Skip to main content

An Insider’s Guide to Skirting Long Lines at Top Paris Attractions

By U.S. News & World Report

From the expansive Louvre Museum to the iconic Eiffel Tower to the legendary Arc de Triomphe, Paris overflows with must-see attractions, cutting-edge museums, galleries, architecture and fashionable enclaves. Seeing it all within a week’s time can be a challenge, but U.S. News has compiled some pro tips and travel secrets to help you spend less time in line and more time exploring the French capital.

[See: How to Visit Expensive European Cities on a Budget.]

Purchase a Paris Museum Pass

Most Paris visitors have numerous museums on their Paris bucket list and an easy way to skip the queue is by purchasing a museum pass either in advance or upon arrival. The pass gives you direct access to can’t-miss attractions, enabling you to bypass lines to permanent collections at 60 city museums and monuments, including popular places like the Musée d’Orsay, which is world-renowned for its collection of Impressionist paintings. With the pass, you can also enjoy access to noteworthy attractions such as Notre-Dame Cathedral and even the Louvre.

You can purchase passes online ahead of your visit and have them delivered to your home or hotel, though you’ll pay added shipping costs. The pass is also available at the Paris Tourist Office on Rue des Pyramides, at Charles de Gaulle Airport and at participating museums and monuments. Passes are available for two, four or six days.

Visit During Off-Peak Days and Times

Even though the pass provides access to 60 attractions, it can be difficult to fit them all in — even with the maximum six-day pass. For those places that you can’t squeeze in, it’s best to visit during days when they offer extended hours or even arrive before the museum or monument opens. “For all sites, even with the Museum Pass, it’s best to go at opening time or on the evenings that particular attraction is open late. They all have one or two days a week with extended hours,” advises Julia Slatcher, owner of travel-planning website Inspire World Travel.

For example, at the Musée d’Orsay, she recommends arriving at or before opening time and heading to the back of the museum where you can take the escalator up to the fifth floor. “That’s where the main Impressionist galleries are that get very crowded,” she explains. “If you go right away, you will enjoy them with only a handful of others rather than the hordes who get there a little later,” she adds.

[Read: Where to Go in Europe During the Peak Season.]

The best times to visit the Louvre are on Wednesday or on Friday nights when the museum stays open until 9:45 p.m., with some rooms closing 30 minutes earlier. While the pass may allow you to bypass entrance lines, the museum itself is still likely to be crowded during regular operating hours. On Friday evenings, you’ll have a much better chance of getting an unfettered view of prized pieces of art, such as the “Mona Lisa” and the “Venus de Milo.”

Buy Tickets Online in Advance

When planning your trip to Paris, try to purchase as many tickets to attractions online ahead of time as possible. Buying in advance allows you to avoid the ticket line and may even get you into attractions that have sold out by the time you arrive. For example, purchasing tickets to the opulent Paris Opera House, also called the Palais Garnier, gets you inside the doors of this grand structure commissioned by Napoleon III complete with its 8-ton chandelier — with no hassle and shows you which days have limited tickets or are sold out.

Prioritize Your Visit to the Eiffel Tower

Almost everyone who travels to Paris wants to visit the Eiffel Tower, but the lines can be insanely long. Buying your tickets online ahead of time — sometimes up to 90 days in advance — is the surest way to guarantee your trip to the top with a minimal wait time.

“If you can get tickets now, definitely do it,” says Kathy Phelps of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who purchased her tickets online. “We didn’t wait in line at all. Be sure to be there a little bit before your scheduled time and make sure you’re not standing in the wrong line,” she adds, noting that there is a separate area for those with advance tickets.

Additionally, if you purchase your tickets on-site, you can choose to walk up to the second level and take the elevator from there, though it is a lengthy climb. Most people take the elevator from the ground, which is the most crowded and costs a separate fee.

[See: 10 Money-Saving European Travel Tricks.]

If the lines are simply too long and you don’t have extra time to spare, opt to experience the must-see monument from a different vantage point on a Seine river cruise with a reputable company like Bateaux Parisien for excellent views. Also keep in mind, at night, the Eiffel Tower glitters for several minutes every hour on the hour, so alternatively, you can also grab a baguette, a bottle of wine and spread out on the Champ de Mars and enjoy the Eiffel Tower light show after dark.

More from U.S. News

How to Plan an Affordable Romantic Weekend Getaway in Paris

7 Tips for Planning the Perfect Weekend in Paris

How to Save on Attractions in Europe

An Insider’s Guide to Skirting Long Lines at Top Paris Attractions originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

U.Va. running back who survived deadly campus shooting shares his story

Matt Amodio’s ‘Jeopardy’ winning streak ends after 38 consecutive victories

Biden warns another terrorist attack ‘highly likely’ at Kabul Airport; Americans told to stay away