Putting the Louvre in Paris was poor planning. Is there not enough to
see in Paris without the world's most fabulous museum, too? And the
Louvre is huge and demanding, so have a solid game plan in place.
Instructions
1. Plan your trip carefully. Forget August. Every French person and most of their German, Italian and British relatives are on vacation then and will be in line ahead of you.
2. Take the Metro. It travels from downtown Paris to the Louvre. Consult your hotel concierge for times and stations.
3. Get advance tickets through TicketNet.com or TicketWeb.com and arrive early in the day for your best chance for a light crowd. Advance ticket holders bypass the long lines at the on-site ticket booths and go straight to the entrance.
4. Obtain a printed museum guide. A bookstore that sells travel literature should have one. Study the guide and identify the items you definitely want to see. Wandering about the museum might be relaxing and rewarding, but you will definitely miss something.
5. Rent an audio player for an low-key guided tour at your pace.
6. Review the major collections. You probably can't see them all, so focus on your favorites, including of course Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. In addition to famous European paintings, there are exhibits of Oriental art, Greek relics, and sculpture. Study as much history and background in advance for a truly memorable visit.
7. Check online (www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm) to verify which exhibits are open. Different segments of the museum have different schedules, and timing the openings and closings is complicated.
8. Bring a lunch. Food is expensive and most spots will be crowded.
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