The Geographical Cure

How To Virtually Tour of Paris’ Louvre & See Every Masterpiece

If you’re an art enthusiast, the Louvre is probably at the top of your Paris or museum wish list.

As the world’s largest and most visited museum, it boasts an impressive collection of 35,000 artworks, ranging from the 6th century BC to the 19th century AD, all housed within a magnificent Renaissance palace.

louvre.fr online tour

However, as you might imagine, visiting the Louvre can be quite the experience.

It’s often packed with crowds, flashing cameras, selfie sticks, and people bustling around or trying to touch the art. This can make it feel a bit chaotic and overwhelming.

But there’s good news! You can now explore the Louvre from the comfort of your home, avoiding the hustle and bustle.

I’ll guide you through how to virtually visit this iconic museum and view all its must-see masterpieces. Get ready to enjoy your personal Leonardo or Michelangelo experience in peaceful solitude.

sculptures in the Apollo Gallery of the Denon Wing

Layout of the Louvre

The Louvre is a U shape, divided into three wings: Denon, Sully, and Richelieu. Each of the wings has four floors.

The Denon Wing is home to the Louvre’s best known art work, including the world’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa .

The Sully Wing is known for its statuary and antiquities.

The Richelieu Wing houses the lavish apartments of Napoleon III and some famed Dutch art works.

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, 1503

Virtual Tour of Louvre Masterpieces

Let’s take an online virtual tour of the Louvre, wing by wing.

You can see all the must see masterpieces via 360 video tours, YouTube videos, or online tours on the Louvre Website itself. For a lengthy overall YouTube tour of the Louvre, click here .

The Denon Wing

The Denon Wing is the most visited part of the Louvre. It boasts the fabulously ornate Apollo Gallery, with high arches and frescoed ceilings.

It’s a shrine to Sun King Louis XIV. The paintings were begun by Charles Le Brun and completed by Eugene Delacroix.

Theodore Gericault, Raft of the Medusa, 1819

1. French Paintings in the Denon Wing

The Denon Wing is most renowned for its iconic French paintings from the Neoclassical and Romantic periods of art history. The must see French masterpieces include:

  • Eugene Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People
  • Jacques-Louis David, The Coronation of Napoleon
  • Theodore Gericault, Raft of the Medusa
  • Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Grand Odalisque

Eugene Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People, 1830

You can take a virtual tour of the recently restored Apollo Gallery on the Louvre’s website here . You can learn about the Coronation of Napoleon from this Louvre YouTuber .

You can take a virtual video tour of the world’s most famous French painting, Liberty Leading the People here . And learn about the Grand Odalisque here .

Via my blog, you can also explore the Louvre’s underrated masterpieces in the Denon Wing.

I also have a guide to what I think is the best painting in the Louvre , Gericault’s Raft of the Medusa , a then-scandalous painting based on a true story.

Raphael, Portrait of Baldasarre Castiglione, 1515

2. Italian Paintings in the Denon Wing

The Denon Wing also boasts treasures from the Italian Renaissance.

This is where you’ll find works by Sandro Botticelli , Leonardo da Vinci , Raphael , and Titian. The must see masterpieces include:

  • Leonardo Da Vinci, Mona Lisa
  • Leonardo Da Vinci, The Virgin and Child With St. Anne
  • Titian, Pastoral Concert
  • Raphael, Portrait of Baldasarre Castiglione
  • Paolo Veronese, The Wedding Feast at Cana

Paolo Veronese, The Wedding Feast at Cana, 1563

You can take a virtual 360 tour of the Grand Gallery, which houses much of the Louvre’s Italian art.

If you’re a Mona Lisa fan, the Louvre is offering the museum’s first virtual reality experience , which brings to life the story of the enigmatic portrait. You can also take a virtual tour of the Mona Lisa here , with Smarthistory, an artsy YouTube channel.

In the Louvre’s busiest room, the Mona Lisa stares across at Veronese’s massive Wedding Feast at Cana . You can take a virtual tour and get the full scoop on the Louvre’s largest painting here .

You can virtually tour Raphael’s paintings, including Baldasarre , on Google Arts & Culture . Learn about Titian’s Pastoral Concert , which inspired Edouard Monet’s groundbreaking painting Luncheon on the Grass , here .

READ : 3 Day Impressionism Tour of Paris

Antonio Canova, Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, 1793

3. Sculptures in the Denon Wing

If you prefer sculpture to painting, the Denon Wing has one of the world’s most magnificent sculptures — the Winged Victory of Samothrac e.

It also has a room on the ground dedicated to Italian sculpture, the Michelangelo Gallery. It’s one of my favorites spots in the Louvre.

It’s home to Michelangelo’s Dying Slave and Rebellious Slave , from 1513-15. These sculptures seem to struggle to escape the marble.

They were originally intended for the Tomb of Pope Julius II in Rome. But Michelangelo got distracted with the ceiling of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel and could never finish the tomb.

READ : Masterpieces of the Vatican

Michelangelo, Rebellious Slave, 1513

You can also find Antonio Canova’s incredibly romantic Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss . It’s considered Canova’s master work.

You can take a virtual tour of Michelangelo’s Slaves here , a virtual tour of Canova’s work on Google Arts & Culture , and a virtual tour of Canova’s Psyche here . You can take a virtual 360 tour of the Winged Victory here .

Winged Victory of Samothrace, 220-190 BC, second floor of the Denon Wing

2. The Sully Wing

In the Sully Wing, you’ll find some of the world’s most beautiful sculptures, antiquities, and the remains of the Medieval Louvre.

One of the Louvre’s greatest ladies, a Hellenistic masterpiece, is here — the Venus de Milo . Even without arms, Venus de Milo is considered the classical epitome of female beauty.

You can also see another masterwork, Sleeping Hermaphrodite , a mythological merger of a male and female body. The ancient sculpture was discovered in Rome near the Baths of Diocletian.

Cardinal Scipione Borghese commissioned the Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini to carve the mattress in 1619. He later sold the piece to the French when he was strapped for cash.

READ : The Bernini Trail in Rome

Venus de Milo, 3rd to 1st century BC

The Egyptian Antiquities are a well loved highlight of the Sully Wing. The collection features the 12 ton Great Sphinx of Tanis, model ships, ancient sculptures, a massive statue of Ramses II, and a sarcophagus room.

The medieval Louvre is also a fascinating place. Originally, the Louvre was a 12th century fortress built by King Philippe Auguste.

The lower levels are all that remain. Archeologists discovered and excavated the underground medieval remains during the construction of I.M. Pei’s pyramid in 1983-85.

You can take a virtual tour of all the Louvre’s Roman Antiquities here , the Venus de Milo here , and the Sleeping Hermaphrodite here . You can take a virtual tour of the famed Egyptian Antiquities here and walk around the Medieval Louvre here .

the Apartments of Napoleon III in the Richelieu Wing of the Louvre

3. The Richelieu Wing

In Richelieu Wing, you can admire the Louvre’s Mesopotamian Antiquities, Napoleon III’s Second Empire rooms, sculptures, and some amazing Dutch masterpieces.

The Richelieu Wing boasts the spectacular Cour Marly, a spacious glass roofed courtyard.

