Frequently asked questions

Priority timed entry past the ticket queue, the full Grand Tour route — the restored 18th-century apartments of the Garde-Meuble intendant, the gilded state salons and the loggia over the Place de la Concorde — and the acclaimed geolocated 3D audio headset worn throughout the visit.

Yes — the Hôtel de la Marine admits visitors in timed slots to keep the apartments uncrowded, so your ticket is for a chosen date and entry time. Tell us your preferred date and time when you book and we issue the ticket so you walk straight in at your slot. You can take your time inside once admitted.

It is an 18th-century royal palace on the Place de la Concorde in Paris, built between 1757 and 1774 by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel. It first served as the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne — the storehouse of the crown's furniture and jewels — and then, for nearly two centuries, as the headquarters of the French Navy, which gave it its name. After a four-year restoration it opened to the public in 2021, and visitors can now see the restored apartments, the state salons and the loggia over the square.

It is the 'Confidant' — a geolocated 3D audio headset worn throughout the visit that plays spatial sound keyed to the exact room you are standing in, layering voices, music and ambience so the palace seems to come alive around you. It is widely rated one of the finest museum audio experiences anywhere, and it is included with your ticket in several languages.

Yes. When the palace was the royal Garde-Meuble, the Crown Jewels were kept and displayed here, and in September 1792 thieves broke in and stole much of the collection — including the celebrated Regent Diamond, one of the most famous diamonds in the world, later recovered and now displayed among the French crown jewels in the Louvre. The story is one of the highlights of the visit.

Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours for the full Grand Tour of the apartments, salons and loggia with the audio headset. The immersive route is designed to be savoured rather than rushed, so give yourself a little longer if you can.

The palace is open daily, with the salons and loggia open 10:30–19:00 and a late opening until 21:30 on Fridays. Last admission is around an hour before closing. Hours can change on public holidays, so it is worth confirming when you book.

Yes. We issue an e-ticket that you present on your phone at the entrance — there is no need to print it. Just have it ready to show at your timed slot, and our concierge team is on call if anything needs sorting on the day.

It is on the north side of the Place de la Concorde. The nearest Métro is Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12), a two-minute walk, and many buses stop on the square. It sits between the Tuileries Garden and the Champs-Élysées, an easy walk from the Louvre and the Musée de l'Orangerie.

For many visitors it is the highlight. The loggia runs the length of the façade above the arcade and looks straight out over the Place de la Concorde to the obelisk, the Tuileries and, on a clear day, the Eiffel Tower — one of the finest free-standing views in central Paris. It is at its best in the warm light of late afternoon.

It is largely accessible, with lifts serving the main visitor floors and the audio headset available to everyone. If you have specific mobility or sensory needs, contact us before booking and we will confirm the current accessible route and any assistance the palace offers.

Yes — photography for personal use is permitted in most areas without flash or a tripod. The signature shot is from the loggia, looking out over the Place de la Concorde, and the restored salons photograph beautifully in the daylight from the tall windows.

Yes. The visit is the right length for families, and the 3D audio headset keeps younger visitors engaged as it changes room by room. The Crown Jewels theft and the grandeur of the salons tend to capture children's imagination, and the loggia is a memorable finish.

It is a restored palace rather than a vast collection, so the visit is calm, self-contained and rarely crowded — a striking contrast to the Louvre a few minutes away. Instead of galleries of art, you walk through the lived-in rooms of an 18th-century royal institution, guided by spatial audio, and finish on the loggia over the great square. Many visitors find it one of the most rewarding hours in Paris.

Your ticket is for a chosen date and entry time. If you need to move it, reply to your confirmation email as early as you can and our concierge team will do its best to adjust the booking with the palace wherever its calendar allows.

It was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, first architect to King Louis XV, and built between 1757 and 1774 as one of the two colonnaded palaces framing the Place Louis XV — now the Place de la Concorde. Its twin, to the west, is today the Hôtel de Crillon. The Hôtel de la Marine served first as the royal Garde-Meuble and then as the Navy ministry.

Easily. The Hôtel de la Marine sits on the Place de la Concorde between the Tuileries Garden and the Champs-Élysées, a short walk from the Louvre, the Musée de l'Orangerie with its Monet water-lilies, and the Jeu de Paume. Its calm, timed visit of an hour or two pairs naturally with a larger museum or a walk up the Champs-Élysées.