by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 10:40 AM ET, Fri January 16, 2026
Saying “bonjour” to the Mona Lisa got a little more expensive on Wednesday (Jan. 14, 2026) for visitors who are from outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.
The Louvre, home to some of the most famous art in the world, along with the Palace of Versailles, Paris Opera and Saint-Chapelle are all introducing two-tier pricing this month, charging foreign visitors, including Canadians, a premium to see the popular attractions.
The increased fees are being put in place to help fund solutions to overcrowding, understaffing and poor working conditions which have led to strikes.
The 45 percent leap in ticket pricing at the Louvre (from €22 to €32) for those from outside the specified area has been met with criticism. "Culture should be open to everyone — yes — at the same price," Laurent Vallet, visiting Paris from Burgundy, told the Associated Press (AP).
Some visitors even suggested lower prices for foreign visitors. "In general, for tourists, things should be a little bit cheaper than local people, because we have to travel to come all the way here," said Darla Daniela Quiroz, visiting from Vancouver.
At Versailles, the "Passport" ticket will cost €35 euros in the high season for foreign visitors, compared to €32 for visitors who are residents of the E.U., Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. At Sainte-Chapelle, the ticket rises to €22 for visitors from outside those countries, versus €16 for those within them.
At the Louvre, revenue from the new fee — an estimated €20 million — will be used to help fund its "Louvre — New Renaissance" modernization project.
Still, the CGT Culture union has denounced the policy, arguing it turns access to culture into a “commercial product” and creates unequal access to national heritage.
In the end, it’s unlikely the fee will dissuade people from visiting, regardless of where they are from. The culture and historical attractions are the point of many visits to France.
"[The Louvre] is one of the main attractions here in Paris … We're still going to go," Allison Moore, a tourist from Newfoundland visiting with her mother, told the AP. "Hopefully it'll be all worth it in the end."
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