It’s stuffed with 17th and 18th marble and white stone sculptures, many commissioned by Sun King Louis XIV and Louis XV. There’s also a magnificent Fountain of Diana, dating from 1550.

the statue-filled Cour Marly in the Richelieu Wing

Perhaps the most famous part of the Richelieu Wing is the Napoleon III apartments. They were built between 1852-57 to accommodate visiting dignitaries. They’re sumptuous.

Crystal chandeliers glitter, gilded furniture gleams, and the ceilings sport beautiful frescos — all set amid red velvet and red drapery. The Rococo state dining room could seat almost 100 people.

You can virtually tour the Cour Puget here and the Cour Marly here . You can take a virtual tour of Napoleon’s Apartments here .

Johannes Vermeer, The Lacemaker, 1669-70

The Richelieu Wing is also home to some unmissable Dutch old master paintings, including:

  • Johannes Vermeer, The Lacemaker
  • Johannes Vermeer, The Astronomer
  • Rembrandt, Bathsheba at Her Bath.
  • Hieronymous Bosch, Ship of Fools
  • Georges de la Tour, The Cheat with the Ace of Diamonds

From the Louvre’s website, you can see and get an education on The Lacemaker here , Bathsheba here , Ship of Fools here , and The Cheat here .

Sarcophagus of the Spouses, 9th to 1st centuries B.C.

If you’re a Beyonce fan, her recent music video featured pieces from the Louvre. Now, you can follow the Beyonce Louvre Trail on the Louvre website.

The Louvre is also featuring an Artwork of the Day . If you’re interested in the history of the Louvre, here’s my guide .

Tickets For The Louvre

Naturally, if you decide to visit the Louvre in person, it’s essential to p re-book a skip the line ticket . If you take your art seriously, you may want to  book a guided tour .

I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to taking a virtual tour of the Louvre. You may enjoy these other Paris travel guides:

  • 3 day itinerary for Paris
  • 3 day art weekend in Paris
  • 5 day itinerary for Paris
  • Hidden gems in Paris
  • Guide to the Latin Quarter
  • Guide to Montmartre
  • Best museums in Paris
  • Monet guide to Paris
  • Louvre survival Tips
  • Tourist traps to skip in Paris
  • Guide to the Musee d’Orsay

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1 thought on “How To Virtually Tour of Paris’ Louvre & See Every Masterpiece”

Good day. I was wondering if you would recommend the Louvre at night . Is there a significant difference in terms of avoiding crowds, the lighting for pics and access to different wings?

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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Leslie Livingston

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Not Heading To Paris This Summer? The Louvre Has Digitized 482,000 Artworks

Neda Ulaby - Square

The Apollon Gallery at the Louvre museum in Paris on Jan. 14, 2020. Stephanie de Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The Apollon Gallery at the Louvre museum in Paris on Jan. 14, 2020.

One of the world's most massive museums has announced an encompassing digitization of its vast collection.

"The Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known," said Jean-Luc Martinez, President-Director of the Musée du Louvre, in a statement on Friday . "For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage."

France's Louvre Reopens Most Of The Museum — Sans Big Crowds

Coronavirus Live Updates

France's louvre reopens most of the museum — sans big crowds.

Some of this is hyperbole. The entire collection is so huge, no one even knows how big it is. The Louvre's official release estimates about 482,000 works have been digitized in its collections database , representing about three quarters of the entire archive. (The museum's recently revamped homepage is designed for more casual visitors, especially those on cellphones, with translations in Spanish, English and Chinese.)

"It's just overwhelming," says Andrew McClellan, a Tufts University professor and author of Inventing the Louvre: Art, Politics and the Origins of the Modern Museum . The strategy of putting nearly everything online is in keeping with the Enlightenment ideals that shaped the museum after the French Revolution, he says: "collecting the world's knowledge together under one roof, and then making it available for researchers and the general public."

Screenshot of the collections.louvre.fr database.

Major institutions have been digitizing their collections for many years, but the Louvre's online archives required especially exhaustive labor. Every image, according to the museum, is accompanied with scientific data: "title, artist, inventory number, dimensions, materials and techniques, date and place of production, object history, current location and bibliography. ... These documentary entries, drawn up by museum curators and researchers, come from two museum collection databases, and are updated on a daily basis."

Given the expense of running those databases, McClellan and other observers have wondered whether the Louvre may find ways to monetize some of these images, and whether the online collection will affect real-life attendance. ( " I am sure that this digital content is going to further inspire people to come to the Louvre to discover the collections in person," the museum's director said in his statement.)

'The Louvre Is Suffocating': Museum Closed As Workers Strike, Citing Overcrowding

'The Louvre Is Suffocating': Museum Closed As Workers Strike, Citing Overcrowding

It's also unclear how many of the online images may be of sacred objects, from countries other than France, and not meant to be casually viewed. The digital catalog includes items that may have been plundered — by Nazis or colonial forces — in a separate album titled "MNR" works , which stands for Musées Nationaux Récupération, or National Museums Recovery.

"This has to be coming up against these questions around restitution and repatriation and thinking about what the digitization of cultural heritage means within a context that is contested," observes Suse Anderson, a professor of Museum Studies at George Washington University , who studies the impact of digital technology on museums. She's generally impressed, she says, by the Louvre's online expansion, especially since it steers visitors beyond the obvious marquee works of art such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo .

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Landmark at the louvre: the pyramid turns 20.

"I'm a serendipitous browser," she says. "I'm not the person seeking the hero works. They're so easy to find. I'm the person who wants to find the unexpected."

Like the actual museum, the Louvre's online collection provides pathways towards new discoveries, Anderson says. "It helps you see things you might not otherwise. It helps you find surprises. And that's where I think you often get the connection to your own life, is when you find something that resonates, that isn't the thing you went looking for."

And online, you can ... Louvre ... the jostling crowds of tourists far behind.

Screenshot from the collections.louvre.fr database

All the art in the world: Louvre’s entire collection available to view online

Image may contain City Town Urban Building Downtown Triangle and Architecture

France’s greatest art gallery – with one of the most impressive selections of sculpture, jewellery and fine art in the world – has put up its entire 48,000-piece collection online. So you can now move from Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to the Ancient Greek sculpture of Venus de Milo via Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People , surely one of France’s most significant works depicting Liberty holding the triumphant flag over the victorious battle scene of the French Revolution.

In normal times, the world-renowned gallery attracts 10 million visitors a year but has been shut since 30 October in an effort to contain the pandemic. Its freshly laundered, newly designed website now allows users to navigate the museum’s eight departments – as well as artworks that would typically be unseen, locked away in storage – and is available in French, English, Spanish and Chinese.

Image may contain: City, Town, Building, Urban, Downtown, Architecture, Triangle, Metropolis, Plaza, and Town Square

President-director Jean-Luc Martinez said: ‘The Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known. For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free. The Louvre's stunning cultural heritage is just a click away.’

The Louvre joins the likes of the British Museum, the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia and New York's Guggenheim and Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering virtual tours during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Martinez added: ‘It's a step that has been in preparation for several years with the aim of serving the general public as well as researchers. Accessibility is at the heart of our mission.’

Image may contain: Triangle, Building, Banister, and Handrail

The platform also includes the Delacroix museum, which is run by the Louvre, as well as sculptures from the neighbouring Tuileries gardens and works recovered from Germany since the end of the war in 1945 that are waiting to be restored to the families from which they were looted. The museum announced earlier this month that it would intensify its efforts to restore items looted from Jewish families by the Nazi regime.

