One of the first things I did when we decided to go to Paris, France was to grab tickets for The Louvre.

I believe The Louvre must be the #1 must-see sight on every travelers lists when coming to Paris. It’s the largest museum in the world and boast some of the greatest artworks ever created by the masters.

That being said, there were definitely a few things I wish I had known before seeking out the iconic glass pyramid.

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Louvre - Glass Pyramid

 

Here is What You Need to Know About Visiting The Louvre:

 

Advanced Tickets, Get in Early

First off, make sure you purchase your entry tickets in advance – I cannot stress this one enough! You’ll have less of a headache if you plan and purchase them ahead of time.

I bought tickets for the first day, a Sunday, and got through the entry line & security within minutes. The second day, Monday, I decided on a whim to go back and it took somewhere between 35-45 minutes just to get through the door, then another 30 minutes just to buy a ticket. Not very fun.

Second, try to get your entry ticket for early morning but NOT the first group. The Louvre opens at 9:00am and is packed with people who are looking to spend the whole day there. My suggestion is get you entry tickets for 10:00am. You’ll still have a whole day to explore but will miss the opening crowd.

The Louvre is not open on Tuesdays and major holidays.

 

Download The Museum Map

You can get a physical one when you enter the museum but I recommend planning ahead of time and downloading the map.

Mind you, some people want to see every piece of artwork. Although I adore art history, there are over 35,000 pieces of artwork on display. Some might say this is blasphemous but you might not wish to see each and every piece. I only spent 3 hours each day checking out the museum – it’s huge and walking will exhaust you.

My recommendation is to download the museum map, select 2 or 3 galleries you definitely need to see and then roam afterwards. You’d be surprised how much you can see in just 3-4 hours.

Not an art expert but still want to enjoy the museum? Or perhaps you don’t have a lot of time? The Louvre can recommend “Visitor Trails” which will take you through sections of the museums and point out famous works. You can view this here or print it out & take it with you when you visit.

 

Confirm Room Closures

Nothing is worse then flying all the way to Paris, paying for the museum ticket, only to find out that the artwork you want to view is in a gallery that’s closed for the day. This was my experience but I was lucky enough to go two separate days so I ended up seeing everything I wanted to.

The Louvre started doing renovations several years back and have scheduled room closures so the renovations can be completed while the museum is still open. This means you will need to research ahead of time to make sure of which closures are where.

Thankfully, The Louvre made a set schedule for these closures which you can view here. Between this and the museum map, you should be able to plan exactly where you want to go and when.

 

Photo by Alicia Steels on Unsplash

Make the Mona Lisa Your First Stop

One of the most famous pieces of artwork ever created, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Unfortunately that also means everyone wants to see it. The best time to see the Mona Lisa would be early morning as the museum gets more crowded in the afternoons.

There will be a roped off section around the artwork so that the crowd is standing at least 6-8 feet away. The Mona Lisa isn’t a terribly large piece of artwork and having to stand far back doesn’t help so have some patience, especially if it’s already crowded. 

You might want to make this the first item – I went on a Sunday morning and only waited a few minutes before I was able to get an up-front view.

 

Take Your Time and Let Large Groups Go First

Something I learned very quickly while I meandered around the museum is there are a lot of large groups. Some could be 10 people, others are larger with 30+ people, and plenty of them will believe they have the ‘right of way’. And while it’s tempting to rush ahead of them, don’t.

By letting these massive groups go first, you’ll not rushed when it’s your turn. Everyone else will avoid large groups like the plague but by hanging out and allowing them to view first, you reap the reward of getting prime viewing afterwards.

 

Don’t Use the Bathrooms in the Exhibits

For the love of everything green on this planet, don’t use the toilets located in the galleries. If you can hold it or find one of the larger, multi-stall restrooms, do that.

I made the mistake of going into one of these since they’re conveniently located in each gallery but these suckers are single stall and disgusting. I’m talking about New York subway bathroom disgusting. These bathrooms aren’t cleaned as often as their larger, more public compatriots.

If you simply cannot wait and must use one, look for the W/C sign on the hidden doors leading into each gallery. Enter at your own risk.

 

Photo Taking

This is something you will need to be careful of since certain galleries will and will not allow you to take photos, just depends on which you walk into. I was a bit disappointed in this since I really wanted photos of very famous works. Then again, since better copies are found all over the internet it’s not a huge deal.

Still, be careful and when in doubt, ask a docent.

 

Save Money, Take Snacks

If you’re like and you travel on a tight budget you know that sometimes you need to wave off the expensive food and carry snacks instead. Thankfully the Louvre is very good about allowing you to bring in snacks.

Since the the Louvre has lockers, bringing snacks isn’t an inconvenience since you can drop them off with your coat or bags and grab them whenever you like.

I recommend carrying items that aren’t smelly: apples, nuts, protein or granola bars, gummies, or pastries. Don’t bring things that spoil easily or have a heavy smell like cheese, bananas or a full meal.

I ended up carrying a protein bar, apple and gummies and that held me until lunch. Eating a full breakfast beforehand, especially if your hotel includes it, is a super smart and cheap way of staying full while in the museum.

You’ll be burning calories while walking around so I still suggest some snacks.

If you do wish to splurge, there are several snack counters around the main entrance. There’s also The Comptoir du Louvre, which has lots of yummy pastries, and The Cafe Mollien.

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I hope my experience at the Louvre will help you to plan a stress-free, enjoyable trip. If you have a tip or want to share your experience, please leave a comment below!