A very recent phenomenon in France, escape games are flourishing here and there, and Paris is no exception. Whether for a fun moment with friends, or for a team-building activity for a company, the escape games offered within the capital will please everyone. In fantastic, futuristic or even unusual environments, the following list of the 7 best escape games in Paris will give you a variety of games that you can find in the capital.
1) “Little Miss Lock”
Difficulty : Difficult
Duration : 60 minutes
Available languages : 🇫🇷 / 🇬🇧
Awarded several local prizes in 2016 and 2017, the escape game “ Little Miss Lock”, created by the Lock Academy, will please investigative fans of Sherlock Holmes. Professor Lock’s daughter has been reported missing and it’s up to you, inspectors, to discover what happened to her in the allocated time. Through highly detailed and coherent scenery, in addition to the plot, the immersion is full. You will surely lose track of time! But will you succeed in resolving the enigma?
Our opinion : With its many unforeseen developments, this escape game is extremely well done. Communication is recommended because the investigation sometimes can seem tricky and difficult. The allocated time of 60 minutes is perfect to find the solution to the plot. Warning – this escape game is full of strong emotion!
Where? Académie Châtelet, 25 rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris
When? Monday through Sunday, from 10am to 10pm (by reservation only, here)
How many? Between 3 and 5 players
Prices: €32 pp (3 players), €28 pp (4 players), €25 pp (5 players)
Access: Metro Louvre-Rivoli / Châtelet-Les-Halles
2) “The Plane”
Difficulty: Difficult
Duration: 60 minutes
Available languages: 🇫🇷 / 🇬🇧
Made by The Game, the leader of the escape game genre in Île-de-France, the game “The Plane” claims to be extremely immersive. Actually, the point here is to investigate inside a true Airbus A320! You will be trapped in the plane and will have to find all the clues to make your way out within an hour. The atmosphere, defined as “stressful” and “gripping”, is full of detail, making the experience really unique.
Our opinion: The idea of getting locked up in a plane might not please everyone – but the concept is awesome! The scenery and the few special effects (visual and sounds) perfectly match the atmosphere of a plane. The immersion is so deep that, during the hour of game, it really feels like you are on a plane. Attention to people that are claustrophobic: the game space is really tight and confined, with phases of full darkness.
Where? The Game, 51 rue Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris
When? Monday through Sunday, from 10am to 10pm (by reservation only, here)
How many? Between 3 and 5 players
Prices: €32 pp (3 players), €29 pp (4 players), €26 pp (5 players)
Access: Metro Cardinal Lemoine (line 10)
3) Le Libre Promeneur
Difficulty: Medium
Duration: 2h
Available languages: 🇫🇷 / 🇬🇧
Le Libre Promeneur organizes escape games that combine history, discovery, photography and brainteasers in the heart of Paris. Discover the capital in a different perspective, with friends or family. The team offers escape games for adults, teenagers or children at the Sacré-Coeur, in Montmartre or on the Ile de la Cité.
You will be supervised by cheerful guides (they speak English), always ready to share their knowledge about Paris through interesting anecdotes and naturally to propose you some puzzles to solve in the hope to win a small gift and some souvenir pictures.
Our opinion: It’s a great way to discover Paris, the animators are always pleasant and you learn a lot of interesting facts about the city. The animators are also photographers and you will have nice pictures and a surprise gift at the end of the escape game.
Where? At the exit of the funicular (the one on top), in Montmartre, the chapel in the 18th arrondissement or in front of the statue of Henri IV, 15 pl. du Pont Neuf.
When? Every day from 11am to 10pm, book here (website in French).
How many? They are carried out in groups, from 2 people.
Price: 24€ per person.
4) “Lost Asylum”
Difficulty: Difficult
Duration: 60 minutes
Available languages : 🇫🇷 / 🇬🇧
Now heading to the 11th district, to the One Hour Escape Game (website in french only) facility (the website is in French, but the game is available in English). This small organization offers only two rooms for now, but it is such a success that they should extend soon. One of them, Lost Asylum, is a hit. The psychiatric hospital scenery puts you right off in an oppressive and deranging atmosphere. The feeling of being isolated is prominent. This escape game has a unique atmosphere, even more when you know that horror and anxiety-themed rooms are pretty rare in Paris.
