Entry Ticket

With the entry ticket to the Conciergerie you step into the ancient royal palace on the Île de la Cité, later turned into the courthouse and prison of the French Revolution. Here you retrace the story of Marie Antoinette’s final days before the guillotine.

Preparing your visit to the Conciergerie means gaining access to one of the most important historic monuments in Europe. The ticketing and access system is designed to turn the purchase itself into a prelude to the rich experience awaiting visitors beyond its walls. Since it’s a very popular site in Paris, located on the Île de la Cité near the Palais de Justice, crowd management and ticket logistics follow modern criteria that contrast fascinatingly with the medieval grandeur of the building. The standard entry ticket isn’t just a ticket, but a genuine key that opens up an educational, sensory journey, designed to welcome a varied, international public curious to learn history accurately. Tickets can be bought online through official channels or at the physical box office at the site’s entrance, though booking online is strongly recommended to secure your preferred time slot and avoid long queues along the Seine. With the standard entry ticket, visitors can explore the entire public complex with no time limit on their chosen day. This includes access to the imposing medieval halls, such as the Salle des Gens d’Armes and the ancient royal kitchens, the route through the corridors of the Revolutionary Tribunal from the era of the Reign of Terror, the Women’s Courtyard and, of course, the area dedicated to Marie Antoinette. A distinctive feature of the Conciergerie entry ticket is the inclusion of the HistoPad digital device. On entry, every visitor receives a state-of-the-art tablet, the rental of which is included in the ticket price. This cultural device gives everyone the same tools to understand the space. Thanks to codes placed in the various rooms, the tablet detects the visitor’s location and triggers 3D historical reconstructions, in-depth text content, animated maps and even a virtual treasure hunt for younger visitors. The integration of this technology enriches the visitor experience, bringing to life spaces that might otherwise look like plain stone rooms. Beyond the standard sales channels, the Conciergerie’s access policy offers wide-ranging free entry and discounts, reflecting the educational commitment of France’s national monuments. Entry is generally free for under-eighteens and for EU citizens aged eighteen to twenty-five, on presentation of valid ID. Disabled visitors and their companions, journalists and museum-sector professionals can also enter free of charge, with priority lanes to reduce waiting times. Reduced rates are also available for certain categories of visitors or holders of specific partner cards. A special initiative is represented by free Sundays, which at certain times of the year let everyone visit the monument freely, promoting an inclusive, democratic vision of historical heritage.

Security checks linked to the entry ticket are strict, given the Conciergerie’s proximity to active areas of the Paris judicial system. Before reaching the actual ticket desk and presenting your paper or smartphone digital ticket, all visitors must pass through a security check that includes a metal detector and baggage scanning. It’s important to keep in mind that bulky bags and large suitcases are not allowed inside the monument, and no luggage storage service is available. The entry ticket is therefore valid only if the visitor complies with these public security rules. After clearing the checks, the paper or electronic ticket is scanned by staff, officially marking the start of the journey through time. The ticket’s flexibility lets visitors manage their visiting time independently, allowing everyone to linger over the commemorative plaques or the HistoPad technology for as long as needed to fully grasp the complex historical legacy of this extraordinary place.