Experience the Louvre’s collection here: collections.louvre.fr

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You Can Now Explore the Louvre’s Entire Collection Online

A new digital database features 480,000 works from the Paris museum’s holdings

Nora McGreevy

Nora McGreevy

Correspondent

Aerial view of the Louvre Museum

When cultural institutions around the world were forced to shutter last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic , even the most popular art museum in the world felt the effects. The Louvre , home to such masterpieces as the Mona Lisa , welcomed just 2.7 million visitors in 2020—a 72 percent drop from 2019, when 9.6 million people flocked to the Paris museum.

But even as physical museums remained closed, art enthusiasts continued to seek inspiration in new ways : In that same pandemic year, 21 million people visited the Louvre’s website, according to a statement .

Thanks to a major website redesign and a new online collection database, browsing the historic museum’s holdings from home is easier than ever, reports Alaa Elassar for CNN . For the first time ever, the Louvre’s entire art collection is available to search online. The updated catalogue boasts more than 480,000 entries, from rare items stowed away in storage to the iconic Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace . (Though the digital database is free to browse, offerings are not open access , meaning users cannot directly download, share or reuse the images.)

“Today, the Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known,” says the museum’s president, Jean-Luc Martinez, in the statement. “… [A]nyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage.”

Martinez adds, “The Louvre’s stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away.”

Viewers can also click through an interactive map of the museum, virtually walking through the cavernous halls of the Renaissance castle or the sleek steel-and-glass pyramid designed by American architect I.M. Pei in 1989.

A screenshot of various small squares with works of art, including the Mona Lisa on far right, a mummy portrait from ancient Egypt and a 16th century sculpture of a "rebellious slave"

Previously, the public only had access to about 30,000 listings of works in the Louvre’s collections, reports Vincent Noce for the Art Newspaper . Per France24 , more than three-quarters of the entries in the Louvre’s online collection contain images and label information. The museum plans to continue to expand and improve the database in the coming months.

The archive also includes the collections of the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix , which is run by the Louvre, and the nearby Tuileries Garden , as well as a number of Nazi-looted artworks that are in the process of being returned to their original owners’ families.

According to the new online catalogue , about 61,000 works stolen by the Nazis were retrieved from Germany and brought back to France after World War II. Of these works, 45,000 have been returned to their rightful owners. A number of others were sold by the French state. The remaining 2,143 unclaimed works were categorized as National Museum Recovery (MNR) and entrusted to French cultural institutions, including the Louvre, for safekeeping.

Despite the Louvre’s involvement in repatriation efforts, lingering concerns remain that Nazi-looted art may have made its way into the Louvre’s permanent collections during the war. Since hiring curator Emmanuelle Polack to lead a wartime provenance research project in January 2020, the Louvre has checked nearly two-thirds of the 13,943 works it acquired between 1933 and 1945, Martinez tells the Art Newspaper .

In the future, the museum plans to debut the findings of this research project on its website. The director notes that he has instructed curators to conduct a similar investigation of the thousands of artworks in the Louvre’s collections that hail from countries formerly under French control, such as Algeria, Tunisia, Syria and Lebanon.

The goal of this long-term project, he says, will be to identify which items in the Louvre’s encyclopedic collections were obtained through looting or colonial violence.

“Our collections are mostly archaeological and come from digs shared with the countries of origin,” Martinez tells the Art Newspaper , adding that the museum often obtained new archives through “bilateral” legal agreements.

At the same time, Martinez adds, “[M]useums like the Louvre served imperial ambitions and we have to deal with this history.”

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Nora McGreevy

Nora McGreevy | | READ MORE

Nora McGreevy is a former daily correspondent for Smithsonian . She is also a freelance journalist based in Chicago whose work has appeared in Wired , Washingtonian , the Boston Globe , South Bend Tribune , the New York Times and more.

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Why Go On a Louvre Guided Tour?

The Louvre Museum is a must-visit when you’re in Paris. Home to 480,000 artworks, the museum is a treasure trove of art and history. One of the best ways to make the most of your visit to the Louvre is by going on a guided tour. Louvre guided tours make for a deep and meaningful experience where you can combine your love of art with knowledge. Here’s everything you need to know about choosing a Louvre guided tour.

Your Louvre Museum Guided Tour Options

Why take a guided tour of the louvre museum.

Louvre Guided Tour

  • On a guided tour, you get to learn about the history of the palace, the significance of each artwork, and interesting stories about the artists. 
  • Get deeper insights and newer perspectives from a local expert who knows the ins and outs of the museum and everything inside it.
  • The museum is huge! With a tour guide, you can navigate the museum easily and efficiently.
  • There’s always a huge crowd at the Louvre. Guided tours allow for a hassle-free experience with small tour groups. 
  • Louvre guided tours come with a skip-the-line feature which means you can bypass long ticket lines and head straight in.

What to Expect on Your Louvre Museum Guided Tour

Once you meet your tour guide, you will gain priority access to the museum . Skip past the long lines and head right in along with your tour guide. Irrespective of which type of guided tour you choose, you can be sure that you will get to see all the most famous artworks inside the museum. This includes the Mona Lisa , Venus de Milo, The Winged Victory of Samothrace, and many other masterpieces by renowned artists. 

Witness the best of European art as you visit various collections of paintings including the French paintings, the Grande Galerie, and Italian Renaissance pieces. Take a trip back in time as you walk through the massive Egyptian collection in the Crypt of the Sphinx and get a sense of what ancient Egypt was like. You will also be taken to the courtyards of the museum where a charming collection of ancient royal sculptures are kept. Your ticket is valid throughout the day so you can take your time exploring the rest of the museum once your guided tour is over.

Louvre Guided Tours vs Non-Guided Tours

Louvre Guided Tour

  • You will be accompanied by an expert tour guide who will give you a keen insight into the history of the museum and its artworks.
  • Guided tours have a fixed itinerary which is helpful when you have to explore a large museum like the Louvre.
  • You get to skip past long lines and get right into the museum on priority. 
  • These tours are conducted in small groups for a more wholesome and interactive experience.

Louvre Guided Tour

Non-Guided Tours

  • With a general admission ticket, you can avail of an audio guide to learn about all the artworks inside. 
  • You get to explore the museum at your own pace as opposed to going at the pace of a group.
  • You will have to wait in line to get inside the museum which could take between 30 minutes to 1 hour on less crowded days. During peak hours and weekends it could take up to 2 hours to get inside.  

Highlights Covered On Your Louvre Museum Guided Tour

Louvre Guided Tour

Marvel at a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance and one of the most famous paintings in the world. The Mona Lisa is a portrait painting created by Leonardo da Vinci, housed at the Louvre Museum in Paris. It is the highest valued painting with an insurance valuation of about $870 million. This is definitely one of the main highlights of visiting the Louvre.

Louvre Guided Tour

Venus de Milo

Venus de Milo is an ancient Greek sculpture dating back to around 150 and 125 BC. Based on the inscription on the sculpture, the masterpiece was crafted by Alexandros of Antioch. This is by far the most famous sculpture across the world and has been kept in the Louvre in 1820. The sculpture is missing one entire arm and a major portion of the other, as well as its original plinth.

