Paris PassLib’ Review: Is It Worth it?

Looking to save money and time in Paris? Check out this in-depth Paris PassLib’ review and see if the Paris PassLib’ is worth the price.

If you’ve ended up on this post, you’re probably thinking of buying a pass for Paris. For Paris, there are a few different passes available, but today I’m going to present to you the Paris PassLib’, the pass I’ve personally used last month during my 5-day trip to Paris.

The Paris PassLib’, the official city pass by the City of Paris, includes access to over 60 museums and attractions in Paris, as well as unlimited transportation in the city. But…. is it worth it? Passes are often great because they allow you to save money and time, but they are not for everyone.

In this full Paris PassLib’ review, you’ll find out what exactly is included in the pass, how much it costs, and who it’s for (and who is NOT for!).

WHAT DOES THE PARIS PASSLIB’ INCLUDE?

The Paris PassLib’ (2,3 and 5 day options) includes:
• Paris Visite unlimited transportation pass (zone 1 to 3);
• Paris Museum Pass, which gives you free access to over 50 museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding region;
• The Paris PassLib’ Card.

Included in this Paris Passlib’ Card you’ll find:
• 1-hour sightseeing cruise on the Seine with Bateaux Parisiens;
• 1 day of travel on the Open Tour sightseeing bus;
• access to the City of Paris museums (except for Catacombs and Archaeological Crypt of the Ile de la Cité);
• Guided tour of the Perfume Museum – Fragonard & free mini-box.

You can also buy an add-on for access to the 2nd level of the Eiffel Tower – more about that later.

Once you’ve picked up the Paris PassLib’, you’ll have immediate access to the museums and attractions included, no reservation needed. In some cases, you’ll also get to skip the line thanks to the pass. The Louvre Museum requires all visitors, including those with the Paris PassLib’, to pre-book a free timed slot on their website in advance (it can only be done after you pick-up your pass as it asks for your pass number).

⚠️ The Paris PassLib’ Mini (the one day option) doesn’t include the Paris Visite transportation pass and the Paris Museum Pass. The Paris Passlib’ Mini only includes the Paris Passlib card with 1-hour sightseeing cruise on the Seine, 1 day of travel on the Open Tour sightseeing bus, access to the City of Paris museums (except for Catacombs and Archaeological Crypt of the Ile de la Cité), and guided tour of the Perfume Museum – Fragonard & free mini-box.

⚠️ The Paris Visite pass doesn’t include transportation to Disneyland, Versailles, and the Airport, for which you’ll have to purchase a separate ticket.

⚠️ Remember that the Paris Museum Pass allows only one visit in each monument or museum, so you won’t be able to visit the same attraction multiple times. The Paris PassLib’ for children doesn’t include a Paris Museum Pass since access to the museums is free for children.

⚠️ Remember that your pass gets activated the moment you use it for the first time, so it’s always better to start using it in the morning to make the most out of it. If you arrive in Paris in the afternoon, though, you can certainly go pick it up at the tourist office – it won’t get activated until you present it at one attraction/museum. Just wait until the next morning to actually start using it!

⚠️ Important Update: Because of stricter measures due to COVID-19, at this time all visitors, even those entitled to free admission with the Paris PassLib’, must book a time slot in advance for most attractions and museums. When you pick up your pass at the tourist office, they’ll explain you how to book your slots online.

Tip Time: What Fran and I did after picking up the passes was sitting at a cafe and booking our time slots for the day (even better if you can pickup the pass the day before when you want to start using the pass, so you can plan the day ahead). Every following night then, we were deciding what we wanted to see the next day and booked our time slots in advance. Don’t book too many activities too close together; however, as long as you’ve made a reservation, most places will let you access even if you’re a little late.

ATTRACTIONS & MUSEUMS INCLUDED IN THE PARIS PASSLIB’: PRICE BREAKDOWN

The Paris Passlib’ includes access to most of the popular museums and tourist attractions in Paris. It would be impossible for me to list them all, but these are some of the most important that you’ll find included in the pass.

Museums

Louvre Museum – €17
Does it really need an introduction? In this world-famous museum you’ll find all kinds of art from all ages and civilizations, including pieces such as the Venus of Milo and the Mona Lisa. It’s always crowded, so I recommend going either in the early morning or late afternoon when there are less people.

