The Paris Museum Pass gives you free access to over forty museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding region. We decided to purchase a four day pass, thinking that with our planned visits to the Chateau de Versailles, the Louvre, the Towers of Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe, we would eventually come out ahead after paying the 56 Euros per pass.
Musée Rodin
The gardens of the Musée Rodin
On my first orientation tour of Paris in 2010, my tour guide pointed out the back of Rodin’s The Thinker as the bus sped past. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to visit the Rodin museum – and since it was listed on the museums and monuments that were part of the Paris Museum Pass, I grabbed the opportunity.
While darting from statue to sculpture in the gardens of the Musée Rodin, and deciding that the estate could be added to the shortlist of houses that I could live in, we began to worry – we couldn’t see The Thinker anywhere.
The Thinker, the famous statue at the Musée Rodin
It turned out we had taken the longest way around possible. As we had gone through the entrance and stood facing the chateau, we had headed left all the way around the gardens and then through the house. The Thinker was just to our right!
Palais de la Découverte
The grand foyer of the Palais de la Découverte For a break from the traditional sightseeing (and to get more value out of our Paris Museum Passes!), we headed for the Palais de la Découverte, a science and discovery museum housed in the Grand Palais. We were hoping for a French version of the Investigator Science Centre that we grew up with back in Adelaide. While there were some interactive games and exhibits (including some computer quizzes in English), there was a lot of reading to do as well and it wasn’t as hands-on as we were expecting.
Note: Entrance to the Planetarium (3 Euros) was not included in the Paris Museum Pass.
Musée de l’Orangerie
The Musée de l’Orangerie in the Tuileries Gardens
Another museum that was on my list to see was The Orangerie. I had wanted to go there to see Monet’s waterlilies paintings, but was surprised to find that they were not my favourite art pieces in the small gallery. I far preferred the Renoir portraits tucked away amongst the work of other renowned artists.
Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
Cost of Paris Museum Pass: 56 Euros
Entrance costs from Day 1: 18 Euros
Entrance costs from Day 2: 31.50 Euros
Entrance costs from Day 3: 9.50 Euros
Cost of entry into the Musée Rodin: 7 Euros
Cost of entry into the Palais de la Découverte: 9 Euros
Cost of entry into the Musée de l’Orangerie: 9 Euros
Verdict: 28.00 Euros ahead
The four day Paris Museum Pass was worth it for us, though admittedly some of the places we visited, such as the Palais de la Découverte, we only went to because it was listed on the Paris Museum Pass.
We didn’t feel any pressure to visit as many sights as we could to make our money back. There were many other museums and monuments we could have crammed in if we had really wanted to, but we took it easy and still managed to come out ahead of what we would have paid visiting all of the sights separately.
Since we visited Paris in autumn, we had no chance to be able to ‘jump the queue’ with our Paris Museum Passes, but having this ability would be very useful during June, July and August, when tourist numbers in Paris are at their peak.
To find out whether it is worth it for you, take a look of the list of museums, palaces and attractions that the Paris Museum Pass grants you entrance to, and work out which ones you want to visit and whether you have the time to see them.
The Paris Museum Pass gives you free access to over forty museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding region. We decided to purchase a four day pass, thinking that with our planned visits to the Chateau de Versailles, the Louvre, the Towers of Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe, we would eventually come out ahead after paying the 56 Euros per pass.
The Arc de Triomphe
Climbing the Arc de Triomphe is included in the Paris Museum Pass
After a lazy morning exploring Montmartre, we headed for the Arc de Triomphe for a 360 degree view of Paris and one of its busiest roundabouts. I enjoyed looking out along the straight avenues that lead to the Place de l’Étoile and watching the chaos on the road below as cars tried to navigate their way on to and off of the roundabout.
We ended up spending the rest of the day window shopping along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, before making our way up past the Palais Garnier to end the afternoon at the Galeries Lafayette. It was nice to have a day where we didn’t feel like we had to rush around to get our money’s worth out of our museum passes, and by the end of the day we had broken even. Anything we visited on Day 4 would essentially be ‘free’.
Want more information on the Arc de Triomphe?