Louvre Guided Tour

The Winged Victory of Samothrace

Standing tall atop the iconic Daru staircase is the statue of the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The statue represents the Goddess of Victory and is also known as the Nike of Victory. Dating back to the second century BCE, the statue is a masterpiece of Greek art. Although the exact origin of the piece is unknown, it was found on Samothrace island, towards the north of the Aegean sea.

Louvre Guided Tour

French Paintings

There are several magnificent French paintings housed in the Louvre Museum. Your tour guide will point out the most noteworthy ones and tell you about them in detail. Be sure to look out for The Raft of Medusa by Gericault, Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix, The Coronation of Napoleon by David, and the Rape of the Sabine Woman by Poussin to name a few.

Louvre Guided Tour

Italian Paintings

Some of the largest and most exquisite Italian paintings can be found in the Grande Galerie of the museum. This part of the palace has a long history. It was initially built as a connecting path between the Louvre Palace and the Tuileries Palace, which no longer exists. Take a walk through this remarkable gallery as you admire the many masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.

Louvre Guided Tour

Egyptian Collection

Behind the Crypt of the Sphinx is a massive collection of Egyptian antiques. Inside this collection are over 6000 pieces of Egyptian history, spanning almost 5000 years of the country's civilization. What initially started off as a four-room showcase, eventually extended to cover two floors of the museum. Stroll through the extensive collection as you learn about the fascinating history of ancient Egypt.

Louvre Guided Tour

The courtyards of the Louvre are adorned with beautiful sculptures bathed in natural light. Most of these sculptures were created for the gardens of palaces including the Château de Versailles, Château de Marly, and the Tuileries Palace. Some noteworthy sculptures to look out for are Perseus and Andromeda and Milo of Croton, both of which were part of the Château de Versailles gardens. The pieces here were created between the 17th and 19th centuries by renowned French sculptors.

Louvre Guided Tour

Royal Apartments

Get a glimpse of how French monarchs lived back in the day as you tour the royal apartments of Napoleon III. This section of the museum has been preserved for about 150 years and was the home of Napoleon III IN 1861. Inside this area, you will find many objects including furniture, chandeliers, vases, and more, that once served the monarch of France. The Napoleon III apartments are located on the first floor of the Richelieu Wing. 

Visitor Tips

  • Book your tickets and time slot in advance. This ensures that you secure your spot well in advance as these get filled up quite quickly.
  • Keep in mind that there is a separate entrance for tour groups located at the Richelieu Wing. 
  • Children and adults below the age of 26 are entitled to free admission. School children and disabled guests can also avail of free entry, however, prior reservation is mandatory.
  • Make sure that you arrive early and give yourself enough time to get to the entrance from the metro station. 
  • Wheelchairs and prams are available at the group reception area if needed. 
  • If you need to take breaks, seats are available throughout the museum.
  • Travel light when you visit the museum. If needed, lockers are available for tour groups at the special reception area below the Pyramid .

Frequently Asked Questions About Louvre Guided Tours

Yes. There are several Louvre guided tour options for you to choose from.

There are 3 different types of Louvre guided tours you can choose from - Louvre Guided Tour - Express (90 Min), Louvre Guided Tour - Comprehensive (3 Hours), and Louvre Guided Tour - Small Group (up to 15 guests).

You can book a Louvre guided tour online .

Louvre guided tours start from €53.90.

Louvre guided tours are available in English, Spanish, and French.

Your Louvre guided tour covers all the major rooms of the Louvre Museum .

Louvre guided tours are a great way to explore the museum and learn about all the artworks .

Yes. Your Louvre guided tours include skip-the-line access.

Yes. Your Louvre guided tours come with a flexible cancellation policy.

Louvre guided tours can take between 1.5 to 3 hours.

Yes. Infants between the ages of 0 - 3 years can enter the museum for free. Children under 14 years can avail of discounted tickets with a valid photo ID.

plan your visit Louvre

Louvre

The BEST Louvre Tours

After taking your classic Louvre pyramid picture, enter the Louvre Museum with your English-speaking guide. Skip the admissions line and head directly into the action, where tons of priceless art awaits you. Just the Louvre architecture itself will amaze you. Learn all about why the Mona Lisa became so famous, the tales behind the museum’s Greek and Roman antiquities, and the French art piece that inspired that Statue of Liberty. Feel like royalty as you pass through what used to function as a royal palace and marvel at the beautiful crown jewels.

Book Louvre tours with Free Cancellation and see the Mona Lisa up close

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Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa

Get to know Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People, and Napoleon's Coronation like never before

Paris in a Day Tour with Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Seine River Cruise

See the Mona Lisa, Sacre-Coeur, and Moulin Rouge with organized transportation and an expert guide

Louvre at Closing Time Tour with Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo

See the best of the Louvre with fewer crowds and a passionate guide on this late afternoon tour

Semi-Private Louvre Tour with Mona Lisa

Skip the line to see the World's greatest art with a max group size of 6 and a friendly expert guide

Private Louvre Tour in Paris with Expert Guide

See the Louvre your way with the help of an expert guide, with Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and more!

Private Paris in a Day Tour with Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Montmartre

See the most iconic Paris sites and cruise down the Seine in just a day with a dedicated local guide

Semi Private Paris Day Tour with Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Seine Cruise

Explore Montmartre and Latin Quarter neighborhoods and admire Mona Lisa in a group of 6

Paris by Segway 2-Hour Sightseeing Tour

Effortlessly discover the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, and more

Can I bring a bag into the Louvre?

Items exceeding 14in x 21.5in x 8in (55cm x 35cm x 20cm) are not permitted in the Louvre Museum of Paris.

Is it worth it to take a Louvre tour or should I visit on my own?

The Louvre Palace & Museum is home to over 400 rooms and 35,000 artworks. It is one of the largest and arguably the greatest museum in Western Civilization. Taking a tour guide will not only provide insights, but aid tremendously in navigating the museum. For more, read our article on if its worth it to take a Louvre tour .

Can I stay inside the museum after the tour?

It varies, but the answer is always indicated on the tour description page. Any time you exit the museum it is a "final exit" meaning you'd need to purchase a new ticket and queue up to re-enter. Our Semi-private Louvre tour (6 people max) allows you to stay inside after.

Can you do a tour if you have mobility issues?

The museum is quite large and built to accommodate persons in a wheel chair. That said, if you have trouble walking and need more time, we highly recommend booking a private tour so it can go at your pace. Then, send an email letting us know you have mobility issues so we can prepare.

What should we see at the Louvre?

The Louvre is loaded with amazing paintings, statue, and more. Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is the most famous but the museum is full of premier works. See our article on the top things to see at the Louvre for more information.

What are the best Louvre tours?

Great question, here are some of our top picks.

Semi-private Louvre tour with Mona Lisa (Max 6 people)

Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa (similar Louvre tour with 18 people max)

Semi-private Paris in a day tour with Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Seine cruise (Max 6 people)

Paris in a day tour with Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Seine river cruise (similar to above with 18 people max)

Any good restaurants near the Louvre?

Yes, there are! Check out our article on best restaurants near the Louvre for details!

Was the Louvre always a museum?

It began as a medieval fortress to protect what was a rather small city of Paris. Later it became a palace and finally a gallery after the French Revolution. It was also occupied by the Nazis in WWII!

Where does the word Louvre come from?

