#8 How to Talk About Weekend Plans｜French Conversation Patterns
Izumi French Garden
#164 Asking About Closing Times｜French Travel Phrases
Izumi
When visiting museums, galleries, or other tourist facilities, failing to check the closing time in advance can easily result in missing a planned exhibition.
In many cases, the closing time and the last admission time are different, which makes it especially important to confirm both.
In this section, I will explain useful French expressions for asking about closing times, based on a realistic conversation example.
Contents
Dialogue
Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous me dire à quelle heure le musée ferme aujourd’hui ?
（Excuse me, could you tell me what time the museum closes today?）
Nous fermons à 18 heures.
（We close at 6:00 p.m.）
D’accord. Et jusqu’à quelle heure peut-on entrer ?
（I see. And until what time is entry allowed?）
La dernière entrée est à 17 h 30.
（The last admission is at 5:30 p.m.）
Est-ce que cela laisse encore assez de temps pour voir l’exposition ?
（Does that still leave enough time to see the exhibition?）
Oui, pour une visite rapide, c’est tout à fait possible.
（Yes, for a quick visit, that should be perfectly fine.）
Merci pour ces informations.
（Thank you for the information.）
1. Asking About the Closing Time
When checking a facility’s opening hours, I recommend using the following expression to ask about the closing time.
Example
- Pourriez-vous me dire à quelle heure le musée ferme aujourd’hui ?
（Could you tell me what time the museum closes today?）
The structure “à quelle heure ～ ferme” means “at what time does ～ close?”
By starting with “Pourriez-vous me dire …” (Could you tell me …), the question sounds polite and composed, making it suitable for formal situations.
Related Expression
- À quelle heure fermez-vous ?
（What time do you close?）
This has the same meaning, but it is slightly more casual and works well when the reception area is busy or when a brief confirmation is needed.
2. Asking About the Last Admission Time
Along with the closing time, it is important to check the last admission time. Entry is not always allowed until closing, which makes this a key point.
Example
- Jusqu’à quelle heure peut-on entrer ?
（Until what time can visitors enter?）
The phrase “jusqu’à quelle heure” means “until what time” and can be used in many situations, such as closing times, reception hours, or last orders.
Example
- La dernière entrée est à 17 h 30.
（The last admission is at 5:30 p.m.）
“La dernière entrée” is a standard expression meaning “last admission” and is worth remembering as a fixed phrase.
3. Checking Whether There Is Enough Time to Visit
If there is limited time before closing, it is natural to wonder whether it is still worth entering.
Example
- Est-ce que cela laisse encore assez de temps pour voir l’exposition ?
（Does that still leave enough time to see the exhibition?）
The expression “laisser assez de temps” literally means “to leave enough time” and is useful when checking whether there is sufficient time remaining.
Related Expressions
- Est-ce qu’on a encore assez de temps pour voir l’exposition ?
（Do we still have enough time to see the exhibition?） - Est-ce que ça vaut encore la peine d’entrer ?
（Is it still worth entering at this point?）
4. Responses About Available Visiting Time
When time is limited, staff may explain what kind of visit is still possible.
Example
- Oui, pour une visite rapide, c’est tout à fait possible.
(Yes, for a quick visit, that is perfectly possible.）
The phrase “visite rapide” means “a short visit” or “a quick look.” The adjective “rapide” can imply not only speed, but also something brief or light.
The expression “tout à fait” adds emphasis and reassurance, making the response more positive than simply saying possible.
Related Expressions
- Pour une visite complète, ce sera un peu juste.
（For a full visit, it may be a bit tight.） - Vous aurez le temps de voir l’essentiel.
（You will have time to see the main highlights.）
Summary
Key French Phrases
- À quelle heure le musée ferme ? / À quelle heure fermez-vous ?
→ Basic expressions for checking a facility’s closing time. - Pourriez-vous me dire à quelle heure ～ ?
→ A more polite way to ask about closing times. - Jusqu’à quelle heure peut-on entrer ? / La dernière entrée est à ～
→ Expressions for confirming or explaining the last admission time. - Est-ce que cela laisse encore assez de temps pour voir l’exposition ?
→ A useful phrase for checking whether a visit is still worthwhile.
