He said he’d "get back," and he actually did. Honestly, there’s something almost supernatural about the way Paul McCartney handles a crowd at 82 years old. If you’ve been scouring the internet for Paul McCartney tickets Paris, you already know the vibe is pure chaos. It’s not just about the music; it’s about seeing the last living architect of modern pop culture in a city that treats him like royalty.
Most people mess this up by waiting for a "better deal" or trusting a random guy in a Facebook group. Don't do that. The December shows at Paris La Défense Arena—the massive indoor venue in Nanterre—sold out faster than you can sing the chorus to Hey Jude. But "sold out" in the ticketing world is kinda a relative term.
What Really Happened With Paul McCartney Tickets Paris
The demand was staggering. When the "Got Back" tour dates for Europe were first announced in June 2024, the pre-sale codes (like the one most fans used: GOTBACKTOFRANCE) were leaked and swapped like underground currency.
Paris got two nights: December 4 and December 5, 2024. If you weren’t in the Ticketmaster France queue with 20,000 other people at 10:00 AM sharp, you were basically looking at a screen of "No Tickets Available."
Here is the thing about La Défense Arena. It is a beast. It’s the largest indoor arena in Europe. It held the swimming events for the 2024 Olympics, for crying out loud. Even with that massive capacity, the "Macca" effect is real. People travel from all over the world to see him in Paris because the French crowd brings an energy that’s way different from the UK or US legs of the tour.
The Pricing Reality Check
Let’s talk numbers because the "sticker shock" is real. Face value for these shows was relatively broad. You had the "cheaper" seats way up in the rafters—usually starting around €90 to €150. Then you had the Golden Circle and VIP packages.
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- Standard Seating: €90 to €250 range.
- Standing/Floor: Usually around €150-€200.
- VIP/Diamond Packages: These often hit the €600+ mark.
If you are looking at resale sites right now and seeing tickets for €800, that’s the "scalper tax." It sucks. But there are ways to bypass the worst of it if you’re patient and know where to look.
The Secret to Finding Last-Minute Seats
Everybody panics and buys from the first site they see. Big mistake. Honestly, the best tickets often show up 48 hours before the show. This is when the venue releases "production holds."
What are production holds? Basically, the tour crew needs space for cameras, soundboards, and lighting rigs. Once the stage is actually built inside La Défense Arena, they realize, "Hey, we don't actually need these 50 seats in Section 102." They go back into the system at face value.
Check the official Paris La Défense Arena website directly. Don't just rely on secondary marketplaces. They have their own ticketing portal that occasionally flushes out returned tickets from corporate sponsors or travel partners.
Resale Sites: The Good, The Bad, and The Risky
If you have to go the resale route for Paul McCartney tickets Paris, stick to the platforms with guarantees.
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- Ticketmaster Resale: This is the gold standard because the ticket is verified and re-issued in your name.
- Twickets: This is a fan-to-fan platform that strictly forbids selling above face value. It's the "ethical" way to buy, but you have to be lightning-fast.
- PasseTonBillet: A very popular French-specific exchange. It’s reliable but obviously in French, so keep your browser translator handy.
Avoid Viagogo or StubHub if you can help it—not because they don't work, but because the fees will make your eyes water. You’ll end up paying 30% more just for the privilege of clicking "buy."
Navigating La Défense Arena Without Losing Your Mind
If you’ve secured your tickets, the hard part is over. Now you just have to get there. The arena is located in the business district, which is a bit of a maze.
Pro tip: Take the RER A or Metro Line 1 to the "La Défense – Grande Arche" station. Do not try to Uber or taxi. The traffic in that part of Paris during a concert is a nightmare. You will spend 45 minutes moving three blocks. The train is faster, cheaper, and you’ll be surrounded by other people wearing Beatles shirts, which is half the fun anyway.
The doors usually open around 6:00 PM. Paul doesn’t use an opening act. Never has, probably never will. He usually hits the stage around 8:00 PM and plays for nearly three hours. It’s an endurance test for him and the audience.
Why This Specific Paris Leg Matters
There’s a lot of talk about this being the "final" tour. Paul hasn’t said those words, but at his age, every show feels like a gift. The setlist for the 2024/2025 "Got Back" shows is a literal history of rock and roll. You get the Wings hits like Band on the Run, the solo stuff like Maybe I'm Amazed, and obviously the heavy-hitting Beatles classics.
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The highlight for most is the "duet" with John Lennon during I've Got a Feeling, using the isolated vocals from the Get Back documentary. Seeing that in a French arena with 40,000 people singing along? It’s enough to make a grown man cry.
Essential Checklist for the Show
- Download the App: Ticketmaster France and La Défense Arena use digital tickets. Screenshots usually don't work because the barcodes refresh.
- Bring a Power Bank: You’ll be filming Hey Jude for seven minutes. Your battery will die.
- Security is Tight: Don’t bring big bags. They will make you check them in a locker, and the line to get your bag back after the show is longer than the line for the bathroom.
- Earplugs: I know, I know. But the acoustics in a concrete arena can be harsh. High-fidelity earplugs like Loops or Earasers will actually make the music sound better.
If you are still hunting for tickets, keep refreshing. Seriously. People get sick, travel plans fall through, and tickets reappear on the official exchange on the day of the event.
The most important thing is to stay vigilant against scams. If someone on Twitter or Reddit DMs you offering "front row seats" for a "reasonable price" and wants payment via Friends & Family or Crypto, they are lying. Period.
Wait for the official drops. The "Got Back" tour is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and seeing it in the City of Light is about as good as it gets for a music fan.
Go to the official Paris La Défense Arena ticketing page right now and sign up for their specific venue alerts. Check the "Resale" tab on Ticketmaster France every morning at 9:00 AM CET, as that is when system updates typically go live. If you are traveling from abroad, look into "Hotel + Ticket" packages—they are often the last remaining way to get a guaranteed seat when everything else looks sold out.