Personal sessions need no permit from you. Commercial shoots go through each site's manager
No, a visitor does not need to file a permit for a personal portrait session at the Louvre or Trocadéro; permits apply to commercial and crew-based productions, and the manager of each landmark decides those.
This guide is for couples, families and solo travellers who want to know what the rules say before booking, and for anyone whose photos might be used for a brand, an ad or editorial work. It covers what the Louvre and the City of Paris say, which sites are handled by their own managers, what counts as a commercial shoot, and how a Paris session with Finzi fits around all of it.
No, a visitor booking a portrait session for personal use does not apply for a permit. The City of Paris procedures are written for filming and photo shoots run by production teams. Its Paris Film FAQ says filming or shooting in the streets of Paris needs an authorisation, even with small means, and it points productions to its online AGATE system. That is a step for the production or photographer, not a form a client fills in.
The Louvre draws the same line between private and professional use. Its visitor regulations allow artworks in the permanent galleries to be photographed or filmed for the private use of the visitor, and they treat professional photography separately.
I am a photographer, not a lawyer. If your photos are for personal use, such as an anniversary, an engagement, a family album or a proposal, you have nothing to file. If they are for a brand, an advertisement or a publication, read the commercial sections below before you plan anything.
TipNot sure which category you are in? Send me the intended use of the photos and I will tell you.
| Package | Price | Duration | Photos | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | €300 | 1 hour | 30 photos | 1 location |
| Signature | €500 | 2 hours | 50 photos | 2 locations |
| Prestige | €800 | 3 hours | 60 photos | 3 locations |
Inside the permanent collections, the Louvre allows photography and filming for private use only, and it prohibits flash and other lighting. The regulations also ban photography in the temporary exhibition galleries and the Petite Galerie, and in technical areas. In Article 28, the museum places professional photography, filming and broadcast recording under special regulations.
For anything outside those rules, the regulations name a single route. The museum says requests for exemptions "shall be addressed to the External Relations Department" (Musée du Louvre visitor regulations). A commercial shoot in the galleries is a formal request to the museum. It is not something you arrange on the day.
"I choose the Louvre for the glass pyramid and the architecture around it, and I plan it for early light, when the backdrop is cleanest," Finzi says. "The session is about the two of you in that setting, not about setting up equipment."
TipEarly morning gives the pyramid area its cleanest backdrops.
Several of the best-known landmarks sit outside the City's filming office. The City's filming request page lists the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre Museum, Tuileries Garden, Luxembourg Garden, Palais Royal, Trocadéro Esplanade and the banks of the Seine among sites Paris Film does not handle. It adds: "Please contact the managers of these sites directly."
In practice, a commercial request for the Trocadéro Esplanade or the Louvre does not go through the same desk as a request for an ordinary street. The Trocadéro Gardens below the esplanade also have their own Ville de Paris page. A private monument or venue sets its own conditions as well, so ask the owner first.
That is why a commercial plan needs a location list before anything else. Each site you want to use has its own contact, its own process and its own lead time.
A shoot counts as professional or commercial when the images are produced for advertising, branding, editorial use or resale, or when it brings a crew and production equipment, rather than being a personal keepsake. The Louvre's wording is built on private use versus professional use. Use of the images decides which side you are on.
The City of Paris also separates by scale. Its Paris Film page says light-equipment productions file a preliminary declaration for shooting on the public road, and larger setups go through a full request. It says a request must be filed 15 working days, or three calendar weeks, before the shoot. From 1 January 2025, the City's FAQ also requires a signed charter against sexist and sexual violence and harassment with the first request, except for photo shoots with a single person.
A couple's anniversary portraits, a family album and a proposal photographed from a distance are personal use. A fashion editorial with models and a team, a product campaign or a branded video are not. Personal branding portraits for a solo traveller sit closer to the line, so tell me what the photos are for when you book.
TipIntended use of the images is what decides the category, not the camera.
Start with the site list. Write down every landmark you want, then find out who manages each one. The Louvre, Tuileries, Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro Esplanade are all on the City's list of sites you contact directly. For the Louvre, send the request to the External Relations Department named in its regulations.
Next, work out the scale. Count the people, the equipment and any lighting. The City treats light equipment and larger setups differently, and the Louvre prohibits lighting in its galleries for private visitors. Then check the date. File with the City at least 15 working days ahead, and attach the signed charter if more than one person is being photographed.
Finally, get approvals in writing before the travel dates are fixed. A commercial shoot is the one case where I would not leave the permit to the week of arrival.
My sessions are personal portrait sessions for couples, families, proposals and solo travellers. I shoot at over 30 locations across Paris, including the Louvre, Trocadéro, Pont Alexandre III, Palais Royal and Luxembourg Gardens. I choose them around the light at your preferred time and your vision, and you walk about 3-5 km depending on your package.
"I work alone, so there is no crew to manage and nothing to set up on the pavement," Finzi says. "You turn up, I guide you, and the session stays a walk through Paris."
If your plan is commercial rather than personal, tell me before booking. I would rather settle the question at the start than discover it on the day.
Essential is €300 for 1 hour, 30 photos and 1 location. Signature is €500 for 2 hours, 50 photos and 2 locations, and it is the most popular. Prestige is €800 for 3 hours, 60 photos and 3 locations. A Proposal session is €300 for 1 hour with a hidden camera, and a Night Session is €450.
A €30 non-refundable deposit locks your date. Rescheduling is free anytime. Your edited gallery is delivered within 24 hours. Pick a session. Choose a date. I handle the rest.
TipLandmarks are busiest late morning. Earlier or later slots make for cleaner frames.
Quick answers to the questions visitors ask before they book.
“Finzi made our whole family feel so comfortable. Even our two-year-old was laughing the entire time. The photos are absolutely perfect and we received them the next day.”
Pick a session. Choose a date. I handle the rest.
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