Hands down the most popular tourist attraction in the city of Paris with a whopping 10.2 million and rising visitors annually, the Louvre Museum is a sight to behold - and hence its unmatched popularity. Before it was turned into the world's second largest museum, the Louvre served as a royal palace for French kings. It wasn't until King Louis XVI moved to Versailles that the National Assembly opened the Louvre as a museum in 1793 with a collection of 537 paintings. If you plan on visiting this magnificent piece of art and architecture prepare to be overwhelmed by long queues. But if you want to avoid this nightmare, bookmark these tried-and-tested ways to skip the lines at the Louvre.
Wait Times - What to Expect at Louvre?
A wait line is inevitable at the Louvre, and longer so if you haven't planned your trip in advance. Typically, the ticket lines last at least two hours long. On days not as busy, the ticket line will still have you waiting at least 40 minutes. There are many ways to avoid this situation, one would be to buy a ticket in advance, online. Most highly suggested, though, is to get yourself and your family/friends Skip The Line tickets, that way you get to cruise past the queues all together and enter the Louvre with priority access.
7 ways to skip the lines at Louvre
1. Buy skip the line Louvre Museum tickets in advance online
The easiest and most effective way to avoid 2-hour long or a minimum 40-minute long ticket line at the Louvre is to purchase skip the line Louvre tickets in advance. These easy entry tickets are available to purchase online and allow you skip ticket queues and make it straight to the security gates. A quick security check later, you are allowed to enter the museum and enjoy the stunning art collections at the Louvre. Note that skip the line Louvre tickets are time stamped viz., they are valid only for the specific date and time.
2. Choose the right Louvre Museum entrance
Picking the right entrance queue to the Louvre is important, especially if you're an online ticket holder. We say this because there are 4 entrances to the Louvre- the Pyramid entrance, Carrousel du Louvre, Richelieu Passage and Porte des Lions Entrance. The Pyramid is the entrance online ticket holders use to access the museum while the other entrances are dedicated to guided tours, school groups, members, etc. However, the Pyramid gate has been infamous for its unending queues over the years. In current times, thanks to better management and timed ticket entry, most of the wait and queuing time has exponentially improved for online ticket holders. The Pyramid entrance further has 4 queues marked with different colours - green to orange for those buying tickets on-site while yellow is the only line online ticket holders have to queue up at.
3. Visit the Louvre on Wednesday
You'd be surprised how many wasted hours picking the right day and time to visit the Louvre can save you! Of course, the weekends are the busiest so planning a visit during the weekdays is ideal, more specifically on a Wednesday or Friday. On these specific days the Louvre remains open till 9:45 pm, so not only do you avoid crowds, you also get to stick around and explore the museum at your pace. To avoid large crowds it is also advised to visit the Louvre Museum at around 3 pm on regular days and at 5 pm on Wednesday and Friday.
4. Go on a guided tour of the Louvre Museum
Another way to give the lines a miss and have a really immersive experience at The Louvre is by opting for a guided tour. You simply go straight to the entrance gates and then onto an enjoyable Louvre Museum tour with a knowledgeable guide keeping you company throughout. The guide will ensure all your questions and curiosities about the world's second largest Museum are met. The cherry on this particular experience though is the hassle-free and easy access to the Louvre Museum through the Porte des Lions - the only dedicated entrance for guided tour groups.
Here's how you can pick the right Louvre guided tour.
5. Visit the Louvre at night, after closing hours
Although it may sound like we are asking you to break-in, you can actually visit the Louvre at night, after closing hours. All you need to do is sign up for a Louvre After Hours. Best part? No queues for miles. This way of skipping the line at the Louvre comes highly recommended, especially for art lovers because of its relaxing experience. Definitely well worth the premium, so make sure you grab these limited tickets well in advance.
6. Get the Paris Museum Pass and get skip the line access to the Louvre + 60 other attractions in Paris
The "golden ticket" of sorts, get your hands on the Paris Museum Pass and you may just unlock tourist paradise. The Paris Museum Pass allows you to visit more than two Parisian museums in a day with easy access and saves you extra money. Not just that, it gives you skip-the-line access to over 60 monuments and museums including the Louvre for dirt cheap. Plus, you won't have to wait in line to visit the Louvre with a Paris Museum Pass.
7. VIP access to the Louvre
This exclusive access allows more time to admire the masterpieces within, including da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," the "Venus de Milo," and many other world-renowned works. It gets you the skip the line access along with an English speaking guide and the best part is you can either opt for a small group of 6 to 10 people or visit on your own!
Recommended Skip The Line Louvre Tickets
Louvre Skip The Line Tickets vs Guided Tours - What to choose?
