The Louvre

If you love history, and you love art, then you’ll want to visit the Louvre.

That said, if you want to make the most of your time you will need a strategy.

Yes! Strategy! Mainly because visiting the Louvre and attempting to see all the paintings would be like trying to read every book in a library; it can be done, but you’ll likely need far more time than you have.

The museum is so large that it’s worth doing your research beforehand to see which pieces interest you, which you would like to see up close and have a good look at, versus the ones you’re happy to experience ‘on the fly’ as you walk through the halls on your way to other pieces, or not see certain works at all!

It can be tough if you’re not familiar with the history of the pieces or if you’re unsure of what you want to see. The best advice I can give you is to research your favourite works of art and see if they’re even at the Louvre. Don’t assume they will be! A good deal of the pieces Aunt River wanted to see were in various museums scattered across Europe; one was even in New York! When you know if your favourite piece is there, search to see if there are others like it, perhaps of a similar topic or by the same artist or from the same time period. Personally, I wanted to see the Mona Lisa, and St. John the Baptist, both by Leonardo DaVinci, as well as the Code of Hammurabi, a pillar of law from roughly the 1700 BCE. Don’t forget that the Louvre doesn’t just hold paintings, there is a whole hall of magnificent statues to be viewed as well.

Choose your favourites, and be sure to see the ones you’ll regret missing first. Be aware that if you, too, want to see the Mona Lisa, there might be a bit of a crowd. She’s got a hall basically to herself, she’s that popular. You should also be aware that there are many halls and sub sections of the Louvre. It can be quite a walk. I had to go to what felt like the ends of the entire museum just to see Rembrandt’s Bathsheba, so don’t be running around in high heels or flip flops. Throw on some sneakers to make good time and keep your feet happy.

The second greatest piece of advice I can give you is to use the secret entrance.

Tourists will flock to the glass pyramid, the traditional entrance to the Louvre. If you want to see it, go there after it’s closed. Your entrance is in the underground mall beneath the Louvre itself. If you’re taking the Metro get off at the Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre station. Rather than go directly above ground, keep following the shops. They’ll be high end, expensive looking ones. The entrance will be to your right, and it will be well indicated. There will be a security staff member there, and it looks like it could possibly be a staff entrance, but I assure you it’s not. While everyone else is upstairs boiling in the sun waiting to get in, you’ll have your ticket and be speeding off to see the Winged Victory of Samothrace in no time.

The online tickets are €17 rather than €15 when you buy them at the museum, but there can be limited quantities. Having come all that way as a Canadian an extra two euro is worth being assured entrance. Due to the Covid Pandemic any guest over the age of 12 will also be asked for a ‘health pass’, or vaccine passport. You can get an audio guide at a desk near the washrooms should you wish, or bring along an artistic friend. My forte is in the classics, so Aunt River filled me in when it came to the Dutch masters. On that note, try to go to the washroom just before you go into the museum, while you’re still under the glass pyramid. The washrooms in the museum are, I found, few and far between.

Remember while you’re there to be respectful of these works of art and, while you admire them, of other patrons. Wear a mask, wash your hands, and be safe gentle reader.