A visit to the Louvre Museum is one of the best things to do in Paris. With an incredible collection of more than 35,000 works of art from ancient civilizations to the 19th century, there is never a bad time to visit the Louvre!
If you are planning to visit the Louvre Museum during your next trip to Paris, this post is for you. Below, you will learn how to skip the line at the Louvre – from the best day to visit the Louvre and the Louvre’s least crowded times to which ticket to buy to skip the Louvre lines.
Are You Planning a Trip to Paris Last Minute?
If you are booking a last-minute trip to Paris, I’ve got you covered! Below are our must guides, top tours, hotels, and more:
» Plan: Paris Travel Planner; Paris Arrondissements Guide; Check out the best Paris Metro tickets for tourists
» Book your flight tickets with Omio; book your train tickets with Omio
Book your transfer from the airport to the city with Welcome Pickups.
» Where to Stay: Best Districts to Stay in Paris
- Le Pavillon de la Reine (historical 5-star hotel in Le Marais)
- Hotel La Comtesse (mid-range hotel with Eiffel Tower view from all the rooms!)
- Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne (super central 4-star hotel near the Louvre)
» Top-Rated Paris Tours & Tickets:
- Louvre Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket
- Eiffel Tower Summit Access Ticket
- Seine River Night Cruise
- Château de Versailles and Gardens
- Catacombs Skip-the-line tour with VIP access to restricted areas
Want skip-the-line access at museums & attractions in Paris? Get your hands on a Paris Museum Pass!
» Don’t leave without travel insurance! SafetyWing Essential plan works well for long and short trips (from 5 days up). Can also cover electronics theft through their add-on.
Table of contents:
- When is the Louvre Museum Open?
- Louvre Skip-the-Line Tickets
- Best Time to Visit the Louvre Museum
- How to Avoid the Longest Louvre Lines
Plan your Visit to the Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum is one of the top sights to visit in Paris. I recommend visiting the Louvre in the following Paris itineraries:
When is the Louvre Museum Open?
The Louvre Museum is open every day (except Tuesday) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Louvre holds two night sessions on Wednesday and Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The last entry is one hour before closing time, and the rooms are evacuated at 8:30 p.m.
The Louvre Museum is closed on 1st January, 1st May, and 25 December.
Louvre Skip-the-Line Tickets
1. Skip-the-Line Louvre Guided Tour
If you want to avoid the Louvre lines, take a skip-the-line Louvre Guided Tour with an expert guide. Guided groups enter the Louvre through Passage Richelieu, which has zero waiting time. This entrance is reserved for guided groups or people with special membership cards (e.g. Société des Amis du Louvre).
Don’t waste your time waiting in line! Book one of the skip-the-line Louvre guided tours available online and see the major Louvre highlights with the explanations of a certified and passionate English-speaking guide. The truth is that a tour of the Louvre with a knowledgeable guide is a temptation that is difficult to resist in the best museum in the world!
Here’s the list of the best-rated Louvre skip-the-line tours right now:
- Priority Entrance Ticket + Private Guided Tour
- Skip-the-Line Private Guided Tour for Kids and Families
- Skip-the-Line Louvre Semi-Private Guided Tour
- Priority Entrance Ticket + Small Group Guided Tour
- Other Louvre Guided Tour Options
2. Paris Tourist Pass
Buy a Paris tourist pass to shorten the Louvre waiting time. A Paris tourist pass or city card allows visitors to save time and money thanks to their skip-the-line tickets and many other discounts.
Visitors with a tourist pass can access the Louvre via a special line in the Glass Pyramid (green line).
The Paris Museum Pass is the most popular tourist pass for Paris, but there are other options worth considering. Check out my Paris Pass Comparison to find the best pass for you.
Tourist pass holders also need to book a date and time slot for visiting the Louvre. At the end of the process, the cost will be 0€. Everything is explained when you purchase the tourist pass.
3. Louvre Skip-the-Line Tickets
If you prefer to visit the Louvre without a guide or a Paris pass, then book Louvre skip-the-line tickets. I strongly advise buying your Louvre tickets online in advance, as only online booking can guarantee your entrance to the Museum on a specific day.
These skip-the-line Louvre tickets have a booking fee of 3€. When you purchase the tickets online, you choose a specific date and time slot, ensuring quick entry to the Museum in less than 30 minutes. You can also buy Louvre skip-the-line tickets with a digital audio guide (which you can download on your phone or tablet).
Best Time to Visit the Louvre Museum
In general, the best time to visit the Louvre to avoid the biggest crowds is during the low season. The low season in Paris is from 1st November to 31 March, except for Christmas in Paris and the days around New Year’s Eve in Paris.
Then, according to statistics, there are also better days and times to visit the Louvre, with fewer crowds.
The table below shows the estimated visitor flow in the Louvre Museum, divided into days and time slots for the low and high seasons. The green colour indicates the Louvre’s least crowded times (the lines to enter are shorter), while the red colour shows the most crowded time slots. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
In general, the Louvre is busier on the weekends and holidays. Since the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays see a higher number of visitors. Friday night sessions in the Louvre are also busy, as it is usually the beginning of many getaways to Paris.
The Louvre is free for all visitors on the First Friday of the month (after 6 p.m.). Therefore, the last time slot on the first Friday of the month is especially busy.
Louvre Best Time to Visit: in my opinion, the best time to go to the Louvre is on Mondays and Thursdays, when it opens.
Once you are inside the Louvre, the crowds usually concentrate on the most famous artworks, such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus of Milos, or the Regent Diamond, while other areas in the Louvre are quiet most of the time.
How to Avoid the Longest Louvre Lines
1. Choose the Best Time to Visit the Louvre
If you’ve made it this far, you should know by now the most crowded days and time slots to visit the Louvre – when the lines at the Louvre are longer (see previous chapter).
One of the best skip-the-line Louvre tips is to visit the Museum when there are fewer visitors. Choose the Louvre’s least crowded times (best day to visit the Louvre and time slot) for your days in Paris, and you will see short or no lines. Well begun is half done!
2. Leave your Luggage and Large Bags at Home
There have always been lines at the Louvre, but the wait has become especially long because of security measures that were brought in recent years.
The Louvre entrances have a scanner and a metal detector. It is recommended not to come to visit the Louvre with luggage, suitcases, or bulky bags. First of all, the security check will take longer, and once you are inside, you will have to leave it in the Museum’s free lockers under the Pyramid.
3. Book a Louvre Treasure Hunt
If a Paris tourist pass is not convenient for you and you don’t like the idea of a guided tour, then consider a Louvre Treasure Hunt!
A Louvre Treasure Hunt is a fun way to visit the Louvre for families, friends, and people less interested in arts who still don’t want to miss one of Paris’ most iconic sites.
This Louvre Treasure Hunt also allows you to skip the line, and your guide will take care of all your needs at all times and make it a unique experience! The treasure hunt usually lasts 1.5 – 2 hours, and then you are free to stay to visit other parts of the Museum.
Norbert and I took a Louvre Treasure hunt in competition with a family from the US, and it was a great experience (despite they beat us..). We had to locate certain Louvre artworks thanks to some hints and take a selfie to prove we had found them – Click here to book this fun Louvre Treasure Hunt
So there you have it —how to skip the line at the Louvre — or at least the longest lines! Use these skip-the-line Louvre tips to visit the Louvre smoothly and with fewer crowds.
