NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 23 #1 Share Posted July 23 Has anyone taken a private tour of the Louvre you would recommend? My husband and I will be in Paris for the first time next summer. This is on our list of things to see, but it’s so huge I feel like we could use someone to help us navigate so we don’t miss the main attractions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare marazul Posted July 23 #2 Share Posted July 23 I hope you find a good private guide. If not, the Louvre has some shorter guided tours. On the tickets page, find your dates and see what's on offer. Also the website has routes to follow through the museum. https://www.louvre.fr/en 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Hlitner Posted July 24 #3 Share Posted July 24 17 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: Has anyone taken a private tour of the Louvre you would recommend? My husband and I will be in Paris for the first time next summer. This is on our list of things to see, but it’s so huge I feel like we could use someone to help us navigate so we don’t miss the main attractions. So here is the problem. As you said, the place is huge and there are various types of art scattered throughout the entire complex. A guide can certainly guide you to the places that the guide thinks are the best, but that may or may not suit your own taste. What you call a "main attraction" might be the main attraction for one person and of no interest to others. DW and I spend significant time in museums (especially when we are taking lengthy independent trips). Trying to deal with the Louvre is a true challenge (especially for folks that do not want to walk miles) because one may well find that what they want to see is spread far apart. One can find many different web sites that will tell you things like " the 17 most important works of art in the Louvre," etc. But what an art critic thinks is most important may not even interest the OP. While some folks might want to focus on renaissance paintings, others might want to spend their time looking at the amazing sculptures that are all over the Louvre. If one does not hire a private guide, and instruct that guide on their areas of interest, then you will be at the mercy of the guide's personal taste. I think, the Louvre is worthy of a few hours of pre-trip homework to identify the areas and works that interest you...not the guide. Once you identify your own wants, you can either instruct a private guide or simply do a little research and plan your own route through the huge museum. Just keep in mind that you could spend weeks inside the Louvre and still not see the entire collection which numbers somewhere near 1/2 million pieces. When DW and I went to the Hermitage, for our first visit, we hired a private guide (who we met outside the museum) who had previously worked as a full time guide inside the museum (until he decided he could make a lot more money working on his own). We spent nearly 4 hours inside that huge museum and had a good tour. As we were finishing, DW asked the guide if they had any Impressionist paintings in the museum (we had seen none). He quickly took us to a different part of the museum where there was an entire room of amazing impressionist works! If we had not asked, we would not have seen that room. And therein lies the problem when you rely on a guide. Hank 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 24 Author #4 Share Posted July 24 3 hours ago, Hlitner said: So here is the problem. As you said, the place is huge and there are various types of art scattered throughout the entire complex. A guide can certainly guide you to the places that the guide thinks are the best, but that may or may not suit your own taste. What you call a "main attraction" might be the main attraction for one person and of no interest to others. DW and I spend significant time in museums (especially when we are taking lengthy independent trips). Trying to deal with the Louvre is a true challenge (especially for folks that do not want to walk miles) because one may well find that what they want to see is spread far apart. One can find many different web sites that will tell you things like " the 17 most important works of art in the Louvre," etc. But what an art critic thinks is most important may not even interest the OP. While some folks might want to focus on renaissance paintings, others might want to spend their time looking at the amazing sculptures that are all over the Louvre. If one does not hire a private guide, and instruct that guide on their areas of interest, then you will be at the mercy of the guide's personal taste. I think, the Louvre is worthy of a few hours of pre-trip homework to identify the areas and works that interest you...not the guide. Once you identify your own wants, you can either instruct a private guide or simply do a little research and plan your own route through the huge museum. Just keep in mind that you could spend weeks inside the Louvre and still not see the entire collection which numbers somewhere near 1/2 million pieces. When DW and I went to the Hermitage, for our first visit, we hired a private guide (who we met outside the museum) who had previously worked as a full time guide inside the museum (until he decided he could make a lot more money working on his own). We spent nearly 4 hours inside that huge museum and had a good tour. As we were finishing, DW asked the guide if they had any Impressionist paintings in the museum (we had seen none). He quickly took us to a different part of the museum where there was an entire room of amazing impressionist works! If we had not asked, we would not have seen that room. And therein lies the problem when you rely on a guide. Hank I appreciate your detailed response. Neither of us are knowledgeable when it comes to art so I don’t know what we would enjoy. I’m sure doing some