The French government has just given young people one more reason to visit Paris - starting April 4, 2009, all of the French national museums and monuments will stop charging admission fees to anyone under 25. That’s right, kids, that €9 you were budgeting to get into the Louvre Museum can, after April 4, be spent on another drink at the hostel bar or a souvenir Eiffel Tower beret instead.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy made the announcement about the new admission fee waiver in his New Year’s address, although he didn’t offer any details about it. It does appear that the policy is a permanent change rather than a temporary one, which is great news for young budget travelers in Paris.
Now, I am getting some conflicting reports about this story - some news outlets say that the President’s speech wiped out the entry fee for all under-25 visitors to French museums, while others say that the fee is only going to be eliminated for French under 25s. If you have any definitive information on this, please let me know by leaving a comment below.
>> Thanks to iKangaroo’s Chris Carriero, who’s in Paris right now and went directly to the Paris tourism office as well as the Louvre to confirm, I can now report that the “free under 26″ rule is going to be for EU citizens only. So, it’s not just French citizens, but it’s not everyone, either. Thanks for checking, Chris!
Whatever the case with the admission fee being waived, another part of Sarkozy’s speech alluded to the creation of a new national history museum in Paris in what he called a “symbolic” place in the city.
original photo of the admission queue at the Louvre by apeofjungle on Flickr
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Since I will be going to Paris in May, I can only hope it’s all under 25! It would be a great way to save some $$$
Now I´m a bit confused :-(. I heard in radio, that the free entrances will be for all EU citizens under 26 age. I´m 25 so this difference is crucial for me. Don´t you know something about that?
Unfortunately, Alena, I just had this confirmed by a blogger in Paris - it will only be EU citizens under 26, not everyone under 26.
Hey..Jessica, that is perfect, because I am EU citizen and I am 25 years old. That means, that I am free to go :-). I was just surprised, that Ashley and the text above spoke about 25 not 26 age!! If it is really 26, than it´s great for me. Thanks
Just to confirm for everybody, i live in Paris at the moment, and the museums are free for ALL under 18 year olds and all under 25 year olds who are European Union Citizens only. Hope that helps
So since I am traveling with two American 16 year olds by my side, they will be able to enter museums for free?
So, since I am traveling with two American 16 year olds by my side in August 09, they will be able to enter museums for free and I will only need to purchase one museum pass for myself?
No, the free museum entry is only for EU citizens. Not Americans.
im going next year in june 2010 so hope it was for australian under 26!!
Unfortunately my understanding of this promotion is that it actually only applies to EU citizens.
I have been organising trips for groups, so I can provide a complete list. Both Monuments and Museums are free to Europeans under 26 (OR if you are living in Europe and can prove it, as a student, for example). There are other ways that free entry can be obtained on a museum by museum basis, so check individual websites. The Louve, for example, offers free entry to EVERYONE the first Sunday of the month (beware of the crowds however). The free museum entrance for people under 26 is true for all Natinal Museums and monuments in France, not just Paris.
Musée du Louvre 34 Quai du Louvre – 1er arrondissement
Musée de l’Orangerie Jardin des Tuileries – 1er arrondissement
Musées des Arts Décoratifs 107 rue de Rivoli – 1er arrondissement
Musée Picasso Hôtel Salé 5 rue de Thorigny – 3eme arrondissement
Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme 71, rue du Temple – 3eme arrondissement
Musée des Arts et Métiers 60 rue Réaumur – 3eme arrondissement
Musée national d’art moderne du centre Georges Pompidou Rue Beaubourg – 4eme arrondissement
Musée du Moyen-Age – Thermes et Hôtel de Cluny 6 place Paul Painlevé – 5eme arrondissement
Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle 57 Rue Cuvier – 5eme arrondissement
Musée de l’Assistance publique Hôpitaux de Paris 47 rue Tournelle – 5eme arrondissement
Musée du service de santé des armées du Val de Grâce 1 Place Alphonse Laveran – 5eme arrondissement
Musée Hébert 85 rue du Cherche-Midi – 6eme arrondissement
Musée Eugène Delacroix 6 rue de Fürstenberg – 6eme arrondissement
Musée de la Monnaie et Médailles 11 Quai de Conti – 6eme arrondissement
Musée Rodin, 77 rue de Varenne – 7eme arrondissement
Musée d’Orsay 1 rue de Bellechasse – 7eme arrondissement
Musée de l’Armée 129 Rue de Grenelle – 7eme arrondissement
Musée de la Légion d’Honneur et des Ordres de Chevalerie 2 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur – 7eme arrondissement
Musée du Quai Branly 37 Quai Branly – 7eme arrondissement
Musée Gustave Moreau 4 rue La Rochefoucauld – 9eme arrondissement
Centre National de l’Histoire de l’Immigration (double tutelle) 293 avenue Daumesnil – 12eme arrondissement
Musée National du Sport 93 avenue de France – 13eme arrondissement
Musée de la Poste 34 Bd de Vaugirard – 15eme arrondissement
Musée des Arts asiatiques – Guimet 19 avenue d’Iéna – 16eme arrondissement
Musée des Monuments Français Palais de Chaillot 1 Place du Trocadéro – 16eme arrondissement
Musée de la Marine de Paris 17 Place du Trocadéro – 16eme arrondissement
Musée d’Ennery (Fermé) 59 avenue Foch – 16eme arrondissement
Musée Jean-Jacques Henner 43 avenue de Villiers – 17eme arrondissement
Musée de la Musique 221, avenue Jean-Jaurès – 19eme arrondissement
Musée du Château de Fontainebleau 77300 Fontainebleau
Musées de Port-Royal des Champs Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – 78114 Magny-les-Hameaux
Musée et domaine du château de Versailles, Château de Versailles – 78000 Versailles
Musée d’Archéologie Nationale Place du Château – 78103 Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Musées des Châteaux de Malmaison et de Bois-Préau Av du Château – 92500 Rueil-Malmaison
Musée de Céramique Place de la Manufacture – 92310 Sèvres
Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace Aéroport du Bourget – 93350 Le Bourget
Musée Fragonard 7 avenue du Général de Gaulle – 94700 Maisons Alfort
Musée de la Renaissance Château d’Ecouen – 95440 Ecouen
Liste des monuments à Paris gratuits pour les moins de 26 ans
Arc de triomphe
Notre -Dame (tours)
Panthéon
Sainte-Chapelle
Chapelle expiatoire
Conciergerie
Domaine national du Palais-Royal
Hôtel de Béthune-Sully
Musée des Plans-Reliefs
Château de Champs-sur-Marne
Château de Jossigny
Château de Maisons
Villa Savoye à Poissy
Château de Rambouillet
Laiterie de la Reine et chaumière
des coquillages à Rambouillet
Domaine national de Saint-Cloud
Maison des Jardies à Sèvres
Basilique cathédrale de Saint-Denis
Château de Vincennes
Hello
Are there any conditions on days or times when it is free for those aged under 26 to visit museums for free?
Thanks
Hi Wally,
When u said “free to Europeans under 26 (OR if you are living in Europe and can prove it, as a student, for example)”, does this mean as a student in UK but not EU national nor citizen is also entitled to the free admission? The previous comment stated we have to be EU citizens under 26.
Thanks!!
As far as I know, it’s EU citizens under 26.
Just to ensure I got the details right.. I am 23 and a EU citizen although I have forever resided in the US. Am i entitled to free access to the museums? The Versailles website says it’s free to EU residents. Thanks