You can buy La Carte Musées et Monuments (Museum and Monuments Pass) (tel. 01-44-61-96-60) at any of the 70 museums and monuments honoring it or at any branch of the Paris Tourist Office. It offers entrance to the permanent collections of monuments and museums in Paris and the Ile de France. A 1-day pass costs 15€, a 3-day pass 30€, and a 5-day pass 45€. The Paris Visite pass is valid for 1 to 5 days on the public transport system, including the Métro, the city buses, the RER (regional express) trains within Paris city limits, and even the funicular to the top of Montmartre.

Museums require you to check shopping bags and book bags, and sometimes lines for these can be longer than the ticket lines. If you value your time, leave your bags in your hotel room or don't go shopping before hitting the museums: Some lines can take 30 minutes. Ask if a museum has more than one check line, and, if so, go to the less-frequented ones.