Lines at the Louvre

I%26#39;m planning to be in Paris next week with my wife and a few friends (arriving Thursday evening and departing Sunday evening). We are planning to visit the Louvre one day and I%26#39;m assuming that our best bet would be Friday to avoid weekend lines on Saturday or Sunday. Should I expect long lines on a Friday? Any tips to avoid the wait?

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Get your ticket at any métro stop in advance. It includes the ride to/from the Louvre.

Then, check the Louvre%26#39;s web page (see below). Click where it says %26#39;Card and Ticket holders%26#39; to skip the lines.

In fact, no one can ever predict when the lines are shorter or longer.

Since the Louvre is open till 9:45 PM on Fri, I%26#39;d go let%26#39;s say at 6 PM or so. Have dinner afterwards.

www.louvre.fr/llv/pratique/venir.jsp…

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Thanks very much for the info/advise!

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you can also enter through the Louvre shopping mall and you might get a shorter line at security than at the Pyramide entrance. You can also buy tickets at this entrance from the automated machines with a credit card. That%26#39;s what i did.

The entrance is down the street from the metro exit and you look for a reddish/purpleish awning.

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Lines are not so much for entrance than for security. You can buy a ticket at a machine and not wait in line.

Best way is to go through Carousel du Louvre on rue de Rivoli or use the entrances to the parking garage at the left or right of Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.

You still will have to line up at the Xray machines though.

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We just got back from Paris on Sunday, we were at the Louvre Wed. and there were no lines at all. We walked right in. I wish I had more time than we did, that place is HUGE !! 1 day back and I miss Paris already...

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If you%26#39;re in the vicinity, there are entrances to the Louvre in the DENON wing at Porte de Lions. The reason I qualify this with %26#39;..in the vicinity..%26#39; is that though these are supposed to be General Admission entrances, they are occasionally closed due to staff shortages, security alerts, etc and time of day. But if you are coming from that general direction, it%26#39;s usually worth a small detour to check to see of these entrances are in operation.

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Choporama,

I read a very interesting article which tells how to %26#39;jump%26#39; the queue, actually it goes further - you will have Mona Lisa only for you and friends, at least, for 15 minutes. It was published at The Times. Here%26#39;s the link:

…timesonline.co.uk/article/…00.html

Just tell us TA posters if plan worked well.

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Nice link Cordeiro. Thanks.