research would be beneficial. Typically I’m more interested in artifacts, sculptures, statues, and such than paintings, although I can’t imagine a visit to this museum without seeing the Mona Lisa, as well as some other well known pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare marazul Posted July 24 #5 Share Posted July 24 38 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: I appreciate your detailed response. Neither of us are knowledgeable when it comes to art so I don’t know what we would enjoy. I’m sure doing some research would be beneficial. Typically I’m more interested in artifacts, sculptures, statues, and such than paintings, although I can’t imagine a visit to this museum without seeing the Mona Lisa, as well as some other well known https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/map-entrances-directions#museum-map Scroll down to museum map and interactive museum floor plan. Also look for books on the Louvre and YouTube videos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 24 Author #6 Share Posted July 24 3 hours ago, marazul said: https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/map-entrances-directions#museum-map Scroll down to museum map and interactive museum floor plan. Also look for books on the Louvre and YouTube videos. Thank you! Will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OneSixtyToOne Posted July 25 #7 Share Posted July 25 (edited) On 7/23/2024 at 2:22 PM, NCteacherlovescruising said: Has anyone taken a private tour of the Louvre you would recommend? My husband and I will be in Paris for the first time next summer. This is on our list of things to see, but it’s so huge I feel like we could use someone to help us navigate so we don’t miss the main attractions. 5 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: Neither of us are knowledgeable when it comes to art so I don’t know what we would enjoy. I’m sure doing some research would be beneficial. Typically I’m more interested in artifacts, sculptures, statues, and such than paintings, although I can’t imagine a visit to this museum without seeing the Mona Lisa, as well as some other well known pieces Here is some information about Paris museums that might interest you. Not all are closed on the same day so be sure to check operating hours and have a backup plan. The state run art museums in Pais have their collections separated by period. The Louvre contains pre mid 18th century art. Impressionism and post Impressionism is at the Musée d’Orsay, a converted 18th century train station. It is an absolutely fabulous venue that is my favorite museum in Paris. Modern art is at the Pompidou Center. There are also many private museums that are well worth your time. If sculpture interests you, the one place to visit is the Musée Rodin, which houses his famous works in his former mansion. You’ll find the “Thinker” in the garden. Musée Marmottan Monet contains the largest Monet collection in the world, including the work that gave name to Impressionism, “Impression Sunrise.” Musée de l'Orangerie was specifically built to house Monet’s oversized paintings of his lilly ponds. It’s well worth a visit. Musée National Picasso contains a vast collection of Picasso works covering his entire life and is housed in a historic 17th century mansion built by the Royal salt tax collector. IMO the Louvre is one of those places that is a bucket list item for tourists. The room containing the Mona Lisa is packed and the painting is relatively small. It’s not the experience most people expect. Consider the d’Orsay instead. Edited July 25 by OneSixtyToOne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare marazul Posted July 25 #8 Share Posted July 25 Good summary. I love the d'Orsay. It's a must see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare marazul Posted July 25 #9 Share Posted July 25 I love the Orsay and visit it every time I go to Paris. It's a magnificent collection. There is really no need for a guide. Same for the Orangerie which is quite small and it requires no explanation. A first time visitor should definitely visit the Louvre even if it is just scratching the surface. And add the Orsay if at all possible. I have never warmed up to the Pompidou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 25 #10 Share Posted July 25 Another vote for the amazing Musee Rodin for anyone with an interest in sculpture.In addition to "TheThinker" there is also "The Kiss" and "The Gates of Hell", (based on Dante's description in Inferno) amongst many others. And it is an indoor/outdoor museum with many sculptures in the lovely garden area, a really quite peaceful spot to rest afterwards for a time far from the crowds. Also in very close proximity to Napoleon's Tomb, maybe 5 minutes max, and with views across the Champ de Mars to the Eiffel Tower, and maybe 10 or 15 minutes walk from the Musee d'Orsay, so really quite centrally located which is a bonus as several sights can be visited quite easily in one day. The shop at the Musee Rodin was poorly stocked on our first visit and the same on our second when we ventured back in the hope that with a gap of a few days,new stock would have arrived.(we had a "Museum Pass" so had no need to pay again) sadly it had not, instead we had to buy a series of postcards of the top exhibits which we had mounted together and framed once home and which we still have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 25 #11 Share Posted July 25 11 hours ago, marazul said: I have never warmed up to the Pompidou. nor have we! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 26 Author #12 Share Posted July 26 On 7/24/2024 at 8:26 PM, OneSixtyToOne said: Here is some information about Paris museums that might interest you. Not all are closed on the same day so be sure to check operating hours and have a backup plan. The state run art museums in Pais have their collections separated by period. The Louvre contains pre mid 18th century art. Impressionism and post Impressionism is at the Musée d’Orsay, a converted 18th century train station. It is an absolutely fabulous venue that is my favorite museum in Paris. Modern art is at the Pompidou Center. There are also many private museums that are well worth your time. If sculpture interests you, the one place to visit is the Musée Rodin, which houses his famous works in his former mansion. You’ll find the “Thinker” in the garden. Musée Marmottan Monet contains the largest Monet collection in the world, including the work that gave name to Impressionism, “Impression Sunrise.” Musée de l'Orangerie was specifically built to house Monet’s oversized paintings of his lilly ponds. It’s well worth a visit. Musée National Picasso contains a vast collection of Picasso works covering his entire life and is housed in a historic 17th century mansion built by the Royal salt tax collector. IMO the Louvre is one of those places that is a bucket list item for tourists. The room containing the Mona Lisa is packed and the painting is relatively small. It’s not the experience most people expect. Consider the d’Orsay instead. No first visit to Paris would be complete without seeing the Mona Lisa, if for no other reason than to say you have. I appreciate all the details you provided about the various museums. While I’m sure we would enjoy Musée d’Orsay, we will have very little time in Paris and so much to see that a second museum will not be make the cut. Although I find myself quite drawn to the first two paintings above. Is that the style we would see there? On 7/24/2024 at 10:55 PM, marazul said: I love the Orsay and visit it every time I go to Paris. It's a magnificent collection. There is really no need for a guide. Same for the Orangerie which is quite small and it requires no explanation. A first time visitor should definitely visit the Louvre even if it is just scratching the surface. And add the Orsay if at all possible. I have never warmed up to the Pompidou. If we find ourselves will time to fill we could squeeze it in, but that is doubtful. 21 hours ago, edinburgher said: Another vote for the amazing Musee Rodin for anyone with an interest in sculpture.In addition to "TheThinker" there is also "The Kiss" and "The Gates of Hell", (based on Dante's description in Inferno) amongst many others. And it is an indoor/outdoor museum with many sculptures in the lovely garden area, a really quite peaceful spot to rest afterwards for a time far from the crowds. Also in very close proximity to Napoleon's Tomb, maybe 5 minutes max, and with views across the Champ de Mars to the Eiffel Tower, and maybe 10 or 15 minutes walk from the Musee d'Orsay, so really quite centrally located which is a bonus as several sights can be visited quite easily in one day. We will only have 3 days in Paris, which isn’t enough to see everything we should. 21 hours ago, edinburgher said: The shop at the Musee Rodin was poorly stocked on our first visit and the same on our second when we ventured back in the hope that with a gap of a few days,new stock would have arrived.(we had a "Museum Pass" so had no need to pay again) sadly it had not, instead we had to buy a series of postcards of the top exhibits which we had mounted together and framed once home and which we still have. What type of things were you expecting to see they didn’t have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare marazul Posted July 26 #13 Share Posted July 26 10 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: No first visit to Paris would be complete without seeing the Mona Lisa Or the Nike, or the Venus de Milo, or... All in the same place. Hope you have your TV on for the Paris coverage on the Today show. Can't wait to see the opening ceremony today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 26 Author #14 Share Posted July 26 1 minute ago, marazul said: Or the Nike, or the Venus de Milo, or... All in the same place. Hope you have your TV on for the Paris coverage on the Today show. Can't wait to see the opening ceremony today. Thanks for the reminder! We got distracted yesterday booking Alaska for 2026 and I totally forgot about it! Btw, what’s the Nike? I just know it as shoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare marazul Posted July 26 #15 Share Posted July 26 1 minute ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: Nike The Winged Victory of Samothrace. Monumental sculpture on the entrance stairway at the Louvre. You will know her when you see it. Nike=victory 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 26 #16 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: What type of things were you expecting to see they didn’t have? We had hoped to buy prints or posters which could be framed once home, but had to settle for the black and white postcards instead, although all separately mounted in one frame they still look lovely (at least in our eyes😉) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OneSixtyToOne Posted July 26 #17 Share Posted July 26 On 7/25/2024 at 6:56 AM, edinburgher said: Also in very close proximity to Napoleon's Tomb, maybe 5 minutes max, Yes it is! