Trixie Navarre

The Louvre is massive, and I will be fair in saying that one visit to Paris’s most beloved museum is not enough. I have been three times, and I am positive that I have not seen everything. This extraordinary palace turned museum contains countless collections of the world’s most famous and priceless pieces of art; including the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo, Diana of Versailles, and Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss. The museum is a phenomenal cultural experience from walking the palace halls, to viewing its masterpieces.

My biggest tip to visiting the Louvre, and viewing its most famous works comfortably, is to pre-purchase your tickets online. Then arrive very early before the museum opens. Every day the queue to enter is excruciatingly long, and if you are anything like me, waiting in any line is a terrible undertaking. There are several entrances, and having your ticket prior can save time especially when entering the Louvre.

• The Pyramid- this is the main enterance for visitors without tickets, with tickets or Paris Museum Pass, visitors with membership cards and Priority access (disabled visitors and staff members)
• The Carrousel (99 rue de Rivoli)- This is a good entrance since not everyone lines up here. It is open to all visitors who are in groups, those with a ticket or have a membership card.
• Porte des Lions (Quai Francois Mitterand)- Another enterance that I favor since it is reserved for visitors who already have a ticket.

Another tip is to download or print up the museum map from the Louvre’s official website, and mark the works of art that you are interested in seeing. The Mona Lisa is one of the museum’s most visited pieces, so make her a priority. On one of my visits, I stood with one other person in front of the Mona Lisa in an empty room. I had planned well, and apparently so did the other guy.

I was one of the first people to enter the museum because I had pre-purchased my ticket, and entered through one of the smaller entrances (not the main pyramid entrance). Then I walked quickly to the Mona Lisa. I ended up back tracking to view the other artworks later on, but being alone with the Mona Lisa was a beautiful experience.

History of The Louvre– The Louvre Palace was originally constructed in the late 12th century, and into the 13th Century for Philip II. There are still remnants of the Medieval Louvre fortress in the basement level of the museum. When urban expansion in Paris happened, the fortress lost its defensive function. It was then converted to the primary residence of French Kings, by Francis I in 1546.

In 1682, the Palace of Versailles was chosen by Louis XIV as the royal household, which left the Louvre as the primary location of the royal collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures. By 1692, the Louvre Palace was occupied by the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, and the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. The Academie stayed at the Louvre for a century, and during the French Revolution the new government decreed the Louvre to be used to display the nation’s masterpieces.

Today, the Louvre houses more than 380,000 objects and displays 35,000 pieces of art within eight curatorial departments. The museum exhibits a variety of works including archaeological finds, drawings, paintings, objects d’art, and sculptures.

The Louvre Pyramid – The glass pyramid in the main courtyard of the Louvre has become a favorite landmark of Paris over the decades. It was designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, and completed in 1988 as part of the Grand Louvre project. The pyramid is surrounded by three smaller pyramids, and serves as the main enterance into the Louvre Museum.

Visiting The Louvre – A visit to the Louvre should be a pleasant experience, but realistically this museum is the most visited in the world. Which in turn means – crowds. Preparing and researching prior to your visit, instead of winging it, is the most productive way to see the Louvre. This is especially important if you are there for only a few hours.

• Pre-purchase your tickets online
• Use one of the alternate entrances and not the Pyramid (main enterance)
• Arrive at least 30 minutes before the museum opens
• Download or print up the museum map, and plan your route
• Make a list of artworks that you want to see
• After visiting the artwork on your list, you can always backtrack to visit the other halls, and exhibitions.
• Carry as little as possible and use a small purse- no backpacks. You may have to put larger bags in the lockers, which can take away from museum time.
• Wear comfortable shoes

Most of all enjoy yourself and have a great museum experience!

For visiting and ticketing, please visit – The Louvre

-Café Marly-

I will let you on a little secret, Café Marly is one of Paris’s best brasseries and literary cafes. It is a favorite of mine for the luxurious atmosphere, the delicious French cuisine, and the magnificent views of the Louvre’s pyramid.

Café Marly is located at the Louvre, and underneath the arcades, opposite the Pyramid main enterance.

For reservations and restaurant information, please visit- Café Marly

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The Louvre – Photo Gallery

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Art is not what you see, but what you make others see…

– Edgar Degas

🌎 Thank you for visiting my website and NEVER STOP EXPLORING!

📸 All photos are taken by me and are my intellectual property – Trixie Navarre