The word origin is heavily debated, but some think it derives from the word lupus in latin as the land may have been used by a wolf hunting association.

Do you have blog content on the Louvre that is helpful?

Yes! Read our dedicated Louvre guide .

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Rome in a Day Tour with Colosseum and Vatican Museums

Explore the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and more!

Semi-Private Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

Enjoy a premium and exclusive tour of the Raphael Rooms, St.Peter's Basilica, and more!

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Louvre Museum, Paris: Tips on Buying Skip-the-Line Tickets and Tours

Published on June 8, 2024

by Henk Bekker

in France , NAdX , Paris

Buy skip-the-line timeslot tickets for the Louvre Museum online or book guided tours for fast-track admission to the Mona Lisa and top art in Paris.

Mona Lisa Crowds

Specific time-slot, skip-the-line reservation tickets are the only sensible way to visit the Louvre Museum in Paris and are obligatory for all visitors in summer 2024. Lines at the Louvre are notoriously long making the surcharge for these online fast-track tickets a very good bargain and timesaving deal. Guided tours are the fastest way to enter the Louvre Museum. The best time to see the Mona Lisa is to visit the Louvre late afternoon while combination tours with a Seine river cruise are very popular too.

Timeslot reservations are currently essential to visit the Louvre — also for pass holders and visitors qualifying for free admission. On busy days, tickets sell out but tours may still be bookable. The pyramid remains the main admission entrance to the Louvre Museum for individual ticket holders but admission through the Carrousel underground shopping mall entrance is usually faster. A one-way system is in force during busy times and some halls may be closed.

Visit the Louvre Museum During the Paris Olympic Games in 2024

The Louvre Museum will be open as usual during the Paris Olympic Games and Paralympics periods. Art and culture lovers may find the hotels expensive and restaurants crowded during the games but museums and cultural sights in many other cities and countries that hosted major sports events were pleasantly quiet.

During the Paris Olympic Games 2024 keep the following in mind when visiting the Louvre Museum:

  • Time-slot reservations are obligatory for all visitors, including special pass holders and visitors usually qualifying for free and skip-the-line entrance tickets. Reservations are always a good idea but essential for all visits between 1 July and 8 September 2024. Some time slots and dates will only be available for reservations closer to the dates of visits.
  • The Louvre Museum is only closed on 25 & 26 July 2024 (and all Tuesdays). The Tuileries Gardens are additionally closed on 28 August 2024.
  • Arrive by metro and generally approaching the Louvre not from the Tuilleries (Place de la Concorde / Champs Elysees) side will be less disruptive.
  • Use the Carousel entrance (from the underground shopping mall) and take photos of the glass pyramid after the visit,

GetYourGuide

Cheap Tickets for the Louvre Museum in Paris

In 2024, ticket prices for the Louvre Museum in Paris increased sharply to €22 if bought onsite — but timeslot reservations remain obligatory for all visitors. Buying tickets at the museum is only possible at the quietest of times as visitors without advance tickets are last in line at the notoriously long security checkpoint queues. Spending €2 more on advance purchase specific time-slot tickets could save hours of queuing.

Admission to the Louvre Museum in Paris is free for the following but still requires time-slot reservations :

  • All visitors younger than 18;
  • Visitors 18 to 25 who are residents of the EU and EEA;
  • Paris Museum Pass holders;
  • All visitors on the first Friday of the month after 18:00 — excluding July and August; and
  • All visitors on the first Sunday of the month from October to April and on 14 July . (The free Sunday admission times are currently suspended).

Buy Time-Slot Skip-the-Line Tickets for the Louvre Museum

Queues outside the Louvre in Paris

Time-slot reservation tickets give visitors priority at the security checkpoints within a specific half-hour period and thereafter direct admission to the galleries. (If missing the half-hour timeslot, join the queue for visitors without tickets and wait.)

Skip-the-line tickets for the Louvre Museum in Paris are €22 and also available from a variety of resellers such as Tiqets and Get Your Guide . (Resellers may have different availability in peak periods.) These resellers allow tickets to be shown simply on the phone (or printed if preferred), which is great for buying tickets when already travelling and without access to a printer. These usually have more generous cancellation options too and sometimes have savings deals if buying tickets for further sights in Paris in the same transaction.

Avoid resellers that require vouchers to be exchanged for paper tickets at a nearby shop or office –- these add hassle rather than convenience.

Similarly, the official audio guide is available for anyone for rent at the museum (€6), or even better, download a guide or study a good guidebook before visiting – many are available online ranging from free with good visiting tips to premium guides by art experts.

Guided tours give the fastest admission to the Louvre Museum – see more details below.

Combination tickets with other sights are not sold by the Louvre but some resellers offer small discounts if tickets for the Louvre and other sights are bought at the same time (although visits may be several days apart if preferred). Tiqets sells Louvre Museum package deal tickets with for example the Musée d’Orsay , Bourse de Commerce-Pinault Collection , Centre Pompidou , Opera Garnier , Sainte Chapelle , Arc de Triomphe , or the Palace of Versailles .

Best Times to Visit the Louvre Museum in Paris

The Louvre Museum in Paris is open Wednesday to Monday from 9:00 to 18:00, closing at 21:00 on Wednesday and Friday.

The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays (including public holidays), 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December.

The best times to visit the Louvre are weekdays after 15:00 and on open evening days (except on the first Friday of each month when admission is free). See the Mona Lisa last – rooms start to close from half an hour before closing.

Another good time to visit the Louvre is first thing in the morning on weekdays – be in the queue at 8:45 rather than 9:30 – and see the Mona Lisa (and other top 10 sights ) first.

The worst time to see the Louvre Museum is any day when admission is free, most weekends (especially long weekends), school vacations, July and August.

Rembrandt Paintings in the Louvre Museum Paris

No one can see all of the Louvre in a day – even on the busiest day, once past the security line and the scrum at the Mona Lisa, many of the rooms further away from the most famous artworks will be surprisingly quiet and very easy to enjoy in peace.

Louvre Museum Entrances and Queues

View from the Louvre Museum

The main entrance to the Louvre Museum is via the large glass pyramid in the central courtyard — this entrance is always open for individual travellers. The Carrousel entrance in the underground shopping mall is a great choice and may save time even for visitors with time-slot reservation tickets. Furthermore, the Carrousel may be in a bland underground shopping mall but it offers protection against rain, wind, and sun.

Other entrances – Passage Richelieu and Porte des Lions are usually not available for individual travelers but often give groups fast access. (The Porte des Lions entrance is sometimes open for individuals at busy times but no bag storage is available.)

On the hour and half-past tickets holders queue at different lines at the Louvre Museum in Paris

Queuing at the entrance to the Louvre Museum is for the security check — entering through the glass pyramid is free and tickets are only required (and checked) once entering the museum galleries. The basic queues follow the following color system in order of preference for admission:

  • Blue – visitors needing assistance, e.g. disabled, infirm, pregnant.
  • Green – visitors with specific time-slot tickets (almost everyone) — note Paris Museum Pass holders currently must make free time-slot reservations.
  • Orange – visitors with tickets
  • Yellow – visitors without tickets (a very limited number of tickets are sold daily on-site).

Visitors qualifying for free tickets and Paris Museum Pass holders should also make time-slot reservations at the Louvre — in contrast to so many other sights, these reservations actually are free. Otherwise, wait in the yellow line but may join the other queues if traveling with someone with a paying ticket.

