The best free museums in Paris are free for a reason you can plan around: your age, your residence, or the calendar. The Louvre is free to everyone on the first Friday evening of most months, the Sainte-Chapelle and the Arc de Triomphe are free on the first Sunday of five winter months, and under-26 EU residents get into most state-run sites free all year. After the museums, this page covers the churches, gardens and squares that cost nothing at all, each checked against its official source. Dates in this guide were checked on 8 November 2026, so confirm them on the official site before you travel.
Free Museums in Paris: Who Enters Free and When
Three rules explain most of the free museums in Paris, and they apply to different sites, so check each museum rather than assuming. First, under-18s enter free almost everywhere. Second, many state sites also admit visitors from 18 to 25 who are EU or EEA nationals or residents, with ID. Third, a few sites open for free on one day a month. Even when you pay nothing, the official sites keep telling visitors to book a time slot, so reserve it free of charge.
Louvre Museum
Per the Louvre’s official admission page, entry is free for visitors under 18, free for EEA citizens or residents under 26 with valid photo ID (residents need a permit valid for more than 90 days), and free for everyone on the first Friday of the month after 6 pm, except in July and August, and on 14 July. It stays open until 9 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, closes at 6 pm on other days and is closed on Tuesdays. Last entry is an hour before closing. The page recommends booking a time slot, including for free visitors.
This is the biggest of the free museums in Paris, so expect the first-Friday evening to be crowded; I have no figures, but the free rule is the reason. If you want a guide on a free day, paid tours still run, and my Louvre Museum tickets page compares nine.
Musée de l’Orangerie
The museum’s rates page says entry is free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month with a reservation, free under 18, and free for visitors aged 18 to 25 who are EU citizens or long-term EU residents, with ID. It is one of the free museums in Paris where the first-Sunday rule applies all year, not only in winter. The standard price is 12.50 euros online, and my Musée de l’Orangerie tickets page covers the reserved-entry options from $15.
Sainte-Chapelle
Per the official site, entry is free for under-18s, for EU nationals aged 18 to 25 and for everyone on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December, and a time slot must still be booked. The next free Sundays are 6 December 2026 and 3 January 2027. The chapel opens at 9:00 and closes at 17:00 from October to March. It is a good winter pick among the free museums in Paris, and the paid walk that includes it is on my Sainte-Chapelle tickets page.
Arc de Triomphe
The official site lists free entry for under-18s, for 18 to 25 year olds who are EU nationals or legal residents in France, for jobseekers with proof and for people with disabilities plus one companion, and on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is free to access. The rooftop lift is out of service for modernisation and the climb is 284 steps. See Arc de Triomphe tickets for the $18 rooftop ticket.
Palace of Versailles and Château de Fontainebleau
At Versailles, the official site makes the Palace and Trianon free for visitors under 18, or under 26 residing in the EU, who must still book a slot. The park and gardens are free from November to March, and charged Tuesday to Sunday from April to October. At Fontainebleau, the official site says the park and gardens are free every day, and the château is free on the first Sunday of each month except July and August. Both are day trips, covered on Palace of Versailles tickets and Château de Fontainebleau tickets.
Paid Sites With Free Categories
These three are not on the list of free museums in Paris for most visitors, only for narrow categories. The Army Museum at Les Invalides has a 5 euro ticket for ages 18 to 25 with EU residence and requires visitors entitled to free entry to collect a ticket at the tills, per its price page. At the Palais Garnier, children aged 12 and under and some other groups enter free, but their tickets are booked online. The Catacombs are free for under-8s only. I did not find a free day at any of the three, so they belong in my Les Invalides tickets and Palais Garnier tickets guides, not here.
Musée d’Orsay and Other Free Museums in Paris
I could not read the Musée d’Orsay’s official site, so I will not state its free days or its youth rules. Check musee-orsay.fr before you go, and see my Musée d’Orsay tickets page for the guided options.
Free Museums in Paris on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays
Closing days decide more free museums in Paris plans than the free rules do. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays per its official site, and the Musée de l’Orangerie is closed on Tuesdays per the museum, so a free day built around either fails on a Tuesday. The Musée d’Orsay is closed on Mondays per Google Maps. Sunday works better, because the first-Sunday rule exists for exactly that day, and the Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe and the Orangerie all use it.
If the first Sunday does not match your dates, the under-26 rule is the one that works every day. It needs proof of age and of residence, so carry your passport or residence permit, not a photo on your phone alone. A student card is not what the Louvre asks for; the page says valid photographic ID, and residents need a permit valid for more than 90 days. Visitors from outside the EEA do not qualify, and for them the free museums in Paris narrow to the first-Friday evening at the Louvre and the first Sundays.
Booking a Free Slot
Free does not mean no booking. The Louvre recommends a time slot even for free visitors, the Sainte-Chapelle requires one, and the Orangerie wants a reservation on its first Sunday. Treat the booking as part of the visit: reserve a few days ahead, show the confirmation with your ID, and arrive on time, because the Sainte-Chapelle guarantees entry only for 30 minutes after the slot. Book through the official site, not a reseller, if your entry is free, since the official staff only handle orders placed on their own ticket page.
A paid guide is a separate choice from the free museums in Paris rules above. On a free day you can still book a tour that includes entry, as I explain on the Louvre Museum tickets page, but you pay for the guide and the skip-the-queue slot, not for entry. For anyone who qualifies for free museums in Paris, I would use the free ticket and a book or audio guide, and keep the money for a cruise or a day trip.
Free Churches and Other Free Sights
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Entry is free. The official site describes the cathedral as a place of worship open to all, free of charge and without any ticket, and offers an optional free reservation of a time slot, with its own entrance. The cathedral reopened on 7 December 2024 after the 2019 fire. The tower climb is sold separately at 16 euros. If you want a guide, tours start at $11.
