"Skip the line" Louvre tiks

Two questions for you to ask the private tour folks:
1) Do they get you around the security line
2) Do they have any magic bullet for getting you around the large tour groups from foreign countries with the guides with the flags, these are the 30 people that during the day will be the ones standing in front of what you want to see, such as the Winged Victory and Venus de Milo.

Or just show up for free, just before opening time, but not Tuesday (they're closed) or Wednesday (day after being closed).

Best we found 2 weeks ago was go [edited thanks to Chani] Friday evening, the big tour groups were gone.

I believe Kent has a typo (a very rare event). The Louvre is open Wed and Fri eves, the Orsay on Thurs eves.

Hi, if you are just trying to skip the line, get a Paris Museum Pass. They are sold for 2, 4 or 6 days and are a great value if you do some pre-planning to figure out your cost savings. Last week we bought 2 day passes and went to Versailles, the Orsay, climbed the towers at Notre Dame, visited the Cluny, Conciergerie, and stopped by the Louvre for a bit. The Pass more than paid for itself and no lines (other than security). At the Louvre, use the Richilieu entrance. Absolutely no line, we got into the building in 30 seconds.

Thanks Chani,
I had so much fun at the Orsay Thursday night that I got confused when it came to the Louvre.
Oh you know, the Louvre or Orsay--one of those dang painter musays. :-)

You don't have to book a tour to skip the line. Nor do you have to buy the entire Museum Pass (although that can be a good idea). You can buy Louvre tickets in advance from fnac.com, or go in through the metro entrance from Line 1 at Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre through the shopping mall called "Carrousel du Louvre" and buy tickets at the tabac there or from the machines in the grand hallway after you pass under the inverted pyramid and go through security (I think those latter machines, however, only function with chip-and-pin card).

We visited the Louvre last Thurdsay. I had planned to arrive thirty minutes prior to opening to skip most of the lines by getting there early, but slept in instead. We arrived to the security line at 11:30. That line took about 20 minutes. once you get in through security, there are tons of automated ticket machines. Getting tickets took maybe 5 minutes.

I contemplated tickets in advance and/or an early morning. Instead, I was strategic with my entrance and that was the best. We entered through the mall /metro stop area. the lines outside I heard were insane. We ran into another couple who had purchased tickets in advance as there was a special security line with that. Took longer in that line as so many people pre purchased!

maybe we just got lucky.... But mid day Thursday using a lesser known entrance is the way to go. No pre booking required.

Ps.... The ticket machines worked with my swipe credit card.