Our opinion: Amazingly handled ambiance; the Lost Asylum experience is really worth a try. If you are into horror movies or video games, or simply a fan of under-pressure investigations, this escape game is made for you! The alternation between solo and team phases will make your heart beat really fast during the hour of play. Emotional rollercoaster ahead!
Where? One Hour – Live Escape Game,24 rue Emile Lepeu, 75011 Paris
When? Monday through Sunday, from 10am to Midnight (by reservation only, here)
How many? Between 2 and 5 players
Prices:
Off-peak times (weekdays before 6pm) :
€26.67 pp (2 or 3 players)
€22.5 pp (4 players)
€20 pp (5 players)
Peak times (weekdays after 6pm, weekends and holidays) :
€33.33 pp (2 or 3 players)
€27.50 pp (4 players)
€24 pp (5 players)
Access: Metro Charonne (line 9)
5) “Le Métro”
Difficulty: Medium
Duration: 60 minutes
Available languages: 🇫🇷 / 🇬🇧
Who has never dreamed of having a metro train just for them? It’s now possible with this escape game. The only issue is that you have to get out of it. An unexplained problem immobilizes the train, with you inside, in the middle of the tracks. You will have one hour to find a way to restart the train, or at least to get out of it, with the following one threatening to collide with yours.
With a medium difficulty, this escape game mainly bets on its very faithful and highly immersive atmosphere (original scenery, sound and visual effects). It will give real pleasure to curious people who have always dreamed about playing with all the buttons on the metro!
Our opinion: One of our favorites. Even if the set is pretty familiar, the playful context makes us discover the metro from another angle. The scenario of this escape game is coherent and allows you to stay immersed in this mystery throughout the investigation. Pay close attention to all the small details!
Where? The Game, 51 rue Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris
When? Monday through Sunday, from 10am to 10pm (by reservation only, here)
How many? Between 3 and 5 players
Prices: €32 pp (3 players), €29 pp (4 players), €26 pp (5 players)
Access: Metro Cardinal Lemoine (line 10)
6) “The Heist of a Century”
Difficulty: Expert
Duration: 60 minutes
Available languages: 🇫🇷 only
Back to the Lock Academy, with their toughest investigation – the great detectives’ guide has been stolen and it’s vital you find it to avoid badly intentioned people using it to commit the perfect crime and the heist of the century. You are locked up in the Academy’s museum, where the manifest was stolen. Find the clues allowing you to find the book!
Reflection and observation are essential for this escape game taking place on a set inspired by elements of the Lock Academy and its other mysteries.
Our opinion: Maybe the most complete plot out of all Parisian escape games. The Lock Academy is known for its Conan Doyle type of investigation with old-school and thinking-centered way of solving mysteries. We like the challenge, even if this escape game could turn out to be too complex for some who are not used to this genre. Of course, the gamemaster will be able to help you out and to adapt the difficulty level to those who find themselves in difficulty.
Where? Académie Châtelet, 25 rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris
When? Monday through Sunday, from 10am to 10pm (by reservation only, here)
How many? Between 3 and 5 players
Prices: €32 pp (3 players), €28 pp (4 players), €25 pp (5 players)
Access: Metro Louvre-Rivoli / Châtelet-Les-Halles
7) “Room 8’s Patient”
Difficulty: Medium
Duration: 60 minutes
Available languages: 🇫🇷 only
For this escape game, we go to Epsilon Escape’s (website in french only), winner of an Escape Game Paris award for its “Room 8’s patient” game. During this adventure, you will have to investigate the escape of one the hospital’s patients and Dr. Edmond Epsilon’s methods. Locked up in this padded room, you will deeply feel the atmosphere of a psychiatric hospital, essential for a good immersion.
