Louvre is complicated

I got lost in the "Mall", but finally found my way out. It was a little confusing but I just kept following the people!

The Louvre is indeed huge! You can't see the whole thing in one visit, so pick one wing and have at it.

This underscores the value of a good guidebook. The RS Paris guidebook has an entire section dedicated to the Louvre, complete with map, a self-guided tour, and a RS audio tour.

You definitely need to have gallery map in hand and know exactly where you are in the museum to orient yourself towards the nearest staircase to facilitate an exit. If you found it confusing then all I can say is that The Hermitage in St Petersburg is worse.

The first thing to do in any museum is to get the map/guide, especially for a huge museum like the Louvre. I know when I was there they had English versions of the map/guide, so language was not an issue. Also for large museums it's important to do some research, online or in guide books, ahead of time so you know what you want to see and how you want to proceed through the museum. And by all means rent an audioguide or use a free app like RS guides to help you navigate.

They had free leaflets with maps of all of the wings when we were there, and we'd spent some time with the website before the trip. Downloading this would have been helpful as well (export as a PDF to your device for viewing or printing out):

http://www.louvre.fr/sites/default/files/medias/medias_fichiers/fichiers/pdf/louvre-plan-information-english.pdf

This is available on the site in multiple languages. :O)

Google for a NYT article "Making the most of the Louvre". Excellent advice and stunning photos.

They have signs everywhere that say Sorte (exit) so you're never sure which way is truly the way out.

Had to laugh. That certainly was my experience. I saw most of the individual pieces I wanted to and then did a quicker run through of several broader areas. Then began looking for the egress. Followed some signs, then followed more signs and ended up where I started looking for the egress. Did it again but decided to try a slightly different direction from the sign and eventually emerged. But it is a great museum. I did most of my early research with the DK Guide and used Rick's Paris Guide while there (and the Louvre's map as well.) Great place and I cannot wait to return.

The Louvre is the palace of the kings of France and is a complex warren of stairs and galleries. Finding the exit can be a challenge. It is helpful to pick up the free map when you enter. If you approach a guard with 'Bonjour' and then the name of the thing you are looking for -- or point to it on the map, they will be able to direct you with hand motions even if they don't speak English. Many have rudimentary English.

It is important if you are making just one visit to review the place on the web site or look at the map first to know your priorities. Among the amazing things to see: the Egyptian mummies and artifacts, an original Hammurabi code and replicas of the Assyrian lion gates, amazing sculptures by a contemporary of Ben Franklin (he is there in that collection), the Rubens room which has lifesize pictures of the life of the horrifying Marie de Medici painted by Rubens (much to laugh at there all painted marvelously), some lovely Holbein portraits ---- just so much wonderful stuff beyond Mona, Winged Victory and Venus de Milo all of which are well worth a look. We spent 3 full days in the Louvre during the 105 F weather in August of 2003 and have seen pretty much everything; it turned out to be a great place to cool off for 3 days.

A kind soul posted a link to the NYT article mentioned above just yesterday. A forum search would have found that for you.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/ny-times-article-on-visiting-
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/culture/what-to-see-at-the-louvre

I completely agree with the OP that the Louvre is complicated! In February, my husband and I let the Louvre beat us. We wanted to focus on the Egyptian antiquities but we could not find that area! We even asked for directions at the help desk but we must have had a language problem because we ended up at the Egyptian Coptic area instead! That was the end of a long day with over ten miles on my pedometer so we decided to let the Louvre beat us that day.

The next day we went to the Orsay and had a nice stroll in the gardens near the Louvre. We decided to give the Louvre another shot and with a fresh perspective we found the Egyptian Antiquities section this time! It was worth it.

...lifesize pictures of the life of the horrifying Marie de Medici
painted by Rubens (much to laugh at there all painted marvelously)

Ah, yes, horrid Marie. You gave me a chuckle there, Janet. The woman was such a terror that her own son finally tossed her out!

The pictures of the ship of state with the long suffering rowers is our favorite. Marie perhaps conspired in the murder of the King and then warred against her own son when he came of age to take the Kingship. Her vanity oozes from every painting which she of course commissioned. She also commissioned the Medici Fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens which is one of our favorite places to sit and read on warm days. (there is a coffee and ice cream kiosk nearby)

You have my sympathy. I spent six months there, going to art history classes 3-4 times a week, and I still get lost and can't find my way out. Happens at the Met, too.

I think we passed Winged Victory at least six times trying to find our way around.

I expect to be completely lost, even with maps and signs, and I'm usually pretty good with directions and about doing pre-trip research. I even felt lost going in and out of there with our RS guide! Thank you 75020 for sharing that link. That should help in us being able to find what we want to see and we will certainly pick up free maps when we enter. Still researching finding our way in...

sm,

If you're ever able to return to the Louvre, I find it's a good idea to do some research with a guidebook (preferably RS) and decide which areas you want to see. As you noted, it's HUGE but if you break it down to the three wings (Denon, Sully, Richelieu), it makes it easier. In my experience it's a good idea to limit the visit to no more than two wings in a day, and also only specific displays in those wings.

You might also pack along a Phrase book or try to learn some basic French so that you can communicate with the staff.

Bets, you mentined taking art history classes at the Louvre. I had searched for this previously with no luck. Are you able to share more details by any chance?

Regarding the vastness of the Louvre - the maps are pretty handy and hilight key pieces and washrooms. i try to "walk the gallery" virtually prior to visits to such places and find it saves steps and enhances the visit. In addition. to some well known pieces mentioned, suggesting Raft of the Medusa as well...reading the book about the painting before hand also adds to the experience!

There is a language barrier, no doubt about it, just as there is a language barrier for unilingual French tourists at say, the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art. A little homework before the visit would have helped, but now you know for the next time. I hope there will be a next time for you.

Heck, I got lost in the Art Institute of Chicago last month, and I had a map.

That original post is a masterful bit of parody. Well done!

They have a pretty good interactive map.

One thing I have learned is to take a knowledgeable guide with me to an art museum. I get so much more out of it when I know about a painting or sculpture - the artist, the times. It's one thing to walk through a museum and look and say "oh that's nice" it is a whole different experience when you know that 3 of the men in the painting are drinking buddies of the artist, and the artist painted himself from behind into the painting, or the model in this painting by artist x is also in this painting by artist y.

Patricia, Ten years ago they offered oodles of short term courses on different subjects, lasting three or four weeks. They also offered a rotation of weekly tours featuring a different artist, period, and theme and more. One week Ingres, another Chardin, etc. One week Paradise another Ovid's Metamorphoses, etc. Everything was in French. They published a catalogue of courses three times a year. Then when I went back nine years ago, they had made huge cuts in the education department. However, here is a link to the reduced cycles of visits they offer now. http://www.louvre.fr/visites-guidees?tab=0#tabs

For everyone's information: There is a highly recommended introductory highlight tour in English everyday.

Thanks Bets! Appreciate the contributors to this forum so much...the tips have added such joy and value for myself and doubtless so many...what a small world!

"Once again the language barrier was a problem..."
Is English no longer the official language in France?