A Week in Paris - The Louvre

The Louvre is the most iconic museum in the world, atop everyone’s list of things to do in Paris. After our trip to the city of lights, there is only one way to see the highlights of this institution. With waiting times to get in counted in hours not minutes and a collection numbering over half a million works with nearly 40,000 on display at any given time its overwhelming to say the least. Two nights a week the museum stays open late, giving you the perfect opportunity to visit with fewer crowds. We elected to have a guided tour knowing that we could never make our own way through the galleries as effectively as we could with a guide.

Our tour focused on putting the most well-known work in the Louvre in its historical context. Led by Adam of Fat Cat Tours we were treated to a rich overview of some of the icons in the collection during the Closing Time at the Louvre Tour.

Outside, the architecture of the museum is an icon in the city. The contrast of IM Pei’s pyramid against the French Gothic architecture is one of the most striking juxtapositions in Paris’s heart. You can go see it during the day with tens of thousands of other tourists taking their photo putting their finger on top of the pyramid or you can visit it at night when the crowds have died away. Start at the Arc du Triomphe du Carousel and walk the entire courtyard around the pyramid. You won’t be disappointed, I promise!