-Mouches (Eiffel Tower Cruise)

Perfect Sunset Shot

We bought tickets to take a Seine sightseeing cruise. Our tickets were good for any day, any time. We wanted to catch the 4:30 boat to see the sights during the “golden hours” right as the sun was setting. It was a nice ride, but very cold. The cruise runs about an hour, sailing east toward Notre Dame and then circling back to the Eiffel Tower before returning to dock. There is

 a running prerecorded commentary through the onboard speakers system, alternating primarily between French and English, but occasionally veering into other languages as well.

Sainte-Chappelle

We had 3 PM tickets to visit Sainte-Chapelle. There are three lines outside of the entrance, one for on the hour ticket holders, one for the on the half hour ticket holders, and one for those wanting to buy tickets. Again, look for the signage. We were in line for about 45 minutes. As we were waiting, they closed and turned away those looking to buy tickets. Buy your tickets ahead of time. Don’t get shut out.

Louvre Museum

It's Cold in Paris in December

We had 9 AM tickets for the museum. When we arrived we had to find the correct line (there were separate lines for the 10 AM ticket holders). The staff was very active in guiding the traffic and it didn’t take us long to find our place. We were in line outside for about 45 minutes. 

Although I’ve seen it listed many places as a “secret entrance”, the line to enter through the Carousel was longer than the one by the pyramid. Our advice? Come in the main entrance. 

It is helpful if you know what you want to see, and there are signs with pictures to help aid you with directions. The staff is lovely and can also help you find your way. This place is a HUGE collection, so gauge your party’s interest in how much you want to see. Many, many stairs to navigate (there are elevators available).

Pantheon

We purchased tickets ahead of time, and the tickets were good all day (no specified admission time). Again, two lines, one for ticket holders, one to purchase. The signage exists but it’s low. Once inside you are free to explore at your own pace. It is an architectural marvel, and the crypt in the basement is the final resting place for Voltaire, Dumas, Rousseau and Hugo, among others.

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre

Perched high on a hill overlooking Paris, this Cathedral is beautiful. It’s a hike to get up the hill, although there is an optional funicular that you can take to get you most of the way there. Once on top of the hill, the views are spectacular (our view was limited as the air quality was not great that day). Admission is free, but there was quite a line to enter, wrapping all the way around the building to the backside of the structure. Fear not, the line moves right along. We were inside in about 15 minutes. A beautiful interior, highlighted by an amazing mosaic on the central dome. 

Palais Garnier

As a fan of both architecture and theater I was thrilled to get to tour the Paris Opera House. Small groups are led by guides using a microphone broadcasting to the group’s headsets. We booked our tickets ahead of time (can you see the theme here?) and could select an English language tour. Our guide led us through the lobby, the grand hall and into the orchestra of the theater as well. The only place we couldn’t see was onstage/backstage, but I’m sure that was related to safety concerns. The tour does involve a lot of stairs and standing, and runs 90 minutes.

Small side note about the Christmas Tree at the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. Every year the large department store has a featured Christmas tree displayed in the center of the building. Not a true tree but more of a design suggesting a tree. It’s very impressive, and this year’s was very colorful. Many, many, many people come to see this display. It was incredibly crowded. You’ll need to gauge how much you want to get that picture of the tree.