Why is everyone so crazy-scared of the Louvre? All the articles I have read (and I have ready plenty) jabber on and on about how big, how labyrinthine, and overwhelming the Louvre is.
I concede the Louvre is big and it is confusing. It’s also gorgeous, full of wonders, and allows easy in-and-outs so you can break whenever you need to.
Herewith the last word on the Louvre:
The Louvre is wonderful – as in full of wonders.
And it is actually easy if you follow a few simple tips:
1. If you’re going to be in Paris for a few days, get the Museum Pass. And where, you ask, do I do that? One easy option is the the Tabac at the underground mall at the Louvre. Take the Metro Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre stop. Take the exit to Musee du Louvre- Le Carrousel du Louvre. You will walk right past the Tabac. I checked and it has a range of passes and no extra charge – and short or no lines.
2. Prepare: good walking shoes, protein for breakfast or lunch. There’s coffee, tea, and pastry available all over outside the Musee itself. There are options inside, as well, but few and far between.
3. As noted, if you’re taking the Metro, use the Metro Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre stop.
4. Where do you get into the museum itself? From the Metro Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre, follow the signs to the underground mall, Carrousel du Louvre. It’s huge and puts you right in the middle of the action. Sometimes there are fashion shows there, as well.
5. Other entrance options: (a) the Pyramid. It’s gorgeous and you experience the courtyard, but the lines tend to be huge. (b) There was an entrance at 99 rue de Rivoli, under a red awning that was closed in late 2012. It may have re-opened. It was quick and easy, bypassing the lines at the Pyramid.
If you do choose the Pyramid entrance for its beauty or because that happens to be where you end up, look at the courtyard. Before it was a museum (thank you Napoleon), the Louvre was a functioning palace, which means it was full of people socializing and seeking advancement. Carriages, horses, footmen, women in lovely dresses, servants everywhere – imagine the scene. And remember, only nobles of a certain class could have their carriages in the courtyard.
6. Pick up the free Plan/Information at the Information Desk under the Pyramid. All those hours of quacking like a duck practicing French in the car paid off when I asked for a copy and the clerk gave me the French version.
7. Now, stop and acclimate. The noise can be deafening. There are crowds everywhere and so many options you can get dizzy. This is especially true if you, like me, are from a small town. If you have coats and bags, you can check them. However, the coat check (vestiare) and the bag check (bagagerie) are separate. You can stuff your coat into your bag, of course. Having lightened the load, proceed.
8. If you haven’t been, you are probably going to want to collect the greatest hits: the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and other classics. The Denon Wing houses most of these. You can use the Plan, take a tour, or rent to AutoGuide. Be warned – they won’t let you have the AutoGuide after about 3 p.m. At least, that was my experience.
9. Having gotten the requirements out of the way, what next? Now comes the fun. Take pot luck – just dive in to a gallery and see what happens. My next post reveals what we found this way – something we never knew about.
10. Plan for your exit about a half hour before you actually need to be out, unless you have the AutoGuide. The key word: “sortie”. Look for it. Follow it. Be prepared to retrace steps. Have no fear.
11. Final general recommendation: if you are in town, go when the Louvre is open at night, one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had. Seeing the light change through the pyramid, from the wonderful Paris blue sky to l’heure bleu and on to night, with golden lights everywhere, while surrounded with the world’s great art – priceless!
See, the Louvre is easy, it’s fun, and when you’re on a break, you can drink designer tea at Mariage Freres and pick up the most expensive cookie in the world at Laduree. (SRSLY, 5+ euro for a macaron?)