Buy Louvre Tickets in Advance with Museum Pass

You only need the Museum Pass. Buy it anywhere but the Louvre. Passholders can use the Groups/Pavilion Richelieu entrance, under the arches off Rue de Rivoli.

you have also been misadvised. there is no advantage to having tickets ahead. the long lines are for security. the ticket lines at the machines and kiosks inside are rarely long. Having the pass does let you use the special entrance.
However you do need d'Orsay tickets ahead if you don't use the pass because there is a special security line at the d'Orsay for ticket/pass holders.

Judy,

Just use the Museum Pass and the underground entrance.

depending on when you go that will make a difference. Also, if you buy the pass someplace else it would be better.

try to go first thing in the AM too.

happy trails.

We bought the Paris Museum passes for our "one week in Paris" last July. It was a smart idea and I order them online and they came very quick, in a week or so to our California address. So we started our trip all prepared.... it was great, because we visit Louvre a few times with this Pass and many others museums. You can buy Museum Pass for 2 or more days. You can skip the line in all museums that covered by the Museum Pass.

Judy... get the pass. it's worth every penny.

Agreed, just purchase the museum pass and use the "pass entrance". We bought our pass at the airport upon arrival and it was super easy.

The Museum Pass is a good deal, saving you money (if you make efficient use of it) and time (by letting you skip ticket lines). It covers the Louvre and much more. You can buy it at CDG or at any museum it covers. The best time-saving strategy is to buy it at a smaller museum you want to see, activate it then, and concentrate your museum-going in the days it covers. Be aware that many museums are closed either Mondays or Tuesdays, so a pass covering either of those days will limit your options. Another advantage of the pass is psychological -- it lets you pop into places where you might not otherwise invest the cost of a ticket, and see maybe one or two things, or discover a gem you wouldn't have otherwise.