Orsay Museum – €14
One of Paris’ most famous museum, this art gallery is built inside a beautiful old railway station. Here you’ll find artwork by Monet, Gauiguin, Vab Gogh, Cézanne and more.

Centre Pompidou – €14
The largest modern art gallery in Europe featuring over 50,000 pieces from artists of the caliber of Picasso, Mirò, etc.

Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie – €12
A science museum which includes some permanent and some temporary exhibitions. It also features a planetarium and an IMAX theatre. Interesting mostly for children and teenagers.

Churches, Palaces and Monuments

Arc de Triomphe – €13
An iconic monument at one end of the Champs Elysées, this is an unmissable stop for all visitors. Make sure to go up the arc get ready to climb some stairs!) for some great, 360 degrees views of Paris.

Pantheon – €9
An impressive building located in the Latin Quarter (look at the size!).

Conciergerie – €9
A medieval royal palace, that later became a revolutionary tribunal and a prison after the French Revolution. Here it’s where Marie-Antoinette was kept prisoner. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sainte-Chapelle – €11.50
Sainte-Chapelle is an incredible example of Gothic architecture. Visit this 13th-century church for its one-of-a-kind stained glass windows.

Palace of Versailles – €27
One of the most famous castles in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both the beautiful gardens and the 18th-century palace (the Hall of Mirrors is incredible!) are worth a visit.

Other attractions

Sightseeing cruise on the Seine with Bateaux Parisiens – €15
Enjoy a one-hour sightseeing cruise along the Seine with audioguide. You’ll get to see some of the most famous landmarks from a different perspective, from one of the traditional bateaux mouches.

One day of travel on the Open Tour sightseeing bus – €35
Travel on the blue line of the Open Tour bus for a day. This hop on hop off bus will bring you to all the most famous landmarks in Paris so you can visit them at your own pace.

HOW MUCH THE PARIS PASSLIB’ COSTS

The Paris PassLib’ can be bought for 1 (Mini), 2, 3, and 5 days, and these are the prices currently:

You can now buy an add-on that grants you access to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower by elevator. It’s the only pass in Paris that allows you to buy this upgrade, which costs €20 per person. You can buy this upgrade and choose the time and day of your visit (it’s a timed slot so you get to skip the queue) directly at the Tourist Office when you go to pick up your pass.

Is it worth it? At this time, it doesn’t seem to be worth it. I just checked on the official site of the Eiffel Tower and right now the same timed slot with access to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower by elevator costs €16,60, so it’s more convenient to buy the ticket separately (online, in advance).

However, the Eiffel Tower is (understandably) extremely popular, so buying the add-on is a good option if you haven’t booked a timed slot in advance. Avoid at all cost buying a ticket at the ticket booth by the Eiffel Tower – you might spend hours in line, and access is often sold out.

IS PARIS PASSLIB’ WORTH IT? A PARIS PASSLIB’ REVIEW

Maybe, or maybe not. It depends on how much you’re planning to see during your trip, and how many museums and attractions you want to access (note that pretty much every museum in Paris requires a paid ticket).

➤ To determine if the PassLib’ Paris is worth it for you, first do some research and make a list of the attractions you’re interested in seeing.

➤ Then, try and make a realistic plan and decide how many days it’s going to take you to see them. Don’t exaggerate with too many attractions per day! People tend to underestimate the time it takes them to visit places, to move from one place to the other, and don’t consider extra time for much needed breaks.

➤ Finally, compare the prices of the single attractions and the price of the pass, and determine if the pass will save you money.

If this sounds like a lot of work, you can also check out the example itinerary I made for you down below.

A Sample Itinerary (3 & 5 Days in Paris)

Most visitors spend around 3 days in Paris, so I’ve drafted an example of an itinerary for 3 days in Paris. In the itinerary I breakdown the price for each attraction if bought separately, and I calculate how much you can save by buying the carnet Paris PassLib’. I also created an itinerary for 5 days in case you’re staying for longer.

This is just a sample itinerary to understand if the pass represents good value for money, do not take it literally as it might not be the best itinerary for everyone.

An unlimited transportation pass (Paris Visite pass) for 3 days, valid in zones 1 to 3, costs at the time of writing €26,65. For the purpose of creating this sample itinerary, I’ve divided the cost by 3 so the cost per day would be €8,88 without the pass. Since the Paris Visite pass for the 5 days costs €38,35, transportation for days 4 and 5 would cost €5,85 per day (€38,35-€26,65=11,70/2).