Address: Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris, France
Website: http://arc-de-triomphe.monuments-nationaux.fr/
Closest metro station: Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile
Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
Cost of Paris Museum Pass: 56 Euros
Entrance costs from Day 1: 18 Euros
Entrance costs from Day 2: 31.50 Euros
Cost of entry to climb the Arc de Triomphe: 9.50 Euros
The Paris Museum Pass gives you free access to over forty museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding region. We decided to purchase a four day pass, thinking that with our planned visits to the Chateau de Versailles, the Louvre, the Towers of Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe, we would eventually come out ahead after paying the 56 Euros per pass.
Museum Day
The grey Parisian sky was threatening rain, so we decided that the second day of our Paris Museum Pass challenge should be spent indoors as much as possible. We singled out a number of museums that people had recommended to us, such as the Musée National du Moyen Âge, as well as the iconic sights of the Louvre and Notre Dame. Armed with our Paris Museum Passes, we headed for the first stop on the list.
Musée National du Moyen Âge (Musée de Cluny)
The entrance to the Hôtel de Cluny reminds me of a chateau
The Musée National du Moyen Âge is a museum housed in the Hôtel de Cluny. The museum is known for its collection of the six The Lady and The Unicorn tapestries, which I had wanted to see ever since reading Tracy Chevalier’s novel of the same name. The Musée National du Moyen Âge also contains a collection of artefacts from the Middle Ages, from illuminated books, stained glass, ancient statues and sculptures, decorative boxes, to religious objects and artwork, as well as having third century Gallo-Roman baths.
One of The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries at the Musée National du Moyen Âge – ‘Taste’
Want more information on the Musée National du Moyen Âge?
Address: 6 Place Paul Painlevé, 75005 Paris, France
Website: http://www.musee-moyenage.fr (in French only)
Closest metro station: Cluny – La Sorbonne
The Towers of Notre Dame
The view over Paris from the towers of Notre Dame
After visiting Notre Dame de Paris and admiring the beautiful stained glass rose windows, we joined the queue for the Towers climb. This was definitely easier to do in the off-season. We only had a wait of thirty minutes queueing along the side of the cathedral – much better than the two hour waits I’ve endured to climb the Towers during July and August.
By the time we climbed up to the top of the South Tower, the sky had cleared, giving us beautiful views over Paris.
The Roman foundations of Lutetia in the Archaeolgical Crypt of Notre Dame
Maybe I’ve read too many ghost stories, but whenever I hear the word ‘crypt’, I think of dark chambers full of tombs and decaying bodies. However, the Archaeological Crypt of Notre Dame, which is accessible from the courtyard in front of the cathedral, displays ruins of Roman foundations from when Paris was known as Lutetia.
I’m not sure if I would have visited it if it hadn’t been part of the Paris Museum Pass, but that’s one of the good things about the pass – it allows you the freedom to check out a museum you might not otherwise have gone into, since it doesn’t cost you anything more.
Want more information on the Archaeological Crypt of Notre Dame?
Address: 1, place du Parvis Notre-Dame, 75004 Paris, France
Website: http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/spip.php?article477
Closest metro station: Cité
The Musée du Louvre
The Venus de Milo, one of my favourite exhibits at the Louvre
How is it that on my fourth visit to the Louvre I still end up getting lost and it is my brother who, on his very first visit, figures out how to get us to the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa? I will never understand why the Louvre makes me feel so disoriented.
Want more information on the Musée du Louvre?
Address: Musée du Louvre, 75058 Paris, France Skip the lineup outside of the large pyramid by entering via the Galerie du Carrousel entrance on the Rue de Rivoli
Website: http://www.louvre.fr/en
Closest metro station: Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre
Cost of entry into the Musée de Cluny: 8 Euros
Cost of entry into Notre Dame de Paris: free
Cost of entry into the Towers of Notre Dame: 8.50 Euros
Cost of entry into the Archeological Crypt of Notre Dame: 3 Euros
Cost of entry into the Louvre: 12 Euros
The Paris Museum Pass gives you free access to over forty museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding region. We decided to purchase a four day pass, thinking that with our planned visits to the Chateau de Versailles, the Louvre, the Towers of Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe, we would eventually come out ahead after paying the 56 Euros per pass.