Our opinion: Even though the title could predict a stressful and scary moment in the shady atmosphere of an old psychiatric hospital, that’s not the case. The environment is of an active hospital … no need to be scared! The searching part is minor to solve the plot, in favor of a majority of handling phases and a bit of thinking, which will please the all-rounders. This room is accessible to every age and level.
Where? Epsilon Escape, 137 boulevard Sebastopol, 75002 Paris
When? Monday through Sunday, from 10am to Midnight (by reservation only, here)
How many? Between 3 and 5 players
Prices: €135 per team (€27 – €34 – €45 pp depending on the number of players)
Access: Metro Strasbourg Saint Denis – Lines 4 – 8 – 9 / Réaumur Sébastopol – Lines 3 – 4 / Bonne nouvelle – Lines 8 – 9
8) “Military base B-423: Security HQ”
Difficulty: Difficult
Duration: 70 minutes
Available languages: 🇫🇷 / 🇬🇧
Initially developed by the team from Lyon of Hydre, the concept of the military base B-423 (the website is in French, but the game is available in English) is a faithful reproduction of an urban exploration (urbex), exported to Paris within Escape Lab’s facility, a 1300m² complex dedicated to escape game rooms in Paris 2nd district. The proceedings of this experience are pretty unique: you will be dropped on the set, without having received any briefing or mission to accomplish. Events will pop up to disturb your visit of the place, and will lead you to a very particular objective as you go through it.
Our opinion: An escape game for the best! The lack of exterior help (the gamemaster doesn’t give a lot of clues) and environmental indications position this game towards experienced players. Actually, the success of the players altersthe length of the game: the most efficient will have an additional 30 minutes (making the game last up to 90 minutes).
Where? Escape Lab, 21 rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris
When? Monday through Sunday, from 10am to Midnight (by reservation only, here)
How many? Between 4 and 7 players
Prices: €32 pp
Access: Metro Sentier – Line 3 / Grands Boulevard – Lines 8 – 9 / Bonne nouvelle – Lines 8 – 9
BONUS :
“Eclipse VR 4D”
Difficulty: Difficult
Duration: 70 minutes
Available languages: 🇫🇷 only
As a bonus, here’s an escape game that is a bit unique. A pioneering concept in France, the studio “Backlight” has developed, with the help of Virtual Adventure, based in Lieusaint (77), a new type of game: the virtual reality escape game. This format, offering unlimited potentialities of scenarios and environments, offers an experience that can currently be found nowhere else in the world. In fact, in the mission Eclipse, players embody the members of a rescue team looking for a missing group on a ship wandering in space.
Getting familiar with the VR is pretty easy and intuitive. You are equipped with a VR headset and a backpack holding all the processors and the wireless technology, preventing players from tripping over cables on the ground during the experience. You will then have 40 minutes to solve the various mysteries and retrieve the lost crew.
NB: Virtual Adventure opened a second “Eclipse” room within the Escape Lab’s facility, in Paris’ 2nd district.
Our opinion: The future of escape gaming! VR is such an incredible experience, combined here with a gripping and bluffing scenario. Only drawback: the length of 40 minutes turns out to be a pretty short time to finish the mission, since the beautiful virtual environment absorbs (distracts?) a lot of the players’ attention. Our advice ? Do it twice to enjoy it better.
| Virtual Adventure | Escape Lab' | |
|---|---|---|
| Where? | Carré Senart. 3 Allée du Préambule, 77127 Lieusaint | 21 rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris |
| When? | Monday through Sunday 10am - 11pm by reservation here | Monday through Sunday 10am -11pm by reservation here |
| How many? | 2 teams of 2 to 4 players | 2 teams of 2 to 4 players |
| Prices? | €31 pp (2 players / team) €26 pp (3 players / team) €21 pp (4 players / team) | €30 pp (2 players / team) €30 pp (3 players / team) €60 pp (4 players / team) |
| Access? | RER D to Lieusaint Moissy | Metro Sentier: line 3 Grands Boulevard: lines 8 - 9 Bonne nouvelle: lines 8 - 9 |
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
