The 16-25 Paris Pass

When travelling around in Britain, it’s easy to take our museums for granted – free entry all around! Consequently, when travelling around Europe and a museum is spotted, incredibly often it is followed up by a slightly emptied wallet and a sense of annoyance. So imagine my surprise when in Paris, one of the most expensive cities around, I discovered a deal which can save you a nice sum when visiting museums and attractions. The name of this deal? The 16-25 EU Citizen deal. Not a very catchy name, I know.

Names aside, this deal deserves more attention that it currently receives. Being less than two and a half hours from London, Paris is obviously a destination that is top of the list for many Brits. So I thought I’d shout about this deal a bit. Quite simply, if you’re aged 16-25 and you’re an EU citizen, then you get free entry to a whole cavalcade of destinations – and not low rate ones either! For example, you can get to the top of the Arc de Triomphe for free, where you can get views such as these:

Or you could go and try to understand some modern art at the Centre Pompidou, or perhaps you could just take in the bizarre architecture of the building. Well, a modern building for modern art I guess.

I discovered the deal on a recent short trip to the French capital, when I decided to visit the Musee D’Orsay and see a few of the works of Vincent Van Gogh. I'd been staying at the Village Hostel, up in Montmartre (website here) and after a good night with other guests in the hostel, I was ready to tackle one of Paris' finest museums.So there I was, stood and ready to part with my cash - only to be asked if I was English and under 25. I quietly answered yes, expecting a price increase on the spot – only to be told to go straight through with no charge! This deal saved me about €10 there and then, which was much appreciated. I later found out this deal applies to a whole heap of attractions across the city, including the Musée du Louvre and the Panthéon, making it perfect for culture vultures.

It’s certainly worth knowing about if you’re heading to Paris soon and you’re trying to stick to a tight budget. But then, even if you hadn’t planned on visiting Paris, this might convince you otherwise! So, if you’re coming up to 25, or your country (for some reason) doesn’t want to be part of the EU anymore, get your skates on and get to France! You can see some pretty impressive sights and avoid the cost just by showing your driving license/passport. At the end of the day, it’s really a no-brainer.