Time-slot tickets are valid for the whole calendar day. If a timeslot is missed, join the orange or yellow queue – if very long, try your luck at the green queue first!

There is little point in turning up too early for time-slot reservations — if pressed for time, the best is to arrive five to ten minutes after the time so the specific queue is already moving. On the hour and half-past ticketholders queue at different lines.

Quick Entry Guided Tours of the Louvre Museum

The quickest way to enter the Louvre Museum is as part of a guided tour. A huge variety of tours are available and in some cases may even be booked on the day of the tour itself. Visitors may stay inside the museum.

A few things to consider when booking Louvre Museum guided tours:

A short 2-hour highlights tour (or even a 90-minute top-ten express tour ) is a good way to enter the museum fast and to see the top famous works. At the end of the tour, visitors may of course stay in the museum until closing time.

Longer 3-hour tours are hardly more expensive than the highlights tours and are better options for visitors less interested in staying behind to explore further on their own (although you may of course remain in the museum).

Private tours cost more but are generally more pleasant and a better option for visitors who may struggle with stairs.  Private tours for families are also a great option when traveling with children.

Some “tours” provide little more than an accompanied walk through security (using the group entrance) and a fast-track shortcut to the Mona Lisa . These add very little value except if it is right at the opening time of the museum – rather take a proper guided tour , top-ten highlights if time is pressing, or do it alone. The Mona Lisa room is going to be crowded anyway. Tours not offering fast-track admission, or meeting inside the museum, are also saving at the wrong end.

Combining Tours for the Louvre Museum in Paris

Combining a guided tour of the Louvre Museum with longer Paris day tours and other sights may be a good money-saving deal and a good option for travelers with limited time. However, read the fine print – some “tours” offer little more than tickets and a map.

Popular combination tours recommended by Get Your Guide include for example touring the Louvre and a Seine cruise , the Eiffel Tower and Seine River cruise , a guided tour of the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay for a lot of top art in a few hours, or the  Palace of Versailles  to include two top Paris sights in a full-day tour.

Seeing the Louvre is also possible on a day trip from London using the Eurostar trains.

Henk Bekker in armor

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing online. He is particularly interested in history, art, and culture. He has lived most of his adult life in Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark. In addition to European-Traveler.com , he also owns a travel website on the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland and maintains statistical websites on car sales and classic car auction prices . Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Development Finance from the University of London.

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Home » France » Paris » Louvre Museum, Paris: Tips on Buying Skip-the-Line Tickets and Tours

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10 Tips For Visiting The Louvre (Paris, France)

T he Louvre, a treasure trove of art and history nestled in the heart of Paris, is a must-visit for any art enthusiast or traveler. With its vast collection spanning centuries and cultures, exploring the Louvre can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. To ensure you make the most of your visit, here are 10 essential tips to navigate this iconic museum.

1. Plan Ahead

Begin your Louvre adventure by planning ahead. The museum is colossal, and attempting to see everything in one visit can be daunting. Research the Louvre's layout, highlight the must-see artworks, and create a personalized itinerary. Prioritize your interests, be it Renaissance paintings, ancient sculptures, or Egyptian artifacts, to tailor your visit accordingly.

2. Purchase Tickets in Advance

Save valuable time by purchasing your tickets online in advance. The Louvre is immensely popular, and the lines can be exceptionally long. Opting for skip-the-line tickets allows you to breeze through the entrance and dive straight into the cultural wonders awaiting you inside.

3. Visit Off-Peak Hours

To maximize your enjoyment and minimize the crowds, consider visiting during off-peak hours. Early mornings or late afternoons on weekdays are ideal times to explore the Louvre with a bit more tranquility. You'll have a better chance to appreciate the masterpieces without the hustle and bustle.

4. Take Advantage of Guided Tours

Engage in the expertise of a guided tour to gain deeper insights into the Louvre's vast collection. Knowledgeable guides can provide historical context, fascinating anecdotes, and help you navigate the expansive museum efficiently. Some tours even offer exclusive access to certain areas, enhancing your overall experience.

BOOK NOW: Top Rated Louvre Skip The Line Guided Tour

5. Wear Comfortable Attire

Prepare for a day of walking and exploration by wearing comfortable clothing and footwear. The Louvre's sheer size requires a fair amount of walking, and comfortable attire will ensure you stay energized and focused on the art rather than discomfort.

6. Focus on the Highlights

With over 35,000 pieces on display, it's crucial to focus on the highlights to avoid feeling overwhelmed. The Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace are among the Louvre's star attractions. Identify your must-see artworks and plan your route accordingly.

7. Bring Snacks and Stay Hydrated

Exploring the Louvre can be a time-consuming endeavor, and hunger or dehydration can dampen your experience. Pack some snacks and a reusable water bottle to keep yourself fueled and refreshed throughout your visit. There are designated areas where you can take a break and enjoy a snack.

8. Respect Art Etiquette

While admiring the masterpieces, it's essential to observe proper art etiquette. Refrain from touching the artwork, use flash photography, or creating disturbances. Respectful behavior ensures a pleasant experience for you and fellow art enthusiasts.

9. Explore Beyond the Obvious

While the Louvre's iconic pieces are undoubtedly breathtaking, don't hesitate to explore beyond the obvious. Wander through lesser-known galleries and hidden corners to discover hidden gems and lesser-known treasures. You might stumble upon artworks that resonate with you on a personal level.

10. Reflect and Relax

After immersing yourself in the richness of the Louvre, take some time to reflect and relax. Find a peaceful spot in the museum's expansive courtyard, the Cour Carrée, or nearby Tuileries Garden. Absorb the cultural magnitude of your visit and savor the memories created within the walls of this historic institution.

Conclusion:

A visit to the Louvre in Paris is an unforgettable journey through time and art. By planning ahead, utilizing skip-the-line tickets, and embracing these tips, you can transform your Louvre experience into a seamless and enriching adventure. Navigate the labyrinth of artistic wonders with confidence, and let the Louvre's magnificence leave an indelible mark on your travel memories.

RELATED READ: Must Have European Travel Essentials To Buy Before Your Visiting France

The Louvre is the world's most famous museum but visiting it can feel overwhelming. It's essential to plan ahead and be prepared for your visit to the museum. By adopting these important tips, you can make your visit more seamless and rewarding.

Explore - The treasures of the Louvre palace and collections

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louvre.fr online tour

Explore The treasures of the Louvre palace and collections

Collections.

The Collections database consists of entries for more than 500,000 works in the Musée du Louvre and Musée National Eugène-Delacroix.

louvre.fr online tour

Explore the collections  

Life at the museum

All year round, the Louvre offers new things to see and do! Here you will find all the latest news on the museum’s ever-changing collections, contemporary art installations, life behind the scenes at the Louvre, and more.

louvre.fr online tour

Find out what’s new at the museum  

Visitor trails

Not sure where to start? Follow a step-by-step guide on a trail tailored to fit the subjects that interest you and the amount of time you plan to spend at the museum.

louvre.fr online tour

Our visitor trails  

Explore the former palace of the kings of France, now the largest museum in the world, and dive into its collection, encompassing nearly 10,000 years of art history.

louvre.fr online tour

Explore the palace  

The gardens

The Carrousel and Tuileries Gardens are an integral part of the National Estate of the Musée du Louvre. As historic as they are ideal for taking a stroll, the gardens offer a range of family-friendly activities as diverse as the seasons all year round.

louvre.fr online tour

More information  

Frommer's - Home

How You Can See the Louvre's Entire Collection Online for Free

Img 2166

By Zac Thompson

03/29/2021, 2:00 PM

All 480,000 or so objects in the collection of the Louvre in Paris have been cataloged online for the first time. For free, you can peruse every last priceless painting , armless statue, and any other work—from the Mona Lisa to some half-forgotten Etruscan oddity—at the museum's new collections website .  