Buying the Paris Museum Pass
The first challenge we faced was where to buy the pass. The stall by Notre Dame where I had bought them before was closed, so we wandered over to the Louvre, having read on the Paris Museum Pass website that they could be bought at the attraction’s ticket desks or online. At the Louvre, we were directed to an information office halfway between the inverted pyramid and the information desk at the Louvre. They sold passes as well as memberships to the Louvre, and were very helpful.
To Versailles!
Armed with our Museum Passes, we caught the metro to Gare Montparnasse and then hopped on a suburban train to Versailles-Chantiers. It took about fifteen minutes to get there, and the way from the Versailles-Chantiers train station to the Chateau de Versailles is well signed.
The Palace of Versailles
The displays at Versailles had been updated since I was last there four years ago. There were audio visual presentations about how the chateau had been extended over the years, which seemed to be new.
Versailles is one extravagant room after another, culminating in the Hall of Mirrors.
The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles
On this visit, we also went in to the Mesdames Apartments, which with their white walls and ceilings, were a good antidote to the wall-to-ceiling paintings of the state apartments (I especially liked Madame Adelaide’s library nook).
The Gardens of Versailles
It was a beautiful day for strolling around the gardens. Blue skies and bright sunshine made me forget it was only 12 degrees!
As we walked through the gardens from the chateau to the Trianons, we had fun getting lost in the maze of terraced gardens. Unfortunately, because we were there in November, the statues all had protective covers over them in preparation for winter, and construction and restoration works were taking place on many of the fountains, so the walk through the gardens and along the Grand Canal lost some of its idyll.
The Petit Trianon and Marie-Antoinette’s Hamlet
I could happily make the Petit Trianon and its grounds my home. The rooms inside are cosy and not too grand. (The theatre was closed while we were there).
The Petit Trianon – I could see myself living here!
This visit I had more time to wander around the hamlet and look at the buildings. My brother asked me what the purpose of it all was. When I told him it was Marie Antoinette’s place to escape and pretend she was someone else, he thought it was made for her when she was a little girl. I corrected him, and when I asked him if he could imagine me at the same age having a place like this, he admitted that he could!
The Grand Trianon
It was 4:30pm by the time we reached the Grand Trianon. The sun was already beginning to set, but the lights hadn’t been turned on in any of the rooms, making them dark. I think that the reason that I struggled to like the Grand Trianon during my last visit was a combination of the rooms being dark, there being no real information about the rooms or their historical significance, and the fact that as the last place you visit during your time at Versailles, you are genuinely tired.
The Cotelle Gallery and the portico were still my favourite parts of the Grand Trianon (and you could walk through the Gallery – the last time I visited it was roped off).
Overall, we were very lucky with the weather and had a near-perfect day to visit Versailles!
Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
Cost of Paris Museum Pass: 56 Euros
Cost of entry into Versailles, the Gardens, the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon: 18 Euros
The Palais Garnier – home to the Opera Nationale de Paris – may well be one of the most lavish places I have set foot in. Designed by Charles Garnier (who also designed the Casino de Monte Carlo), it is spread over seventeen storeys and contains two ballet companies.
Having read Gaston Leroux’s book The Phantom of the Opera, and being a fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, I was curious to know what the real Paris Opera was like. I booked a guided tour of the Palais Garnier, and was on the lookout for signs of the opera house’s most infamous resident.
The Subscriber’s Rotunda
Guided tours begin in the la rotonde des abonnés. While you are sitting on the circular red velvet chaise, you can imagine men dressed in their finest suits and hats and ladies glancing at their reflections in the mirrors that line the room. On the ceiling, the intermingled letters spell out the name of the architect: CHARLES GARNIER and the dates of construction: 1861 – 1875. The rotunda is impressive by itself, but it is nothing compared with the rooms to come.
The Grand Staircase
The Grand Staircase is almost overwhelming. You have to stand still for a few minutes to take it all in. As you ascend the stairs, it’s hard to know where to look – at the statues and busts that line the doorways, the decorative marble and lamp fittings, or at the painting on the ceiling? Take the time to appreciate the full splendour of the Grand Staircase.