➤ The Paris Passlib’ for 3 days costs €139 and includes the Paris Museum Pass (48 hours) + Unlimited Transportation Zone 1-3 (3 days) + MINI Paris Passlib’ (3 days).

DAY 1

• Hop On Hop Off Bus for 1 Day: €35
• Louvre Museum: €17 (with time slot)
• Unlimited Public Transportation (zone 1-3): €8,88

DAY 2

• Notre Dame: €10
• Pantheon: €11,50
• Sainte Chapelle: €11.50
• Conciergerie: €9
• Unlimited Public Transportation (zone 1-3): €8,88

DAY 3

• Palace of Versailles: €27 (passport with timed entry)
• Musée Rodin: €12
• 1-hour Seine Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens: €15
• Unlimited Public Transportation (zone 1-3): €8,88

TOTAL FOR 3 DAYS: €174,65
COST OF THE PARIS PASSLIB’ FOR 3 DAYS: €139
TOTAL SAVED: €35,65

If you’re spending 2 more days in Paris (lucky you!), here are a few examples of other attractions you can include to your 5 days itinerary in Paris.

➤ The Paris Passlib’ for 5 days costs €165 and includes the Paris Museum Pass (96 hours) + Unlimited Transportation Zone 1-3 (5 days) + MINI Paris Passlib’ (5 days).

DAY 4

• Musée d’Orsay: €14
• Arc de Triomphe: €13
• The Invalides: Army Museum & Napoleon’s Tomb: €12
• Unlimited Public Transportation (zone 1-3): €5,85

DAY 5

• Centre Pompidou: €14
• Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (Paris Science Museum): €12
• Unlimited Public Transportation (zone 1-3): €5,85

TOTAL FOR 5 DAYS: € 251,35
COST OF THE PARIS PASSLIB’ FOR 5 DAYS: €165
TOTAL SAVED: €86,35

➤ Please note that when you buy the 5 days Paris PassLib’, the Paris Museum Pass is valid for 96 hours, not 5 days, and when you buy the 3-day pass, the Paris Museum Pass is valid 48 hours, not 3 days.

This means you should reserve the first or last day (or the first morning and last afternoon) for activities that aren’t included in the Paris Museum Pass, such as the Hop On Hop Off bus, the Seine river cruise, or the Museums of the City of Paris.

WHO IS THE CARNET PARIS PASSLIB’ FOR?

People who want to see a lot in a few days – If you’re planning on visiting tons of museums and attractions during your time in Paris, the pass is for you. You’ll save quite a bit of money if you’re visiting more than 3-4 monuments and museums per day.

Travelers who prioritize convenience – Don’t want to wait in line? Do you prefer to be able to enter the most important attractions without having to purchase a ticket each time? The Paris Pass Lib’ saves you time, and when you have limited time in a city, you surely want to make the most out of it!

Families with older children – There aren’t too many specific kid-friendly activities in the pass, although kids will love the Cité de la Science, the hop-on hop off bus, and the cruise on the Seine River. The Paris PassLib’ mostly includes museums, so it might not be suitable for families with small children who get fussy easily.

However, if you have older kids, you’ll know that kids hate waiting in line. The pass allows you to skip the line / pre-book a timed slot at many attractions, so it results in less time spent queuing. However, children enter for free in many museums in Paris, so I don’t recommend buying the pass for the children.

People who don’t want to spend hours in each museum – Maybe you’re curious but not exactly an art or history buff – listen, I get you. The cool part about having a pass that already includes access to so many museums is that you won’t feel guilty about only spending little time inside some, while if you had to buy a separate ticket you’d feel obligated to visiting the museum well. Fran and I only spent one hour inside the Louvre, and 15 minutes inside the Conciergerie – and you know what? WE felt zero guilt!

PARIS PASSLIB’ – WHO IS IT NOT FOR

The Paris Pass Lib’ is, of course, not ideal for everyone. These are the people who probably wouldn’t get much out of it:

Budget travelers – The Paris PassLib’ is not a cheap option. If you’re on a budget, purchasing the pass might make you feel guilty if you’re not visiting tons of museums and making the most out of it… you might end up visiting places you don’t care about just for the sake of it, which isn’t the greatest idea in my opinion.

