The Louvre gets close to nine million visitors a year, and on a bad day it can feel like most of them are between you and the Mona Lisa. The good news: the queue problem is almost entirely solvable with a little planning, because most people do everything wrong in exactly the same way.
The three entrances (and the one everyone ignores)
Most visitors walk to the glass Pyramid because it's the entrance they've seen in photos. It's also the slowest. There are two better options: the Carrousel du Louvre entrance, reached through the underground shopping arcade at 99 Rue de Rivoli, and the Porte des Lions entrance near the Seine (occasionally closed, so have a backup). With a timed ticket, the Carrousel entrance regularly gets you inside in under ten minutes while the Pyramid line stretches past forty-five.
Timed entry is not optional anymore
Since the Louvre moved to timed-entry slots, turning up without a reservation is a gamble that fails on most days between April and October. Book the 9:00 slot if you can. The museum is genuinely quiet for the first ninety minutes — you can stand directly in front of the Mona Lisa at 9:20, something that's physically impossible at 1pm.
Which day to pick
- Best: Wednesday and Friday, when the museum stays open until 9pm. Crowds thin dramatically after 6pm — an evening visit is the closest thing to having the place to yourself.
- Avoid: Sunday (locals + tourists), Monday (many other museums close, pushing everyone here), and the first Sunday of winter months (free entry = maximum crush).
- Closed: Tuesday. Every year, thousands of people find this out on the doorstep.
A route that doesn't fight the crowd
Ninety percent of visitors go straight to the Mona Lisa via the Denon wing, so do the opposite. Start in Richelieu with the Winged Victory-free calm of the French sculpture courtyards, work through Napoleon III's apartments (absurd, wonderful, empty), and only cut across to Denon for the Italian masters after 11am when the first wave has moved on to lunch. You'll see the same highlights with half the elbows.
How long do you actually need?
Three hours is the honest answer for a first visit. The museum has 35,000 works on display; nobody sees it all, and trying is how people end up hating the Louvre. Pick two wings, take a coffee break at the Café Richelieu terrace (the view over the Pyramid is better than anything in the gift shop), and leave while you still like art.
One last thing: the Louvre checks bags and large backpacks aren't allowed in. Use the free cloakroom or, better, don't bring one — it's one more queue you don't need.