The Grand Staircase at the Palais Garnier
The Grand Foyer
Walking along the Grand Foyer, you feel like you are in a grander version of the Hall of Mirrors at the Chateau de Versailles rather than in an opera house in the middle of the city. They have similar designs – a long room along the side of the building with mirrors along one wall and large windows on the other. The Grand Foyer is decorated in musical motifs and along with the Grand Staircase is one of the most sumptuous rooms open to the public in the Palais Garnier. The Grand Foyer feels like a more opulent version of Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors
The Grand Foyer of the Palais Garnier
The Auditorium
After the splendour of the grand staircase and the grand foyer, passing through the corridor that separates them from the auditorium seems anti-climactic. Dark and plain, it provides a welcome rest for your eyes as you wait to be shown to your seat.
Off to the side, you’ll find Napoleon III’s entrance, which was especially designed for him to limit the risk of assassination. The Emperor’s carriage could be driven up into the Palais. From here, Napoleon III would be mere steps away from the Royal box. The entrance is also plainer than the rest of the theatre – war broke out and Napoleon III was deposed before the entrance could be decorated.
Once you have taken your seat inside the auditorium, your eyes start to wander again from the rows and boxes of red velvet seats, up to the ceiling with the glittering chandelier and Chagall’s painted ceiling insert depicting twelve famous operas.
The sumptuous seats inside the auditoriumThe chandelier suspended under Chagall’s painted ceiling
And as for the Phantom?
While the tour of the Palais Garnier doesn’t take you backstage, or to the fabled underground lake below the building, the Palais Garnier does pay their respects to the legacy and legend of the Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom’s standing request for Box Number 5 is noted with a plaque, marking it as the Loge du Fantôme de l’Opéra. Are you brave enough to book it?
The entrance to Box Number Five: Loge du Fantôme de l’Opéra
I’d be careful if I were you. You never know where the Phantom may lurking!
The Phantom of the Opera is there … ?!
What you need to know:
Closest metro station: Opéra The Opéra station is right in front of the Palais Garnier.
Would you go and see: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera if it was being staged in the Palais Garnier? It hasn’t been done, but I like the idea of watching it in the very theatre where the story is set.
Did you know that you can look over the rooftops of Paris from the top floor viewing deck of the Galeries Lafayette? From here, you can look down over the busy Boulevard Haussmann and the back of the Opera Garnier, across to La Défense in the distance, or at the domes of the Grand Palais and Les Invalides flanking the Eiffel Tower.
Looking down the Boulevard HaussmannThe Opera GarnierView of the Eiffel Tower from Galeries LafayetteLooking over the Opera Garnier towards La Defense
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
The Galeries Lafayette is at 40 Boulevard Haussmann, behind the Opera Garnier
Take the escalator up to the top floor and walk out on to the terrace.
The closest Metro stop to the Galeries Lafayette is: Opera
Do you have a favourite view over Paris? Share it in the comments!
As my train pulled in to the Gare d’Austerlitz station and I set foot in Paris for the first time, I had one thought in my mind: When would I get to see the Eiffel Tower?
I couldn’t go to Paris and miss out on seeing the Eiffel Tower, the city’s begrudgingly adopted icon.
While wandering around Montparnasse, I found myself heading towards the golden dome of Les Invalides. I happened to look to my left and there it was, peeking out from behind a row of trees: 312m of iron. I just wanted to spend all afternoon staring at it. How lucky I was to be in Paris, right next to the Eiffel Tower?
As I tore myself away from the view and began exploring Paris, I realised that I shouldn’t have worried about missing out on seeing the Eiffel Tower. As it’s one of the tallest buildings in Paris, it can be seen from almost anywhere.
If you can see the Eiffel Tower from almost anywhere, where should you go?
Up close
Seeing the Eiffel Tower up close lets you realise how much work was put in to constructing it
To fully appreciate the Eiffel Tower, it’s best to visit it at ground-level. Look up at the 10100 metric tons of iron above your head, and think about how many components (2.5 million rivets and 18000 metal parts!) the tower is made up of. Gawk at the omnipresent lines of people (be on the lookout for scammers!), and while you’re here, why not climb up the Eiffel Tower?
Getting right up close to the Eiffel Tower lets you see a different side of the tower
From the Champs de Mars
The Eiffel Tower from the Parc du Champs de Mars
The Parc du Champs de Mars is a area of lawn that stretches out between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire. It is a popular place for tourists to bring some baguettes and cheese and have a picnic with a backdrop of one of Paris’s most iconic views.
