The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world and holds an incredible collection of artwork and historic artifacts. You could spend a week wandering its galleries and still have plenty left to admire. It’s also one of the busiest attractions in Paris, second in annual visitors only to Disneyland Paris (what a depressing statistic).
We had an incredible visit this past spring, but it was a sensory nightmare. Everywhere we went, we were penned in by crowds. The largest groups all gather in front of the major works… but there are so many major works, we were elbow to elbow in most of the galleries. They’re building a special gallery just for the Mona Lisa, which should help. We wanted to look at the painting across from her (The Wedding Feast at Cana by Paolo Veronese) and it was utter bedlam. But, even with Ms. Lisa safely ensconced in her own gallery, there’s Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People, the Coronation of Napoleon…
It takes a long time just to get inside. There are lines for timed entry groups, lines for security screening, secondary lines to get into each wing. We used an official guide, which was hugely helpful in navigating all of that. But, be careful! you can’t enter the Louvre on a ticket that’s part of a package if you are led by a guide. We ended up having to purchase a second set of tickets.
Honestly, your best bet is to visit in the off-season.
(Or skip the lines and visit the Musée d’Orsay).
If you want to visit in the off-season, pick a month with crappy weather. Late December and early January see lots of holiday crowds, but otherwise it’s best to go sometime between November and March. Just don’t go when there’s a school holiday. And France has a lot of school holidays.
(Have I mentioned how great the Musée d’Orsay is?)
You could also go early in the morning, when all of the jet-lagged tourists are still asleep. Or at the end of the day, after the big tour groups have left. You could also harden up your elbows and battle the crowds. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Don’t believe me that it gets crazy crowded? Check out this little video that I made about it.
