Five tips for a stress-free visit to the Louvre
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- Five tips for a stress-free visit to the Louvre
If the Louvre is the museum that beats all the records, this includes the number of visitors. So adopt smart habits to make the most of your visit. To begin, plan enough time for your visit, and don't forget that the museum is closed on Tuesdays!
Prepare your visit
Buy your ticket in advance to avoid queuing at the ticket desks
Specifying a specific date and time slot, e-tickets guarantee entry within the half hour. You can use the priority queues in front of the Pyramid or the entrance via the Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall. The Passage Richelieu entrance off the Rue de Rivoli is also reserved for e-ticket holders.
Get the map of the museum
It is available in 13 languages at the information banks under the Pyramid or can be downloaded from the museum's website. We also recommended you download the application "My Visit to the Louvre" (Iphone + Android). Enter the artwork you are looking for and it shows you the way via a 3D itinerary through the museum. Handy! It also gives access to 600 comprehensive descriptions of artworks and of significant parts of the Louvre (free) and their audio commentaries (for a fee). Available in 7 languages, the application is full of essential information. And if you forgot to download it before leaving, don't panic as you can do it on the spot by connecting to the free wi-fi network "Louvre_Wifi_Gratuit".
Ditch the crowds
Most visitors come to swell the queues in front of the Pyramid. So, choose the entrance via the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre, which guarantees a smoother passage. In the evening, the crowds drop away significantly and the busiest rooms are much quieter. For an unforgettable evening, enjoy late-night opening (until 9.45pm) on Fridays and get your one-on-one with the Venus of Milo!
Enjoy the free services
Make the most of your visit and take the opportunity to borrow canes, pushchairs, baby carriers (yes, you can visit the Louvre with a baby!) and wheelchairs, offered free of charge. The reception staff, under the Pyramid, will lend them to you in exchange for proof of identification. A comfortable solution for families, people with reduced mobility and the elderly. Also, the reception under the Pyramid has been redesigned to make information clearer and more accessible, thanks to its colour codes and banners. And thanks to the 23 information points scattered throughout the museum, it's now practically impossible to get lost!
Take a break on site
Remplacer texte existant par: Ready for lunch? Recharge your batteries at any of the 15 cafés and restaurants scattered throughout the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries or the Carrousel du Louvre and offering on-site or take-out options. On the first floor of the Denon wing, enjoy the charm of Café Mollien, open onto the French painting rooms for a quick lunch or a small snack. In the Richelieu wing, a few steps away from Napoleon III’s appartments, Café Richelieu serves delicacies from Maison Angélina, a true Parisian institution. Bistrot Benoît welcomes you under the Pyramid, in the heart of the museum, in a zinc and brass décor reminiscent of the old bistros of the capital. You will taste typical dishes of French savoir-faire. Savour the exceptional view from the Café Marly ; or sit in the shade of the trees of the Jardin des Tuileries. The choice is yours!
Visit the Musée Eugène Delacroix
Extend your visit to the Musée Eugène Delacroix, a 15-minute walk from the Louvre on the other side of the Seine. Your ticket to the Louvre, which gives access to permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, also allows access, on the same day, to this museum dedicated to the great romantic painter. It's your opportunity to enjoy the charming studio where he settled in 1857 and which overlooks a peaceful garden. Obviously, the opposite also works! Avoid the queues at the Louvre by buying your ticket at the Musée Delacroix.
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- Copyright image: Van Biesen / Ooshot / CRT Paris Ile-de-France