The database includes entries for everything that's currently on display, in storage, on loan, or part of other Louvre-administered collections including those of the Tuileries Garden , the Musée National Eugène Delacroix , and the Musées Nationaux Récupération, which is made up of works retrieved after World War II and awaiting return to the families that lost them (or had them stolen). 

If all of that feels a little overwhelming, the website helps make the Louvre's vast holdings more manageable by dividing the database up into different departments—paintings, sculptures, textiles, and so on—and themed albums on subjects such as portraiture, historical events, recent acquisitions, and a  greatest hits  assemblage of 40 well-known masterpieces. (That's where you'll find the Winged Victory of Samothrace, pictured above.)

Click a work's thumbnail image to see photos from several angles along with info on what's known about the artist, medium, date, condition of the piece, and other curatorial notes.

You can even find its location in the museum. An interactive map covers each gallery—including photos of everything on display there—which should assist with plotting future visits to Paris. If tourism numbers ever return to what they once were, travelers inside the Louvre during high season can use all the help they can get.

Along with adding the database of its holdings, the Louvre has upgraded its main website as well. There are now slick virtual tours as well as podcasts, films, kids' programming, and music events designed to let you engage with the art and life of the Louvre even if you can't make it to France for awhile.

Visit Louvre.fr to check out the new website or go to Collections.Louvre.fr to delve into the treasures.

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Yannick Noah allume le chaudron à l’aide de la flamme olympique, à côté de Stéphane Bern, sur le parvis de l’hôtel de ville de Paris, le 14 juillet 2024.

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Flamme olympique à Paris : Yannick Noah a allumé le chaudron à l’Hôtel de Ville, revivez la première journée du relais dans la capitale

La flamme olympique a traversé la capitale de 13 heures à 23 heures, passant par l’avenue des Champs-Elysées, l’Assemblée nationale, la place Vendôme, le musée du Louvre ou la place du Colonel-Fabien.

Tout le live

C’est la fin de ce direct.

Merci d’avoir suivi cette journée de relais olympique. Demain, la flamme se lève tôt, le relais s’élancera dès 8 h 15 de la porte de la Chapelle.

Bonne fin de soirée !

Une coureuse dessinée par des drones dans le ciel au cours du feu d’artifice tiré près de la Tour Eiffel, dimanche 14 juillet.

Le chaudron est allumé !

La flamme passera la nuit dans les salons dorés de l’Hôtel de ville, où le public préalablement inscrit pourra venir la veiller toute la nuit, de 00 h 30 à 5 heures. Après La Marseillaise doit suivre un feu d’artifice à la tour Eiffel, conçu comme une série  « d’hommages à la capitale et aux valeurs de l’olympisme » , selon la mairie de Paris.

Yannick Noah s’empare de la flamme et se dirige vers l’Hôtel de Ville

Le basketteur nicolas batum s’apprête à remettre la flamme olympique à yannick noah.

La fin de la première journée de relais parisien approche. Allumage du chaudron à venir, et feu d’artifice de rigueur pour ce 14 juillet dans quelques instants.

Mais qui donc sera le dernier relayeur ??

Pour aujourd’hui, il s’agira de Yannick Noah dans quelques instants. S’agissant du tout dernier relayeur, lors de la cérémonie d’ouverture, le vendredi 26 juillet, les pronostics vont bon train mais c’est encore un secret bien gardé.

Pourquoi ne parlez-vous pas de Yibo Wang, chanteur, acteur, danseur, champion de moto, représentant la Chine, aussi renommé que Jin pour la Corée ?

Vous nous avez devancés ! En effet, la star chinoise a également fait un relais remarqué il y a quelques minutes dans les rues de Paris.

La tour Eiffel, décorée avec les anneaux olympiques, dimanche 14 juillet au soir.

Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, en attendant la flamme

Justin 55 ans, Christelle 47 ans, Samia 50 ans et Amara 64 ans attendent l’allumage du chaudron olympique à Paris, le 14 juillet au soir. TERENCE BIKOUMOU POUR « LE MONDE »

Justin, Christelle, Samia et Amara étaient à l’origine venus à l’Hôtel de Ville pour voir la flamme allumer la vasque olympique. Et puis, ces quatre amis parisiens ont découvert, en arrivant dans la soirée sur le parvis, le concert de musique classique proposé en partenariat avec France télévisions et Radio France. « Alors, on est restés » , explique Christelle.

Ils voulaient à l’origine voir le relais devant le Panthéon. Et puis, trop de monde, arrivés un peu tard aussi, ils se sont rabattus, verres de bière à la main, sur la dernière étape du parcours de la flamme en ce 14 juillet, jour de fête nationale.

« On trouve ça grandiose » , disent-ils de concert, soulagés, aussi, par le résultat du second tour des élections législatives, il y a une semaine, qui leur permet de tourner leurs esprits vers les Jeux. « Le RN n’est pas passé, on s’approprie nos vies et notre ville » , ose même Samia, jeune quinquagénaire. « On a angoissé pendant quinze jours, aujourd’hui on est dans un esprit festif » , trinque sa copine, benjamine du groupe, le verre pratiquement vide, en attendant la flamme et le feu d’artifice, bouquet final de la journée.

Le basketteur Rudy Gobert parmi les derniers relayeurs parisiens du jour

Il vient de brandir la flamme du haut de ses deux mètres seize en longeant la Seine, le basketteur français Rudy Gobert est l’un des invités surprise de ce relais parisien. Tout à l’heure c’est Nicolas Batum, son coéquipier au sein de l’équipe de France qui sera l’avant-dernier relayeur avant l’allumage du chaudron par l’ex-tennisman et chanteur Yannick Noah.

En attendant, vous pouvez (re)lire notre rencontre avec Rudy Gobert dans le cadre de notre série « Dessein olympique ».

Rudy Gobert, basketteur : « Devenir champion olympique à Paris, c’est l’opportunité d’une vie »

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En attendant la flamme, le concert du 14-Juillet devant l’Hôtel de ville

Une immense scène a été dressée devant l’Hôtel de ville et une grosse foule est venue écouter le concert de Radio France, qui a commence par « La damnations de Faust », marche hongroise de Berlioz. Le traditionnel concert du 14-Juillet a été délocalisé face à la mairie où le chaudron olympique sera allumé après 23 heures par le dernier relayeur de la journée, tandis que le Champ-de-Mars est inaccessible en raison de la préparation des sites olympiques.

