You've just purchased your tickets to Paris, you've booked your hotel, and now it's time to start planning out all the sights you will want to see. Paris has no shortage of museums, landmarks, churches, day trips, excursions, and activities, and it can be overwhelming figuring out where to even start when it comes to planning. And with tourism growing substantially with nearly 50 million visitors in 2024 (partially thanks to the Summer Olympics), over-tourism continues to be a concern for locals and vacationers alike.

Because of Paris's temperate oceanic climate, weather can and will change quickly from day to day and even by the hour, especially during the Spring and Fall shoulder seasons. Therefore, it can be helpful to understand what types of planning you can put off until the weather forecast firms up, versus the attractions that should be booked as soon as possible to avoid the risk of sell-outs.

A note on peak tourist season: Similar to most European destinations, tourism to Paris peaks in the Summer months from June through the end of August, with crowds reaching their peak around July. If you are planning your trip to Paris around these months, these are going to be the attractions that you should prioritize making reservations for. They are listed in order of what you should consider booking first.

Book These Paris Attractions 2+ Months Before Your Trip

Eiffel Tower - Summit or Elevator to 2nd Floor

If you're a first-time visitor to Paris, chances are the Eiffel Tower is going to be near to the top of your to-do list. Naturally, it's also found itself at the top of the things that you should be booking first if planning a trip to Paris, and this goes double if you want to reach the summit, or need elevator access to the 2nd floor. If you are fine climbing the 674 steps up to the 2nd Floor observation deck, you can procrastinate a little bit on booking - those tickets are only released about 14 days in advance, and so you'll find that later down on this list.

Tickets for both the elevator up to the summit observation deck, as well as elevator up to the 2nd floor, are released 60 days in advance, and these will go VERY fast in the Summer months, especially during the prime sunset hours. While last-minute tickets occasionally appear online, they’re rare and usually at less convenient times. If you’re flexible, it’s worth checking the official site early in the morning, Paris time, for any new availability. The Tower still sells some same-day tickets at its ticket offices, but queues can be long, and availability for the summit is never guaranteed.

If you’re looking to minimize wait times and crowds, mornings before 10 a.m. are generally quieter, while evening visits, especially after 9 p.m., offer magical views of the city lights and the Tower’s famous hourly sparkle. Sunset slots are the most in-demand, so book them early if that’s your priority.

Maison Gainsbourg

Remember when I said that Paris got about 50 million tourists in 2024? Well, there's a little more to that statistic; about half of those tourists were domestic visitors coming from other parts of France. With that in mind, it might make more sense that one of the most in-demand Parisian attractions is Maison Gainsbourg, the former home of infamous French singer-songwriter, actor, composer, and director Serge Gainsbourg, which has been converted into a museum in the 7th arrondissement.

If you'd like to visit the house itself (as opposed to the museum) you'll want to book shortly after tickets are released, about 2 months in advance. If you've waited too long and house tickets are booked-up, you may have a little more luck scoring tickets to the neighboring museum, which has a little more capacity. Timed-entry tickets are required for both the house and the adjacent museum.

Book These Paris Attractions 3-4 Weeks Before Your Trip

Musée d'Orsay

Despite the Louvre being unquestionably Paris's (and perhaps the world's) most iconic museum, the significantly smaller yet debatably just as impressive Musée d'Orsay welcomes millions of visitors each year, making it one of the first museums you should book for your Parisian vacation.

While booking a timed-entry ticket isn't strictly required, same-day queues can be extremely long (like…an hour long) especially when the museum hosts popular temporary exhibitions. Therefore, it's always a good idea to book a timed-entry ticket in advance. Usually booking about 3 weeks in advance will leave you with wide time-slot availability across different times of the day, and you might be able to find a last-minute time-slot during an offpeak time (such as evening) up to a day or two before your visit. Tickets are released by the museum about 4 to 5 months in advance. And lastly, if you're planning on visiting during the first Sunday of the month, when admission is free, or on a Wednesday, when the Louvre is closed, you'll want to make sure to prioritize making a booking sooner rather than later.

The Sainte Chapelle

Nestled in the heart of Paris on the Île de la Cité, the Sainte Chapelle's stained glass windows have awed anyone who has graced their presence ever since it was commissioned by King Louis IX in the mid-13th century. Those without timed-entry tickets gather in the early hours of the morning, sometimes for hours, with hopes of getting in. With a little preparation, however, a visit to the famed chapel can go smoothly.

If you are trying to visit the Sainte Chapelle at a specific time, it's best to book at least 2 weeks ahead of time. Early mornings are prime for a visit, because theoretically crowds are thinner and the light shining through those 15 stained glass panels will feel by far the most luminous. Naturally, early mornings also tend to be the first time-slots that get booked up, so if visiting during the peak tourist season it's recommended to prioritize a booking for those times. If you are fine snatching up a ticket for a late afternoon or less in-demand time of day, you may be able to find time-slot availability up until 3-4 days ahead. Tickets are available to be booked up to 3 months in advance.

The Louvre

The sheer size of the Louvre is one of the reasons it isn't necessarily the first museum you need to book for your Paris vacation. Coming in at 2.26 million square feet, or 210,000 square meters for the metrically inclined, the Louvre holds the title for the world's largest art museum by area. And this is a big advantage when it comes to visiting, because despite nearly 9 million visitors making their way into the museum last year, tickets did not necessarily have to be booked months in advance.