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 26 #18 Share Posted July 26 12 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said: Yes it is! Your photos brought back good memories so thanks for posting. We rested in the Rodin gardens for a time as it was super hot that day and we were tired. They are a peaceful and relaxing spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 26 #19 Share Posted July 26 (edited) On 7/25/2024 at 1:26 AM, OneSixtyToOne said: I can’t imagine a visit to this museum without seeing the Mona Lisa, as well as some other well known pieces I hope you won't be disappointed because the room in which the Mona Lisa is to be found is usually totally crowded and the actual picture is smaller than you might expect which only adds to the frustration. Can I suggest you google something like "crowds trying to view the Mona Lisa" or similar to find images of what you might experience. There are also short videos on YouTube. Not wanting to detract from your ideal image of the experience, (this is really a warning) but thinking it is better if you mentally prepare ahead of time for the reality of what this experience could potentially be, rather than turn up on the day only to be hugely disappointed. Edited July 26 by edinburgher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OneSixtyToOne Posted July 26 #20 Share Posted July 26 (edited) 40 minutes ago, edinburgher said: I hope you won't be disappointed because the room in which the Mona Lisa is to be found is usually totally crowded and the actual picture is smaller than you might expect which only adds to the frustration. Can I suggest you google something like "crowds trying to view the Mona Lisa" or similar to find images of what you might experience. There are also short videos on YouTube. Not wanting to detract from your ideal image of the experience, (this is really a warning) but thinking it is better if you mentally prepare ahead of time for the reality of what this experience could potentially be, rather than turn up on the day only to be hugely disappointed. While we were on a Viking ocean cruise some years ago, one of the lecturers gave a fantastic presentation about the Mona Lisa. The story is pretty wild. Her theft was one of the first international media events and until then it was a small unassuming portrait that was paid no particular interest. During COVID, Russell Lee did his presentation, among others, over the internet. He’s a wonderful storyteller. It’s definitely worth your time to watch. He also recorded presentations about the Dutch tulip bulb bubble and Greek mythology. All are worth watching. https://viking.tv/tv/this-week-on-viking-tv/wednesdays/exploring-the-mona-lisa-with-writer-and-lecturer-russell-lee Edited July 26 by OneSixtyToOne 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyx2008 Posted July 26 #21 Share Posted July 26 We had a fabulous private tour of the Louvre in the summer of 2023 using Paris Muse. We did the tour for teens given our party mix, but I would highly recommend the company. The tour guide was fabulous and catered the tour to our interests. https://parismuse.com/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phutch9136 Posted July 27 #22 Share Posted July 27 As of our trip July 2024 the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. Check your itinerary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 27 Author #23 Share Posted July 27 On 7/26/2024 at 10:51 AM, edinburgher said: I hope you won't be disappointed because the room in which the Mona Lisa is to be found is usually totally crowded and the actual picture is smaller than you might expect which only adds to the frustration. Can I suggest you google something like "crowds trying to view the Mona Lisa" or similar to find images of what you might experience. There are also short videos on YouTube. Not wanting to detract from your ideal image of the experience, (this is really a warning) but thinking it is better if you mentally prepare ahead of time for the reality of what this experience could potentially be, rather than turn up on the day only to be hugely disappointed. Thanks for the heads up. 23 hours ago, zyx2008 said: We had a fabulous private tour of the Louvre in the summer of 2023 using Paris Muse. We did the tour for teens given our party mix, but I would highly recommend the company. The tour guide was fabulous and catered the tour to our interests. https://parismuse.com/ Thank you. 1 hour ago, Phutch9136 said: As of our trip July 2024 the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. Check your itinerary. If we go, our plan is to be there Monday-Wednesday and fly home on Thursday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 27 #24 Share Posted July 27 (edited) 10 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: Thanks for the heads up. Sorry about that, but better to know ahead of time than only at the last minute when you may have try to push your way into the room. Once you have read exhibits info on the Louvre website and read reviews on Tripadvisor and watched YouTube, if there are only going to be a couple of exhibits of interest to you, you may decide that it would be be better to choose a different museum which may have more exhibits which you would like and which would make better use of your short time in Paris.😉 The Louvre with or without advance tickets and depending on where your ideal exhibits are located could easy take an entire morning or afternoon of your time. Sadly "overtourism" is becoming more and more of an issue in Europe but even more sadly, many of those contributing to crowding are not really interested in an in-depth visit, really only wanting a quick selfie with whatever the exhibit or site is before quickly exiting to move on to their next selfie location. Edited July 27 by edinburgher 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OneSixtyToOne Posted July 27 #25 Share Posted July 27 (edited) 15 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said: Thanks for the heads up. Thank you. If we go, our plan is to be there Monday-Wednesday and fly home on Thursday. You might want to buy the Paris Museum Pass https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/en There is a skip the line entrance at the Louvre and Orsay that you can use with it. One other must see in Paris is Sainte-Chapelle. Built by Louis XIV to house relics of the crucifixion, it has the most extensive gothic stained glass in the world. It’s amazing. Edited July 27 by OneSixtyToOne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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