From the Trocadéro
The view of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro
Across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower is the Trocadéro. You’ll find plenty of coaches dropping their tour groups off here for photo opps, but don’t be deterred (after all, it is one of the best places for photographs!).
From the Seine
The Eiffel Tower from the Pont de la Concorde
Whether you’re floating down the Seine on a boat cruise or crossing one of the famous bridges of Paris, you can’t miss the hazy view of the Eiffel Tower.
From the Towers of Notre-Dame
The stryga, one of the chimeras, looks out over the Eiffel Tower from the Chimera Gallery from the Towers of Notre-Dame
While you’re whispering in the ears of the chimeras as they stare wistfully out towards the Eiffel Tower, ask them what they were staring at before the tower was constructed! The view from the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris will give you a sense of just how much taller the Eiffel Tower is than the rest of the cityscape.
From the Arc de Triomphe
View of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe
One of the closer vantage points to the Eiffel Tower, if it’s busy at the top of the Arc de Triomphe, you’ll have to wait (or push your way to the front) to get the perfect view of the Eiffel Tower nestled amongst apartment buildings.
From Montmartre
Glimpsing the Eiffel Tower while wandering around Montmartre
Looking out from the top of the Montmartre, you can catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. While it’s too far off to the right to be seen while standing in front of the Sacré-Cœur, the Eiffel Tower reveals itself just as you turn from the Parvis du Sacré-Cœur on to the Rue du Cardinal Guibert.
From the Tour Montparnasse
Montparnasse Tower provides the ultimate view of the Eiffel Tower
My favourite view of the Eiffel Tower is from the top of Montparnasse Tower, where you have an unobstructed view of the city skyline and, if you’re there at the right time, the sparkling tower.
Where’s your favourite place in Paris to gaze at the Eiffel Tower? Share it in the comments!
Climbing the Eiffel Tower is on most travellers’ bucket lists. With visitors being able to climb the tower since it was constructed for the Universal Exhibition in 1889, it is as much an essential part of visiting Paris now as it was back then.
The Eiffel Tower from the Champs-de-Mars
There are many options for going up the tower. You can climb the stairs up to the first and second levels, or save yourself the sweat and hop into an elevator for a less energy-expending climb.
Whichever way you choose to climb the Eiffel Tower, however high you want to go, the view from all levels of the Eiffel Tower is fantastic.
Views from the first level of the Eiffel Tower
First, catch your breath!
Whether you arrived via the elevator or you climbed the 345 stairs, your first glimpse of the views from the Eiffel Tower will leave you a little breathless.
Looking down at the Champs-de-Mars from the first level of the Eiffel Tower
On the first floor, you’ll find the 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant as well as an exhibition about the Eiffel Tower, but what you’ll really want to do is look over the Champs-de-Mars and the Trocadéro and take in the views. They’re beautiful.
Got your breath back? Fantastic, because there’s another flight of stairs waiting for you to continue your climb!
Looking up at the queue on the second floor waiting to take the elevator to the third floor
Views from the second level of the Eiffel Tower
Looking down at the Champs-de-Mars from the second level of the Eiffel Tower
The views from the second level of the tower are just as good as the first (Just compare the last few photos!). 58 metres higher than the first level, you may end up with more photos on the second level, especially if you’re intending to catch the elevator up to the third level. The queue for the elevator can be quite long, and being in the queue forces you to move slowly around the second level, giving you the benefit of being able to enjoy the views for longer, and notice things that might otherwise have passed by in a blur.
The Seine from the second level of the Eiffel Tower
Views from the third level of the Eiffel Tower
You’ve made it! See all of Paris before you, and take a rest. You’ve earned it!
Looking down at the Champs-de-Mars from the third level of the Eiffel Tower
While you could argue that the view on the third level is similar to the other two, on this level, you can show how far you’ve come by pointing your camera downwards. You’re now 276 metres above the ground. Luckily, there’s an elevator waiting to rush you all the way back to ground level!
My favourite photo of the Eiffel Tower: looking straight down from the third level
Do you have a favourite view of Paris? Share it in the comments!
