Things to see in France – The Louvre
The Louvre ranks high on the list of things to see while in France. It houses one of the most magnificent art collections in the world. And this work of art is on display within the grand corridors and luxurious rooms of a spectacular ancient palace, where French kings and emperors, from the Middle Ages to Napoleon, lived and loved, ruled and celebrated. Visiting the Louvre as a historic building is as memorable an experience as seeing the art displayed within its walls. Big stairs. Opulent rooms. Painted ceilings and inlaid floors. Large patios.
You will be able to see only a fraction of the Louvre and its collections during a single visit. So the best approach is to focus on having the full experience of the part of the museum that you can absorb in one day, knowing that one day you will return. Each time you visit the Louvre it will be a completely different encounter.
In its first incarnation, the Louvre was a medieval wartime stronghold, built shortly after 1190 by King Philippe Auguste. During the 1300s, Charles V transformed the fortress into a fairytale castle, a splendid royal residence destined to impress his companions. In the 16th century, Françoise I transformed the Louvre into a great Renaissance palace, consuming much of the country’s wealthy on this and many other projects. As a passionate patron of the arts, Françoise filled her palace with an extravagant collection of art and sculpture.
The palace continued to expand throughout the centuries. When Henri II was felled by a lance that pierced his helmet during a tournament, his widow, Catherine de Medici, commissioned an additional palace for herself in front of the vast structure that was already in place, with magnificent gardens that reached all the way to Concorde Square. Catherine’s Palace burned down during the 1871 uprising, but the gardens remain and are remarkable.
Take an imaginary tour of the Louvre, in preparation for when you actually visit. Prepare to be in awe. When you actually visit, you will have obtained an advance Paris museums pass which will allow you to skip the line and enter the museum through the glass pyramid. As you explore this incomparable museum and stroll through its gardens, remember to look up at the ceilings and at the floors. Notice the grandeur of the stairs and the views from the windows. You will walk in the footsteps of kings, seeing masterpieces that were once only for the eyes of royalty.
Start outside at the glass pyramid
While you’re still outside in the Louvre courtyard, stand in front of the pyramid and orient yourself towards the vast building that surrounds it. This palace is huge. It will be easier to find your way from the outside than after entering.
Directly in front of you is the section of the medieval fortress, called the Sully Wing. When you enter, you will first take the escalators up to this wing to visit the antique displays. To your right, along the Seine, is the Denon Wing. Later, you will walk through the Grand Gallery in this wing, to see Italian paintings from 1300 to 1500, and to find the Mona Lisa.
To your left, in front of the pyramid, is the Richelieu wing. Today’s visit will conclude in this wing, exploring the glass-roofed courtyard, with its magnificent statues, displayed on terraces and bathed in constant natural light.
Follow a sequence of roads from Sully to Denon and Richelieu
Once you are inside, follow the path sequence you traced while outside in the yard. Start with the Sully Wing. Move from there to the Denon Wing and end your visit at the Richelieu Wing. This circuit will take about two hours to complete, plus time when you pause for a break at Café Mollien, on the grand staircase landing in the Denon Wing.
Start at the medieval Louvre
To start your loop, take the Sully escalator directly in front of you and follow the signs for the Medieval Louvre on the lower deck. You are now under the Louvre today. In front of you is the cylindrical tower that was once part of the fortress wall that King Philip II ordered to be built around Paris in 1190 when he was about to depart on the Third Crusade. To see the extent of the original fortress, locate the model next to the entrance to the ancient fortress moats.
Visit the Hall of Caryatids
This collection of Roman copies of Greek sculptures is phenomenal. The door entrance is a copy of the Caryatids, four giant sculpted female figures, holding above their heads what was once the base of a gallery of musicians. Other notable statues in this room include Diana of Versailles, Artemis with the doe, and the Centaur.
Find the celebrated Venus de Milo Y Winged victory
Turn left through the door to the sculpture room and walk through the Greek antique rooms to find the Venus du Milo, with her broken nose and missing arms. This is one of the most famous ancient Greek statues, discovered in 1820 buried in the ruins of the ancient city of Milos. She is still beautiful despite her disfigurements.
Retrace your steps towards the Denon wing to the magnificent staircase, Daru Staircase, lit by the windows of the domes above. Here you will find, brilliantly displayed as if floating above you, the statue of the Winged Victory.
Discover the many metaphors of the sun in the audience room of Louis XIV.
Go up the stairs to the left of Winged Victoria and cross the roundabout to the entrance of the Apollo Gallery. This part of the old palace was used by Louis XIV, the Sun King, as his audience hall. Louis chose the sun as his emblem due to his ties to Apollo, god of peace and the arts. So, of course, metaphors of the sun abound. The painted ceiling in the rotunda represents the fall of Icarus, flying too close to the sun. The gallery itself displays paintings that trace the path of the sun. On the vaulted ceiling of the gallery there are allegorical images of Apollo.
Walk through the Grand Gallery and find the Mona Lisa
The massive Great Gallery it houses more Italian paintings than you could possibly absorb in your lifetime. You will walk through room after room. Take a break from those paintings that surprise you, but otherwise keep moving. Look out for signs of the Mona Lisa, the masterpiece Leonardo da Vinci himself carried across the Alps in 1515 as a gift to his patron and friend, Françoise I. The area surrounding this painting is a mob scene. But work your way forward, then take the time to see it fully. It is worth making any effort to be in front of this mysterious work of genius and have this story to tell at home.
Take a coffee or snack break at an outdoor table at Café Mollien
When your feet start to hurt and your eyes have been blinded by too much great art, pause for a break at Café Mollien, located on the landing of the Mollien Escalier (staircase). Find a table on the outside terrace, overlooking the pyramid. From this vantage point, you will be able to look across the courtyard towards the Richelieu wing, your final destination for today’s visit.
Walk through the Michelangelo Gallery
Take the time to go down the stairs to the ground floor to visit the Michelangelo Gallery. Among the many enchanting sculptures found here are the remarkable Rebel slave Y Die slave, more Psyche and Cupid by Canova.
Enter the glass-roofed sculpture courtyard
Retrace your steps to the Escalier Mollien and walk down to the ground floor to cross over to the Richelieu wing. Here you will visit the vast glass roof Marley court, dedicated to the statues of Marley. This closed courtyard was created by IM Pei in 1993 by covering with glass, like the pyramid, what had been the open courtyard of the Minister of Finance. The impressive statues in this courtyard, with bred horses and racing gods, were formerly located at Marly, the country palace on the Seine that was Louis XIV’s favorite residence. The statues, missing fingers, toes, or noses, still bear the marks of living outdoors.
Much to your relief, you will find benches here. Sit among the statues and enjoy the sunlight through the glass ceiling. Be sure to locate the incomparable Loamy horses.
Follow your visit to the Louvre with a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens
It’s time to leave the Louvre for now, knowing that you will be back. But take the time to walk through the Italian gardens out front, created by Catherine de Medici. These gardens were once also in the eyes of royalty only. But they have been open to the public since 1667 and they are truly beautiful, with flowers blooming from May to October and many magnificent statues.
Walk to the large octagonal pool at the other end of the gardens, surrounded by stature, but also comfortable chairs. Find a chair for yourself and take a break to sunbathe alongside the many Parisians relaxing in comfort.
Now he has visited (and survived) the Louvre, at least in his imagination. He has followed in the footsteps of the kings of yore, who once amassed these masterpieces of art and sculpture for themselves and their court. When you repeat your imaginary visit with a real one, the experience will become a memory for a lifetime.