Peu avant le début du concert, l’animateur Stéphane Bern avait présenté le programme de la soirée et introduit Anne Hidalgo et Tony Estanguet, la maire de Paris et le président du comité organisateur des JO, montés sur scène. « Se retrouver ici, c’est réaliser un rêve. Profitez de ce moment de bonheur qui va nous faire du bien ! Chacun gardera ces images dans son cœur pendant très longtemps » , a lancé l’élue socialiste.

Tony Estanguet y est allé aussi de son compliment :  « Ça va être un très grand moment pour tout le pays. On a hâte d’accueillir les athlètes qui arrivent. »

Au musée du Louvre, des fans et des pas de danse

De gauche à droite Eden , Morgane et Arielle.

Elles n’ont pas voulu le croire. Leur idole a été devant elles, tout sourire, un brin gêné par les cris hystériques de ses fans. Entouré par une trentaine de CRS, Kim Soek-Jin, membre du groupe coréen BTS, a porté la flamme jusqu’à l’entrée du Louvre, peu après 20 heures. Des centaines de personnes – des jeunes filles pour la plupart – sont venues acclamer le chanteur.  « Il est irréel, j’ai envie de pleurer » , a lancé Arielle.  « C’est le plus jour de ma vie » , a déclaré pour Anissa.  « Il est trop beau, j’ai envie de mourir » , a estimé Eve.  « Je n’arrive pas à y croire » , a confié Lamia. Le temps de ce relais, la flamme olympique a été reléguée au second plan.

A l’intérieur du musée, la danseuse Marie-Claude Pietragalla a fait quelques pas magiques avec la torche allumée devant le tableau  La Liberté guidant le peuple  d’Eugène Delacroix.

L’artistes JR et l’athlète Sandra Laoura se relaient sur le parcours de la flamme olympique au musée du Louvre, dimanche 14 juillet.

La flamme olympique est arrivée au Louvre

La flamme va entrer dans la Pyramide après, notamment, le relais de la star coréenne de la K-pop Kim Seok-jin. Parmi les relayeurs attendus : la danseuse et chorégraphe Marie-Claude Pietragalla, l’escrimeur Enzo Lefort mais aussi l’artiste JR.

Jin membre du groupe coréen BTS, effectue un fragment du relais de la flamme olympique à proximité du musée du Louvre, dimanche 14 juillet.

Au Louvre, Jin, la star coréenne du groupe BTS, plus attendu que la flamme

Certaines sont arrivées à 9 heures pour ne pas louper la seule star du jour qui compte pour elles : Kim Seok-Jin. Membre du groupe coréen BTS, ces centaines de fans, françaises ou étrangères, sont massées à l’arrière des barrières de sécurité à deux pas de l’entrée du Louvre. « On s’en fout de la flamme, on veut voir Jin » , lance une groupie. « Non d’abord Jin, puis la flamme », reprend une autre. « Allez, on va dire la flamme puis Jin. »

louvre.fr online tour

Drapeaux coréens, des cœurs en papier surlesquels sont écrits Jin, ces fans absolues espèrent juste apercevoir la star qui n’est pas venue en France, selon elles, depuis le 19 juin 2019. Une seule question les intéresse : « Vous savez s’il va passer par ici ? »

Son relais est prévu aux alentours de 20 h 20 au musée du Louvre.

A quelle heure passe la flamme au Louvre
A quelle heure passe la flamme devant le Louvre ?

Aux alentours de 20 h 15 !

Place du Colonel-Fabien, Paris s’ambiance

Place du Colonel-Fabien, la foule est enfin là, bigarrée et joyeuse. Une scène a été installée au centre du terre-plein, en face de la bulle du siège du Parti communiste français dessiné par Niemeyer. Du gros son, des basses et des gens qui se trémoussent en agitant des fanions « Ville de Paris » . Quelques pancartes « Paris ville hôte et terre d’accueil » que la ville a distribuées avant l’arrivée de la flamme.

Sur le côté de la place, en rangs serrés, les badauds attendent. Parmi eux, un petit groupe de Jamaïcains venus pour les JO, tenant un long fanion aux couleurs de leur équipe. Derek Fair, 56 ans, salarié d’American Airlines, explique que lui et ses amis ont déjà fait une précédente étape mais n’ont rien vu : « Ici il y a une bonne ambiance. C’est la fête nationale et on est content d’être là.  »

Derek Fair, avec des membres de sa famille, place du Colonel-Fabien.

La porteuse de flamme passe sous les bravos et aussitôt la foule suit en un cortège qui ne s’arrête plus de tourner. La sono a lancé Free From Desire, de Gala, et le DJ lance : « Faites du bruit pour la flamme ! »

Place du Colonel-Fabien.

A quelle heure passe la flamme à Colonel Fabien ?
Bonsoir, à quelle la flamme sera place Vendôme ? Merci

Bonsoir K61 et Fred66,

Elle devrait être place du Colonel-Fabien entre 19 heures et 19 h 15, dans sa déambulation entre l’avenue Trudaine et le musée du Louvre, en passant par la place Vendôme (19 h 50). Elle ralliera la place de l’Hôtel de ville vers 23 heures.

Place de la Bastille

Les danseurs de l’Opéra de Paris Hugo Marchand et Dorothée Gilbert lors du relais de la flamme olympique, sur la place de la Bastille, à Paris, le 14 juillet 2024.

Savez-vous vous où nous pourrons voir le relais de Pierre Garnier ?
A quelle heure passe pierre Garnier ?
Bonjour, nous voudrions voir Pierre Garnier porter la flamme. Savez-vous à quelle heure et où est prévu son relais ?

Bonjour Pierreportelaflamme, Remy, Mat03,

La demande est massive alors dissipons les inquiétudes : le chanteur Pierre Garnier devrait porter la flamme aux alentours de 19 h 50 rue Scribe, entre l’Opéra Garnier et l’église de la Madeleine.

Blaise Matuidi, champion du monde de football en 2018, termine le troisième convoi « engagement » de la journée

C’est à l’issue d’un relais collectif « PSG », dans lequel Blaise Matuidi, champion du monde de football en 2018, a porté la flamme olympique, entouré de salariés et d’anciens salariés du club de la capitale tels que l’internationale Laura Georges, que s’est terminé le troisième convoi « engagement » de la journée, sur l’avenue Trudaine, avec le chant de supporteurs Tous ensemble on chantera . Pour rappel, le Parc des Princes, le stade des joueurs du Paris Saint-Germain, accueillera des matchs de football pendant les Jeux olympiques.

Le contexte

Live animé par Dorian Jullien

Après avoir traversé une cinquantaine de départements et territoires ultramarins, c’est aux Parisiens de découvrir la flamme olympique, deux semaines avant que les Jeux olympiques ne commencent. Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Assemblée nationale, Institut du monde arabe ou encore le site olympique de Roland-Garros et la place Vendôme… pendant deux jours, le feu olympique traverse la ville hôte, avant d’y reposer définitivement à partir du vendredi 26 juillet, jour de cérémonie d’ouverture.

A cette occasion, nous vous proposons de suivre cette journée spéciale en notre compagnie. Au programme, de nombreuses informations et témoignages rapportés par nos journalistes dans les rues parisiennes.

Vous pouvez participer à ce direct tout au long de la journée en nous envoyant vos commentaires et vos questions sur la flamme, son parcours et, plus largement, les Jeux olympiques.

Pour approfondir :

  • Retrouvez tous nos articles sur les JO de Paris 2024

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COMMENTS

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