What you need to know:
Be prepared to queue. The queue to climb the stairs up the Eiffel Tower is usually shorter than the queue to take the lifts.
The first time I went to Paris, I didn’t even think of climbing the Arc de Triomphe. Standing back at a safe distance where I could take a photo of it from across the roundabout was fine with me.
The Arc de Triomphe
On my second visit, armed with a Paris Museum card and running out of attractions that were still open, I headed for the Arc de Triomphe, and made the climb up the spiral staircase to the top.
Looking towards La Défense
It’s worth visiting the Arc de Triomphe just to spend some time watching the eight lanes of traffic. With everyone on the roundabout stopping to give way to cars yet to come on, it’s a wonder that through all of the chaos no one seems to crash.
Luckily, you don’t have to weave through the cars to start the climb to the top of the Arc – there’s a pedestrian walkway near the Avenue de la Grande Armee that goes underneath the road (take it – it’s a lot safer option!).
View of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe
With an almost 360 degree view from the top of the arc, you can see all sides of Paris, from the CBD, the hill of Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, and how Parisians try to get a little bit of greenery into their lives.
Green space in ParisLooking towards the Eiffel TowerThe Sacre CoeurRoads leading from the Arc de TriompheSome views of Paris you can only find from the Arc de Triomphe: vines hanging from a building
If you’re there around 6:30PM, there is a daily service where the memorial flame is lit near the tomb of the unknown soldier, as a remembrance for all French soldiers who have fallen in battle.
Daily lighting of the Memorial flame
So for the chance to be in the middle of one of the world’s busiest roundabouts, climb the Arc de Triomphe and enjoy the view.
You would think that on my third visit to the Louvre in as many years, I would know my way around, right?
Wrong!
While the aim of this visit was to see the apartments of Napoleon III, I ended up walking around the same halls and corridors and seeing the same exhibitions that I had on my previous visits, and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t find a way to escape them.
Being drawn to the Denon Wing
Perhaps the Louvre has a special funneling system that makes sure all of its visitors end up heading for the Denon wing, or perhaps the Denon wing simply has a more prominent entrance than the Richelieu and Sully wings. Whatever the reason is, I always find myself walking straight over to the Denon wing’s security line when in the Hall Napoléon.
The Greco-Roman sculptures are among the first items that I seek out. From the masterpieces of the Venus de Milo, Psyche and Cupid, and the Winged Victory proudly standing at the top of the flight of stairs, to the lesser known but just as inspiring works, I find myself wondering about the reasons why the sculptor chose the particular design, and whether they modelled it after a real person or from their imagination. It’s easy to tell which are my favourites – it seems I’ve taken photos of the same statues each time I’ve visited (at least my taste in sculpture is consistent)!
The Venus de MiloAntonio Canova’s sculpture Psyche Revived by Cupid’s KissIo ou Callisto, Suppliante Barberini – one of the sculptures in the Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities section of the Louvre is one of the sculptures I seem to photograph on every visitAthena, known as the Ingres Minerva, part of the Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities section of the Louvre
The Galerie Daru, a hallway lined with Roman sculptures, always takes my breath away when I first see it. Ancient gods and goddesses, emperors, warriors, and muses look out unblinkingly as visitors make their way from the sculpture exhibit, past the Winged Victory of Samothrace and upstairs to the rooms of French and Italian Renaissance art.
The Galerie Daru: beautiful at first sight, but when you can’t find your way out of the Louvre it loses its appeal!The Winged Victory of Samothrace
Here you’ll find one of the most crowded areas in the Louvre. Jostling for space in a crowd forty people deep, cameras held over their heads, everyone is here for one reason: to get a picture of a rather small painting by Leonardo da Vinci – the Mona Lisa.
The People vs the Mona Lisa: unbelievable how big the crowd is all trying to photograph the Mona Lisa
I’ve accepted that I’m not going to be able to take a decent photo of the Mona Lisa. My camera work is not good at the best of times, and here you’re not only battling against the other hundred people trying to take their own photos, but you’re trying to shoot through the protective perspex covering of the painting, which reflects not only the museum’s lights but the red lights from the cameras (and when I think about it, do I really need my own photo of the Mona Lisa when there are plenty of art books, prints and Internet images that are of far better quality?).
