I always ask the door man or valet to "sell" me chips. Of course you pay him more then face, but you save the entry fee!

French casinos never require a waiting period. Most now have a slot area with no admission charge. To get to the table games you have to pay an entry fee, which is actually a tax paid to the city. Entry is usually 50-100FF per day. I've never seen a casino where the table games open before 4PM. Bring your passport, they will check it against the police records to make sure you are not a criminal!