SMART CITY TOUR
Notre Dame Cathedral Tour with French-Speaking Guide
★4.6 (651 reviews)
45 minutes
Free cancellation
My pick: A 45-minute guided tour of a free cathedral for $11, 4.6 from 651 reviews, in French.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Qualified live guide
✓ Access to Notre-Dame Cathedral (free of charge)
✓ Guided visit of the exterior and/or interior (depending on option selected)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pick-ups/drop-offs
✕ Skip-the-line access
✕ Free items
Meeting point: Please meet us in front of the "Cité" metro station exit on Place Louis Lépine. Place Louis Lépine, 75004 Paris, France
Languages: French
Duration: 45 minutes
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Guide très intéressante et qui connaît très bien son sujet !! Plusieurs anecdotes et renseignement sur le trajet en allant à la cathédrale . Un grand merci , nous avons passés un bon moment . Je recommande” – GetYourGuide review
Entering the basilica is free every day from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm per the official hours page. The dome climb is paid. If you want the story of Montmartre rather than just the view, a walking tour that ends at the basilica is the way, and the dome has its own option.
THE PERFECT VACATION
Montmartre Walking Tour with Sacré-Cœur Basilica
★4.7 (76 reviews)
2 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: A two-hour Montmartre walk ending at the free basilica, $43, 4.7 from 76 reviews.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Guided walking tour of Montmartre
✓ Visit to Van Gogh’s house
✓ Stop at the I Love You Wall
✓ Visit to Le Bateau-Lavoir
✓ Photo stop at Place Dalida
✓ Visit to the Moulin de la Galette
Not included / not suitable
✕ Meals and drinks
✕ Gratuities (optional)
Meeting point: In front of the Blanche Metro Station, Line 2, the guide will have a flag with The Perfect Vacation logo. 59 Bd de Clichy, 75009 Paris, France
Languages: English
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“our guide Tamio was very knowledable about the historie, culture, architecture and culture of montmatre. we had a fantastic tour” – GetYourGuide review
None of these needs a ticket, and I claim nothing beyond what Google Maps shows. The Tuileries Garden and Place de la Concorde sit beside the Louvre, the Champ de Mars and the Trocadéro look at the Eiffel Tower from two sides, and the Esplanade des Invalides lies in front of the Army Museum. For the free Eiffel Tower view, I’d walk to the Trocadéro first.
First Friday after 6 pm, not July or August; 14 July
Yes
Yes (EEA, under 26)
Musée de l’Orangerie
First Sunday, reservation
Yes
Yes
Sainte-Chapelle
First Sunday of Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec
Yes
Yes
Arc de Triomphe
First Sunday of Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec
Yes
Yes
Château de Fontainebleau
First Sunday, not July or August
not stated
not stated
Versailles gardens
November to March
Palace free
Palace free (EU, under 26)
With the next first Sunday on 6 December 2026, a December weekend of free museums in Paris can combine the Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe and the Orangerie at no cost, though the three will be busy and each needs a slot. If you will pay for several sites instead, my Paris city pass comparison works out when a pass beats single tickets, and the Paris attraction tickets hub lists every paid site. The Paris attractions map shows which free sights sit next to which museum.
How I’d Plan a Free Day in Paris
Under 26 and EU resident: start with the Louvre and the Orangerie, both free every day for you with ID.
A December visit: put the Sainte-Chapelle and Arc de Triomphe on Sunday 6 December and book slots early.
Evening person: the Louvre’s first-Friday evening after 6 pm, outside July and August.
Churches and views: Notre-Dame, Sacré-Cœur, the Tuileries and the Trocadéro cost nothing on any day.
A day trip: Fontainebleau’s park or Versailles gardens in winter, both free to walk.
Frequently asked questions
What day are museums free in Paris?+
It depends on the museum. The Louvre is free on the first Friday of the month after 6 pm, except in July and August, and on 14 July. The Sainte-Chapelle and the Arc de Triomphe are free on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December. The Musée de l'Orangerie is free on the first Sunday of each month, with a reservation.
Which day is the Louvre free?+
The first Friday of the month after 6 pm, except in July and August, and on 14 July, per the Louvre's official site. Visitors under 18, and EEA residents under 26 with valid photo ID, enter free every day. The site recommends booking a time slot even if your entry is free.
Is anything free in Paris on a Sunday?+
Yes. On the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December the Sainte-Chapelle and the Arc de Triomphe are free, and the Musée de l'Orangerie is free on the first Sunday of every month. The next one is 6 December 2026, then 3 January 2027. Notre-Dame and the Sacré-Cœur basilica are free every day.
Is Notre-Dame free to enter?+
Yes. The official site describes the cathedral as open to all, freely and free of charge, without a ticket, and a free time slot is optional. Only the tower climb is paid, at 16 euros, with free admission for EU residents under 26 per the towers site.
Is the Palace of Versailles free for under 26s?+
For visitors under 26 who live in the EU, and for under-18s, the Palace and Trianon are free per the official site, but a time slot must still be booked. The park and gardens are free from November to March and charged from Tuesday to Sunday between April and October.
Is the Eiffel Tower free?+
I found no free entry to the Eiffel Tower in my data. What costs nothing is the Champ de Mars park beside it and the Trocadéro esplanade across the river, per Google Maps, both good places to see the tower from the outside. The paid tickets and cruises are on my Eiffel Tower page.
Is the Sacré-Cœur free?+
Entering the basilica is free every day from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm per the official site. The dome climb is paid, at 8 euros for adults and 5 euros for ages 15 and under. A walking tour of Montmartre that ends at the basilica starts at $11 on GetYourGuide if you want a guide.
