The Louvre, Paris is the world’s largest and most visited art museum, with works of art including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Visiting Paris in France and want to visit the Louvre but are limited for time? Watch my film and follow these tips to get the most out of your visit.
Arrive early: The museum opens at 9am, get there at least 15 minutes before opening to be in the queue. Visit early or late as crowds are less. Enter via the Pyramid with pre-booked tickets. There are security checks (check the website for full details).
Pick the right day: The museum is closed on Tuesdays and is free on the first Sunday of each month, which will save you money but will probably be much busier. You can stay late at the museum on a Wednesday or Friday, when it stays open until 9:45pm, normal closing time is 6pm. The museum has a rolling programme of room closures so check what you want to see is open:
Book in advance: Buy your ticket and book your time-slot in advance on the museum website, to save time. You must arrive within 30 minutes of your booked time.
Get a plan! If you are only visiting for a few hours get the most out of your visit by familiarising yourself with the layout beforehand by using the interactive map or by downloading a copy of the plan.
Layout: The Louvre is divided into 3 sections: Sully, Denon and Richelieu. Please note the layout of the Louvre can be somewhat confusing and room numbers were difficult to see. If you enter through the Pyramid you will descend into the Hall Napoleon, from which you can access the 3 wings, if you wish to follow my planned route head straight for the Denon wing.
History: Once the main residence of the Kings of France, it became a museum to display the nation’s finest artwork during the French Revolution.
My Planned Tour Route: Here is my planned route and a list of the paintings and exhibits featured in my film. After entering through the pyramid and descending on the escalator you will find yourself on floor -1 of the Hall Napoleon, head towards the Denon wing and up the stairs to floor 0. Turn right to pass through room 403 admiring Michelangelo’s sculpture “Dying Slave” on the way. Go up the stairs to floor 1 passing through room 700, to arrive at the first painting on the tour.
Denon Floor 1 (Rooms numbers shown in brackets)
Mona Lisa – Leonardo Da Vinci (711) “The best known…most visited.. work of art in the world.” Make this your first stop to beat the crowds.
The Wedding Feast at Cana – Veronese (711). A sumptuous painting of the feast where Jesus turned water into wine. Marvel at the detail.
The Coronation of Napoleon – Jaques-Louis David (701). A large scale depiction of Napoleon being crowned Emperor.
Napoleon on the Battlefield of Eylau – Antoine-Jean Gros (700) Depicts an event after the battle, noted for its realistic depiction of the unpleasant truth of war.
The Raft of the Medusa – Theodore Gericault (700) The moment of salvation captured for the survivors of a shipwreck.
Liberty Leading the People – Eugene Delacroix (700) A depiction of an heroic scene from the French Revolution said to have inspired Les Miserables.
The Oath of the Horatii – Jacques-Louis David (702). One of the best known Neo-classical style paintings depicts a Roman legend.
Winged Victory of Samothrace (703) Nike, an Hellenistic masterpiece, impressively realistic, located at the top of a staircase and owns the space.
The French Crown Jewels (705)
SULLY Floor 1
Eqyptian Antiquities (633 – 641) A vast collection of over 5,000 exhibits depicting the ancient Egyptian civilization, brought to France during Napoleon’s campaigns. Some exhibits are awe inspiring and as the exhibits cover a large area you can avoid the crowds.
SULLY Floor 0
Eqyptian Antiquities (317 – 338)
Great Sphinx of Tanis (338) Impressive Egyptian sculpture with the head of a king and the body of a lion, one of the largest Sphinx that you can see outside of Egypt.
SULLY Floor -2
Medieval Foundations – Part of Paris’ original medieval walls. The crowds have arrived.
SULLY Floor 0
Venus De Milo (345) The celebrated ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite.
Greek Antiquities (339, 345 & 348)
After a couple of hours of art appreciation why not treat yourself andenjoy some refreshments in one of the cafés located beneath the pyramid off the Hall Napoleon.
I hope you enjoyed my film and find it and my comments helpful. Please add comments and share any visiting tips you have to help other visitors. Why don’t you have a look at some of the other films on my channel.
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