People who don’t like packing tons of activities on their trip – The Paris PassLib’ offers a great value if you’re planning to use it a lot. If you’re planning to take it easy, the pass will not provide as much value and you might be better off purchasing entrance tickets separately.

People who don’t care much about visiting museums – Although the pass includes other activities that aren’t museums, most attractions included in the pass are indeed museums. If you only care about seeing one or two (or none at all! No judgment here!), the pass is not a good option.

Travelers who are staying in Paris for longer than one week – Considering the longest pass you can buy is for 5 days, if you’re staying in Paris for longer you might want to take it easier. Or, an alternative, would be using the PassLib’ Paris pass for 2-3 days to pack the most expensive museums and activities, and do the rest at your own pace.

European citizens under 26 – Many museums and monuments included in the pass are free for children under 18 (of any nationality) and for European citizens under 26.

WHERE TO BUY THE PARIS PASSLIB’

Buy your Paris PassLib’ online in advance on Tiqets, and start planning your itinerary to save time while in Paris. Tiqets is an official distributor of the Paris PassLib’, and a platform I often use and recommend to buy tickets for attractions in Europe.

Once you get to Paris, you’ll need to pick up your pass either at Hôtel de Ville Welcome Centre from Monday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm (last access at 5:45pm) or Gare du Nord Welcome Centre from Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm (last access at 4:45pm and closed on July 14th). You’ll have to choose the pick-up point at the time of your booking.

If you arrive in Paris in the afternoon, you can certainly go pick your pass up at the tourist office even if you’ll start using it the next day- it won’t get activated until you present it at one attraction/museum.

PARIS PASS VS PARIS PASSLIB’ (REVIEWS)

Many people wonder what it’s better between Paris PassLib’ vs Paris Pass, so here it’s a comparison to figure out what’s the best option for you.

The Paris PassLib’…

The Paris PassLib’ is the official pass from the City of Paris and in my opinion it offers good value if you’re mostly interested in visiting museums and monuments. The Paris PassLib’ can be bought for 1, 2, 3, and 5 days, and these are the prices (updated in September 2020).

The Paris PassLib’ (2,3 and 5 day options) includes:
• Paris Visite unlimited transportation pass (zone 1 to 3);
• Paris Museum Pass, which lets you access over 50 museums & monuments;
• 1-hour sightseeing cruise on the Seine with Bateaux Parisiens;
• 1 day of travel on the Open Tour sightseeing bus;
• access to the City of Paris museums (except for Catacombs and Archaeological Crypt of the Ile de la Cité);
• Guided tour of the Perfume Museum – Fragonard & free mini-box.

The Mini Paris PassLib’ (the one day option) doesn’t include the Paris Visite transportation pass and the Paris Museum Pass.

For more detailed information about what’s included in the Paris PassLib’, please refer to the the initial section in this post.

… VS the Paris Pass

The Paris Pass can be bought for 2,3,4 and 6 days, and it’s more expensive than the Paris PassLib‘. Here are the prices:

This means that the 2-day Paris Pass for adults costs 13 more than the 2- day Paris PassLib’, and the 3-day Paris Pass costs 27 more than the 3-day Paris PassLib’. Finally, the 4-day Paris Pass costs (they are comparable as the 5-day Paris PassLib’ includes the Museum Pass for 96 hours, not 5 days).

However, the Paris Pass includes more activities than the Paris PassLib’. The extra activities you can take advantage with this pass are Opera Garnier guided tour, Montparnasse Tower, a wine tasting, Dalì Museum, Paris Story Museums, Grevin Wax Museum, the Paris Aquarium, a walking tour of Montmartre, and quite a few more.

Which one is better?

Well, there’s not one perfect answer when it comes to Paris Pass or Paris PassLib’. It really comes down to what you’re looking for.

➤ If you’re mostly interested in the classic attractions such as the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame, etc, the Paris PassLib’ is more than enough.

➤ If you prefer more interactive experiences, the Paris Pass offers a better value. I also believe the Paris Pass is a better choice for families with children, as probably the main difference between Paris Pass and Paris PassLib’ is that the Paris Pass includes more kid-friendly activities such as the aquarium and the wax museum.

It’s a wrap! I hope this post was useful to understand if the Paris PassLib’ is the right choice for you. If you have any questions or doubts, please leave them in the comments!

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