If you’re planning a trip to Paris, then you’ve likely started thinking about what you’d like to do while you’re here. There are tons of activities you can do on the fly, but Paris also has a growing list of stuff you really need to book ahead. If you skip this, you might hit a few annoying bumps, such as sold-out tickets, painfully long lines, or even paying more than you should. Not exactly the Parisian fantasy you’ve been dreaming of!
But don’t stress, I’ve got you covered in this complete guide to EVERYTHING you need to book in advance in Paris. I’ve also included some great hacks for what to do if tickets are already gone (it happens), and a few great things you can enjoy without booking anything at all.
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Paris attractions you HAVE to book in advance
Some of Paris’s big-name sites are the absolute must-book-ahead spots. In the case of the following places, just showing up could mean that you’re stuck in brutal lines or worse, not getting in at all.
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is DEFINITELY the most important site to book in advance. Tickets come available three months before and they sell out very quickly if your travel dates are from March-October and Christmas.
If you’re visiting in November, January, or February, I still recommend reserving a bit in advance or plan to go in the evening. Alternatively, if you’re ok with steps, then you can get stair access last minute.
If tickets are sold out during your dates, you can often find them on Get Your Guide, especially as part of a boat cruise or tour bus package.
And just a heads up, you can also skip going up the tower and just admire it from the ground level. You won’t have to deal with the insanely long lines AND steep ticket cost, too.
The Louvre
The most visited museum in the world, and you’ll definitely understand this when you see the hoards of people swarming in and around it. Louvre tickets can and do sell out, so depending on when you’re visiting you’ll want to follow the following advance.
If you’re visiting in June, July or Easter book two to three months in advance. For spring, late summer and early autumn, try to book about a month or 6 weeks in advance. Outside these times, it’s best to book a week or so in advance so you don’t have to wait in line.
The Louvre is open late Wednesday and Fridays, so you can beat some of the crowds on these dates. Check out our complete guide to visiting the Louvre for more tips.
The Sainte-Chapelle
Built as a private royal chapel and now a historic monument, the Sainte-Chapelle is one of Paris’s most popular attractions. It’s famous for its stunning stained glass windows, which are insanely beautiful. So if this is something you’d like to see, book a few weeks in advance, and a bit more ahead of time if you’re visiting around Easter, June, July, and Christmas.
Image Courtesy of La Galerie Dior
The Dior Galerie
This museum showcasing the work and creations of the House of Dior is VERY popular. Although you can technically buy a ticket at the door, you’ll have to wait for ages (not fun at all!). It’s best to book around a month before and three months if you’re visiting in peak season.
The Catacombs
This quirky venue isn’t on everyone’s Paris bucket list, but due to the limited number of visitors the Paris Catacombs let in every day, it’s definitely a top site to book in advance in Paris. So if you do want to go, it’s very important to book three months in advance, or as soon as possible (Note: at the time of publication, the Catacombs were closed until an undetermined date in spring 2026).
Versailles
A super glitzy former royal palace, Versailles is another place you won’t want to wait until you arrive in Paris to book. Located southwest of central Paris and visitable in a half or full day, you can get tickets on site, but the lines are super long. I’ve seen how bad they can get and you’ll be waiting outside in the sun or rain, which is far from ideal.
I’d suggest booking around one month to 6 weeks out, except if you’re coming the second half of June or around Easter (book two or three months in advance). If you’re thinking of going to Versailles on your own, grab our Paris Day Trips Guide. It tells you everything you need to know for your visit, plus six other excursion options from Paris.
Giverny
A visit to Giverny to see the former house and gardens of the artist Claude Monet is another really popular day trip from Paris. The place isn’t huge, and so they have some restrictions as to how many people can visit at one time.
Plus, if you’re making the effort of going, you don’t want to also be stuck in line when you get there to buy a ticket, so it’s best to book one around one to two months in advance. Giverny is another option in our Paris Day Trips Guide and it includes how to get there and some great spots for lunch too.
This is an image of Musée D’Orsay courtesy of Get Your Guide
Other Paris attractions you should book in advance during peak season
If you’re visiting Paris in June, at Easter, or Christmas, I highly recommend you book as many attractions you really have your heart on seeing as possible in advance. So in addition to the places I mentioned above, I’d book a few weeks in advance at the Musée d’Orsay, L’Atélier des Lumières, La Bourse de Commerce, Louis Vuitton Fondation or Le Grand Palais. Parisians like going to these too, so weekends will be busier, so try to visit during the week if possible.
Image Courtesy of Devour Tours
Paris group and private tours you should book in advance
Booking a tour isn’t just about learning cool stuff, it’s also a sneaky way to skip the ticket-buying headache. Tours usually include entry tickets, which can be a lifesaver if an attraction is sold out on its own. That said, during peak season, even the guides get booked solid. So if there’s a specific tour or place you really want to visit, it’s smart to lock it in ahead of time.
Here are the tours I’d book at least two to three weeks in advance, or three or more months for travel dates in June or around Easter and Christmas:
- Louvre: If you’re looking to get the inside scoop on the museum and its works, you’ll have an amazing time on this skip-the-line Louvre tour.
