The British second seed lost his focus at times but eventually had more in store than the 2012 Bercy champion to set up a showdwon with either world number one Novak Djokovic or French Open champion Stan Wawrinka.
Murray got off to a dream start, breaking to love in the first game. It spurred Ferrer into action and the Spaniard levelled for 3-3 when two unforced errors gave him a break in the sixth game.
In a see-saw opening set, Ferrer set up four more break points in the eighth game but Murray saved them and went on to steal his opponent's serve as the Spaniard made a string of unforced errors.
The Scot finished a superb exchange at the net with a fine sliced lob to set up two set points. On the first one, Ferrer netted a routine backhand.
The Spaniard stayed focused, however, and raced to a 3-1 lead in the second.
But double grand slam champion Murray discovered his range again, finding gravity-defying angles to win five games in a row, wrapping up the victory on his first match point when Ferrer netted a drop shot.