Though you might not get enough time to stand in front of the painting and fully appreciate it, it’s still quite special to see.
Not a great shot of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, but the best I could manage given the circumstances!
In the hall behind the Mona Lisa were more paintings that I recognised, mostly from my high school French history textbooks. It’s a surreal feeling to look at these paintings in person, to see Eugène Delacroix’s Lady Liberty leading the French, Napoleon struggling against the cold on his campaign to expand his empire, and the coronation of him and his Empress, Josephine.
Liberty Leading the People, one of the French paintings in the Louvre by Eugène DelacroixBonaparte Crossing the Alps, by Paul Delaroche
Here is where I always get stuck. The Denon wing does not have a second floor, so I usually turn back and go down past the Winged Victory, through the Greek and Roman statues, back out to the Hall Napoléon, and up the spiral staircase to the exit, always thinking is that all there is to the Louvre?
There’s more to the Louvre than the Denon Wing!
I didn’t realise this until my parents told me about how they had visited Napoleon III’s Apartments in the Louvre. How had I missed out on those? And why hadn’t I found them in my previous wanderings around the Louvre?
One of the painted ceilings of the Louvre
Why did the Louvre feel like a labyrinth when it was clearly segmented into three U-shaped levels? I’m blaming it on being a natural blonde, but somehow my habit of heading straight to the Denon wing had made me forget that there were two other wings in the Louvre. I realised this after studying the map for a while, and asking myself why it was that no matter how many stairs I climbed up and down, I never got away from the Mona Lisa and those omnipresent Roman statues.
Feeling sheepish, I walked back out into the Hall Napoléon, and searched for the entrances to the Sully and Richelieu wings, to find out what surprises they had in store for me.
Finding traces of the original Louvre in the Sully wing
The foundations of the Louvre fortress, originally constructed in the twelfth century
The Louvre was originally built in 1190 as a fortress during the rule of Philippe Auguste, to protect the city against the Normans. The fortress stood until the 16th century, when François I began transforming it into the palace you see today.
It was impressive how well preserved the fortress walls were given their age
You can view the medieval foundations of the fortress on the lower ground floor of the Sully wing which were uncovered during the 1980s. As I walked around the walls, moat and remnants of the towers, I found it surreal to think of how old and yet well preserved the fortifications were.
More foundations of the old Louvre fortress
… and Napoleon III’s apartments in Richelieu
The Cour Marly, gateway to the Napoleon III apartments
Heading in to the Richelieu wing, I felt like I’m finally seeing a different side to the Louvre. I found myself in the Cour Marly, its glass roof reminiscent of the lattice pattern on the Louvre’s pyramids. The sculptures in this room were originally commissioned by Louis XIV for the Château de Marly and seem brighter and more impressive than the sculptures I left behind in the Galerie Daru.
The staircase leading from Cour Marly to Napoleon III’s apartments
From the Cour Marly, I climbed the stairs up to the first level of the Richelieu wing, and found my target. I felt like I was no longer in the world’s most famous art gallery. Here was the Louvre’s palatial side.
The Grand Dining Room, part of the Napoleon III apartments in the LouvreThe Grand Salon, part of Napoleon III’s apartmentsThe throne room in Napoleon III’s apartments
As I moved through each room, I couldn’t help wondering if when the French kings used the Louvre as their winter palace, whether every room on every floor in every wing of the Louvre was so richly decorated. If I thought the painted ceilings throughout the rest of the Louvre were stunning, they were even more magnificent in the apartments. The chandeliers in the Grand Salon were so large they almost dominated the room. It’s sad to think that the royalty who once lived here probably didn’t have the same feeling of awe at their surroundings as the people who visit the Louvre today experience.
The Louvre from the gardens
I left satisfied that I learned a little bit more about the Musée du Louvre. The next time I visit, I’ll know my way around, and will make sure to explore other exhibits in the Richelieu and Sully wings!
What was your experience of the Louvre? Share it in the comments!
What you need to know:
Long line to get in to the pyramids? That’s not the only way in to the Louvre. Try one of the other entrances, such as that of 99 rue de Rivoli (Carrousel du Louvre) which will take you straight in to the Louvre via the inverted pyramid.
The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, but keep an eye out for longer opening hours on Wednesdays and Fridays.