- Musée d’Orsay: Delve into the fascinating and colorful world of the Impressionsists on these group and private Orsay tours by Walks.
- Versailles: This former royal castle and its gardens are massive! Discover its best spots on this bike tour by Boutique Tours.
- Ile-de-la-Cité: Book a spot on this Walks tour to learn all about the fantastic historic sites on this island including Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle.
- Giverny: have a hasslefree visit to Giverny on this guided excursion that includes transportation.
Another type of tour you might want to book a bit in advance are food tours. The shops they visit are usually pretty small, so food tours tend to have a reduced number of participants. Ttry to book those at least a week in advance, like this Ultimate Paris Food Tour in the Marais.
Neighborhood tours, like of Montmartre, the Latin Quarter or the Marais, can often be booked a week or two in advance except in the very peak season (June, Easter and Christmas) because the best guides will get booked up.
Check out our articles on the best tours and experiences in Paris for further inspiration.
When you should book your Paris hotels
Paris has a LOT of hotels (over 1,600!), so even if you book last minute, you’ll find something – BUT it might not be exactly what you were hoping for. Plus, like in most other destinations these days, Paris hotels use dynamic pricing, so the price varies, often depending on how many rooms are already booked, which means that you often get the best prices by booking in advance.
I suggest booking your Paris hotel just after you lock down your flights, or as soon as possible. We’ve got dozens of articles on Paris hotels, and for a range of budgets and locations, so those could be a good start.
When you should book your transport within France
From the airport into Paris
Once you land, you can hop into a taxi when you arrive or jump on public transport, but if you’d like no-stress arrival, a private transfer can be a game-changer. You’ll be met just outside arrivals and whisked off in comfort, no navigating signs or hauling luggage around.
If that sounds like your style, you’ll want to book a private transfer at least a few weeks in advance. We’ve got a super reliable trusted partner we generally recommend for these.
If you want to explore all your options, check out our article on how to get from the airport into Paris.
Trains around France or Europe
The train network is absolutely fantastic in France and it’s often the best way to get around if you were thinking of visiting another part of the country or another European destination. Like with hotels, intercity train tickets use dynamic pricing, so the best deals tend to be in advance.
Train tickets for within France come up for sale usually four months in advance. Eurostar tickets (for London, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany) and Trenitalia (Paris-Lyon-Marseille and Italian destinations) are often available up to 6 months in advance.
Instead of hopping around to different websites, you can go straight to Omio, a really useful search engine that’ll show you the best deals.
Image Courtesy of Frenchie
When you should book Paris restaurants
Like with hotels, you’ll always find something to eat in Paris. BUT, your time in the city is precious, and some meals are just too good to leave to chance. If there are specific restaurants on your wish list, it’s worth planning ahead and booking a table. That way, you’re eating amazing food instead of wandering around hungry and hangry.
Top gastronomic restaurants or super trendy places need to book three months in advance (set yourself a calendar reminder). So if you had your eye set on Le Jules Verne (Michelin-starred restaurant on the Eiffel Tower), Girafe and Monsieur Bleu (trendy places with close-up Eiffel Tower views), or Frenchie, don’t wait.
There are also certain bistros that are really popular with both tourists and Parisians, so they can get booked up too. You should reserve at places like Le Bon Georges, La Fontaine de Mars, Chez Janou, and Brasserie des Près, about four to six weeks in advance, although you can sometimes find tables last minute.
A few popular bouillons, which are large traditional restaurants that have a gorgeous decor and are really affordable, allow you to reserve in advance, which I really recommend you do as the lines get crazy. You can reserve online at the Bouillon Republique, Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon Julien.
If you come across a nice neighborhood bistrots, you might want to book it a week or two out, especially for Friday and Saturday nights when they fill up with Parisians. We’ve got some great suggestions in our Paris Itinerary.
Image Courtesy of Viator
What you DON’T need to book in advance in Paris
The good news is you don’t need to book everything in advance in Paris. There are actually quite a lot of places in Paris where you can just waltz into. This includes virtually all smaller museums, Opéra Garnier, the Perfume Museum (and it’s free), Hotel de la Marine (like a mini Versailles in Paris, sometimes good to reserve a few days before).
If you’d like to visit a less crowded castle than Versailles, you don’t need to book in advance for Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte, which are also in our Paris Day Trips Guide.
The charming village of Auvers-sur-Oise, where Van Gogh lived and also in our guide, is the perfect alternative to Giverny where no advance booking is required.
If you were thinking of doing a Seine River cruise, you don’t need to book this in advance. Try to go for one of the smaller companies like Vedettes de Paris and Vedettes de Pont Neuf, which have a more personalised experience.
Paris is such a great city for wandering and no tickets are required for this. I’ve created some fantastic walking routes through the city’s best neighborhoods in our Paris Itinerary. You’ll pass by all the top sites and plenty of hidden gems too.
If you’re just after a laid-back meal at a classic local spot, there’s usually no need to book ahead. Most brasseries, those neighborhood cafés you’ll find on almost every corner, serve food all day long, not just at strict lunch and dinner times like traditional restaurants.
So if you just want to go with the flow and how you’re feeling, you’ll still have an amazing trip to Paris.
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