Purchasing Skip The Lines Louvre Tickets online allows you to choose a specific date and time slot, this ensures a super quick entry to the museum in 30 minutes or less. Visitors with these skip-the-line Louvre tickets enter via a special green line at the Glass Pyramid. However, these tickets are time-stamped and valid only for that specific time slot, on the specific date, missing either means you will have to wait.
Alternatively and far better an option, is to opt for a Louvre Skip The Line Guided Tour with a small, private group. One, you won't have to waste time waiting in line, just skip it and enter through Porte des Lions and two, you have a well-informed tour guide to show you around and explain the marvelous art showcased at the museum. In short, with a skip-the-line guided tour, you don't just save time, you also have a pleasurable and informative experience.
Louvre Museum Skip The Line experience Deconstructed
A skip-the-line tour experience at the Louvre feels like 'the' hassle-free vacation of your dream. You get to navigate one of the world's largest and most popular museums with ease. If you opt for a private tour, meet your guide at the entrance and bypass long queues and save time with the skip-the-line tickets.
Once inside, follow your guide for a personalised and convenient exploration, revel at masterpieces, hear stories about the museum’s long history, learn the stories behind the paintings, and more. Definitely marvel at the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace marble sculpture and visit the opulent Grand Salon while here. Once the guided tour ends, you can stick around and continue to explore the Louvre yourself.
Skip The Line Ticket Louvre Reviews
We liked everything. The exposition of paintings, people, ancient Greek statues is like getting into the history of our civilization.
- Marina, Headout, March 2023
Highly recommend booking a skip the line pass. For it being my first time in the city, it made the experience that much less stressful. When I saw how long the ticket line was I was really grateful I purchased in advance. I was thru security and in the museum within minutes of my arrival. I booked for 10:30 which was busy but also gave me plenty of time without the crowds to enjoy the indoor sculpture garden.
- Oryan, Headout, January 2023
Read more Louvre Skip The Line ticket reviews.
Insider Tips
- Best to buy skip-the-line Louvre tickets online, well in advance.
- Pick the correct desired date and time-slot while booking these fast track tickets online.
- There is no need to print your tickets, you can show them at the entrance through your smartphone.
- These priority entrance e-tickets are only valid for a same-day visit.
- Skip-the-line Louvre tickets are priced more than the regular ticket, so keep extra cash handy.
Skip The Line @ Louvre: Essential Information
How to get to Louvre Museum
- By Bus: To go from Paris to the Louvre Pyramid using bus services you will have to catch the direct bus operated by Bus RATP from the Rivoli-Chatelet station and arrive at Louvre. Services depart every five minutes, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 5 min.
- By Metro: There is a line 1 subway direct train from Paris to Louvre Pyramid that departs from Hôtel de Ville and arrives at Palais-Royal. Services depart every five minutes, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 7 minutes and costs €2.
- By Car: The fastest and easiest way to get from Paris to Louvre Pyramid is to take a cab. It takes about 3 minutes to reach and costs around €15.
Louvre Museum Entrances explained
The I.M. Pei Pyramid Entrance is the main entrance to the Louvre. It has two lines, one with the skip-the-line ticket holders and the other with the ones waiting to buy tickets.
The Carrousel du Louvre is easiest to access from outside, and is also called the mall entrance to the Louvre. Only groups are usually allowed entry in lines here. Make sure to enquire before queuing up.
The Porte de Richelieu is your fast access entrance if you have an annual membership at the museum or are visiting in groups. Book tickets in advance if using this entrance.
The Portes de Lions entrance is located in the internal part of the Louvre and is usually not open for entry. Once in the premises of the Louvre make sure to enquire.
Louvre Opening Hours
The revised opening and closing hours of the Louvre are 9 am to 6 pm on Saturday/Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Thursday. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. You can visit the Louvre at Night until 9:45 pm on Fridays.
It remains closed on the following holidays: January 1, May 1, December 25.
Best Time to Visit Louvre Museum
The best time in the year to visit the Louvre museum and avoid the biggest crowds is between the low seasons of November and March. Avoid Christmas and days around New Year's. Better days of the week and times to visit the museum will be on Wednesday and Friday during low season and Monday and Thursdays during high season. The Louvre is also open till 9:45 during night openings, this also proves to be the best to visit to avoid crowds.
Rules and Regulations
- Large bags are prohibited inside the Louvre museum. There are lockers available for keeping your essentials but make sure nothing exceeds 55 x 35 x 20 cm in dimensions.
- Photography is allowed inside Louvre but use of selfie sticks, flash or lighting is strictly prohibited.
- Louvre sees plenty of visitors, so in case you exit you won't be allowed re-entry.
- Independent guides can bring groups of up to 25 people and use headsets and a mic.
Skip The Line Louvre: FAQs
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