I have an upcoming business trip to Paris (in 2 weeks!!) and am mixing in a little mini-vacation with my family. We'll have about 2 and half days to do some serious sightseeing and some additional time to just take in the surroundings. We want to visit the Louvre and I've seen the recommendations to get tickets in advance to avoid lines. The museum pass is not an option for us because we will not be visiting the eligible sites on consecutive days. Seems like my other 2 options are to buy passes online or get them at TI locations. Which would be more advisable?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
359 posts
I would buy them online. If you're busy when you get there you won't want to go around searching for the TI when you could spend that time sightseeing.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
77 posts
You can wait until you arrive in Paris to get your ticket. In Rick's Paris guidebook he explains:
Louvre Cost and Hours: €12, free on first Sun of month Oct-March, covered by Museum Pass, tickets good all day, reentry allowed; Wed-Mon 9:00-18:00, Wed and Fri until 21:45 (except on holidays), closed Tue, galleries start shutting 30 minutes before closing, last entry 45 minutes before closing; several cafés, tel. 01 40 20 53 17, recorded info tel. 01 40 20 51 51, www.louvre.fr.
When to Go: Crowds can be miserably bad on Sun, Mon (the worst day), Wed, and in the morning (arrive 30 minutes before opening to secure a good place in line). Evening visits are quieter, and the glass pyramid glows after dark.
Buying Tickets: Self-serve ticket machines located under the pyramid may be faster to use than the ticket windows (machines accept euro bills, coins, and chip-and-PIN Visa cards). A shop in the underground mall sells tickets to the Louvre, Orsay, and Versailles, plus Museum Passes, for no extra charge (cash only). To find it from the Carrousel du Louvre entrance off Rue de Rivoli, turn right after the last escalator down onto Allée de France, and follow Museum Pass signs.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Once I started looking into buying online I realized there were no e-tickets for the Louvre and mailing them was going to be cutting it close. So, I've decided to buy then onsite. I have read about the Carrousel entrance. Seems too good to be true! I've also come across a mention of another alternative entrance, Portes des Lions, although I'm not sure whether tickets are needed to enter through this one.
In any event, I'll be using one of these for sure!
Posted by
Durham, NC, USA
335 posts
Depending on your visit dates, Paris Walks offers a Louvre tour (only 6 persons on it) which includes seeing the "highlights" plus getting your tix for you. Check out their Website for specific info. I've used PW for many tours and highly recommend them.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15781 posts
The Carousel entrance is the way to go. The long lines at the Pyramid entrance are for security, not tickets. Once you are inside, there are many ticket windows and machines. If you can, go on Wednesday or Friday late afternoon. The Louvre is open late on those evenings and not crowded.