If the Louvre is on your must-see list for Paris (and for first time visitors, it will, and should be) then you'll want to book about 2-3 weeks out if you have a particular entrance time you're after. If you're fine snagging up a less-crowded late afternoon or evening slot, you might be able to wait until 3-4 days ahead of your visit. If on a budget, you can try visiting on the first Friday of the month when tickets are free after 6pm, however these must be booked in advance and will go very quickly. Tickets for the Louvre are released about 2 months in advance.

Notre Dame Tower Tour

If you've been in Paris between 2019 and 2025, you probably missed out on being able to climb Notre Dame's famed towers, taking in some of the best views of Paris and the Seine and marveling at the cathedral's infamous gargoyles. Fortunately, as of late 2025, Notre Dame has been fully reopened, marking a stunning recovery from the 2019 fire that closed its doors for the better part of a decade.

For tourists who want to take a look inside, no booking is needed; there is an option to reserve a time-slot for a basic cathedral visit about 72 hours in advance to reduce waiting on the forecourt, but last-minute visits are certainly possible if you are willing to wait.

For those who want broader views and a more adventurous climb, the Notre Dame Tower Tour has reopened for visitors, but you must buy a ticket in advance. To have first pick of time-slots, it's recommended to secure your tickets a couple weeks ahead of your visit, although you might be able to snag a ticket closer to the date if you're not too picky on times. Tickets for the tower tour are released through the end of the following month.

Musée de l'Orangerie

If you weren't an art history major in college, you might pass up the Musée de l'Orangerie thinking that it would only be appreciated by those that call themselves true fine art lovers. You'd be missing out though. Although works by impressionists such as Cézanne, Matisse, Renoir, Picasso are found within, if the Musée de l'Orangerie were to go by any other name, it would probably be called the Musée de Monet; the museum features Monet’s monumental Water Lilies in two softly lit oval rooms. It's the big draw.

You'll want to pre-book your tickets to the Musée de l'Orangerie at least a week in advance to guarantee entry, and aim for closer to 2 weeks ahead of time if you want to visit in the morning hours when timed-entry tickets are booked up the fastest. If you are on a budget, there is free admission for all on the first Sunday of the month, but these will require booking a ticket online in advance, and as you can imagine the free tickets will be picked up quickly. Regardless of when you visit, the museum generally releases tickets through the end of the following month.

Book These Paris Attractions 1-2 Weeks Before Your Trip

Paris Catacombs

There are quite a number of European cities that feature catacombs, including Rome, Naples, Palermo, and Malta, but also smaller systems in London, Austria, Greece, and Spain. But what makes Paris's Catacombs special is their unique blend of macabre artistry, historical significance as a solution to Paris's overflowing cemeteries, and their mysterious, almost illicit, subculture. Its significance is not lost on tourists, as it's one of the most difficult things to book in Paris.

Pre-booking a tour of the Paris Catacombs is necessary, and tickets are released only 7 days ahead of time. This is one that you'll want to set an alarm for even if it means waking up in the middle of the night - once released, these tours will go extremely fast, because only 200 tickets are available per hour. Also, be careful when booking your tickets online, as scammers have taken advantage of the environment of low supply and high demand; you should only book directly on the official Paris Catacombs website.

Eiffel Tower - Steps to the 2nd Floor

If you don't mind missing the summit and are athletic enough to climb the 674 steps up to the main observation deck (officially referred to as the "2nd Floor") of the Eiffel Tower, set a calendar reminder to book your tickets 14 days ahead of your planned visit date when tickets are released. The official Eiffel Tower ticketing website only releases these tickets 14 days ahead of time, and they will go quickly, especially for visits during sunset and golden hour.

While same day tickets are technically possible if capacity allows, this isn't recommended unless you are truly visiting during the middle of the off-season.

Palace of Versailles

Versailles is the quintessential day trip excursion from the hustle and bustle of Paris. The former palace of Louis XIV and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the palace itself, as well as its gardens, parks, and galleries, are sure to amaze.

Whether you want to visit just the Palace itself, or have access to the full estate including Versailles' famous manicured gardens, you will want to book your tickets at least 1 week from your visit, and closer to 2-3 weeks ahead if you are aiming for one of the coveted morning entry time slots. However, you may be able to snag a ticket closer to your visit date if you don't mind visiting later in the afternoon during a less desirable time-slot. Tickets for Versailles are released more than 7 months in advance, so there's no excuse not to book early.

Arc de Triomphe

I went about 22 years of my life thinking that the Arc de Triomphe was simply a large monument meant to be viewed from the outskirts of the Place Charles de Gaulle or from a distance down the length of the Champs-Élysées. But it is so much more - it houses a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier directly underneath, and also features one of the best observation decks in the city on its top floor if you're willing to climb the 284 steps (there's an elevator that goes about 75% up for visitors with some mobility issues, but you'll need to climb the rest). There's even a gift shop in the Arc itself. Who knew!

If getting up close and personal is on your Paris bucket list, you'll want to plan ahead by booking tickets at least a couple days ahead. Although same-day tickets are usually available, the queues can get very long if visiting during those peak summer months, and so pre-booking a ticket will make your visit much more efficient. The most in-demand timeslots should not sell out until 3-4 days before. Tickets for the Arc de Triomphe are released through the end of the following month.

To Learn More

For an up-to-date list of all the attractions in Paris that you should consider booking ahead, visit What2Book's Paris City Page.