My review of the Paris Museum Pass
Verdict: Les Invalides is genuinely on it, tomb and all, and the pass remains a very good tool — for one specific profile. The 4.1 rating, the lowest of the five bookings compared here, is not about the museums: it is about logistics. You have to collect the pass physically before you start, and it counts down in calendar days.
When it makes sense
The calculation works without figures, because prices move. The pass makes sense if you are doing at least three or four major monuments a day across the covered period, and if your trip is built around museums. It does not if you are in Paris for three days visiting two monuments, or if your itinerary is mostly places that are not covered — the Eiffel Tower, for instance, is not part of it.
Included
- Entry to the Army Museum and Napoleon’s tomb
- More than sixty museums and monuments in Paris and the region
- Permanent collections, and priority entry at many sites
- The Arc de Triomphe
Not included
- Collection: a compulsory stop at the office before you start
- Some temporary exhibitions
- Non-participating monuments, including the Eiffel Tower
- Guided tours
What recurs in the reviews
Collection dominates everything. A pass you have to fetch from an office open from nine to four costs half an hour on the first day, and that half hour pushes the whole programme back. It is the main cause of the low ratings, and it has nothing to do with the museums themselves.
Counting in calendar days comes next. A two-day pass activated at four o’clock on a Saturday loses half of its first day, and visitors discover that on the spot. Activate it in the morning, never in the afternoon.
What works
- Les Invalides is included, tomb and all
- Priority entry at many sites
- Pays off from three or four major monuments a day
- Three duration formats
Worth knowing
- Physical collection required before the first visit
- Counted in calendar days, not in visits
- Useless for a short, low-museum trip
- The 4.1 rating reflects logistics, not the museums
Book the pass
Availability is below. The plain Les Invalides ticket is on its page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Les Invalides on the pass?
Yes, the Army Museum and Napoleon’s tomb are included.
Why is the rating lower?
Because of the physical collection and the calendar-day counting, not because of the museums.
Do you need a time slot at Les Invalides with the pass?
No, there is no timed entry at Les Invalides.