The Louvre in spring is a time when the museum reveals itself in all its beauty and hospitality, filled with incredible masterpieces of art that will leave you with an unforgettable experience

Paris is a city that always attracts with its charm, beauty of architecture and atmosphere, rightfully one of the most beautiful places in the world, and the Louvre, the largest museum in the world, is one of the main gems of the French capital.

 

Spring is a great time to visit this cultural treasure, when the city wakes up to new life under the bright rays of the sun and blossoms in the parks. Here are some tips on how to enjoy a visit to the Louvre in spring.

Ideal time: March

Avoid traveling in May and April due to spring break in French schools. March is the best month: there are fewer tourists, it's already warm enough, and you'll catch the magnolia blossoms in the Palais-Royal, which is next to the Louvre.

Plan your visit in advance

Before you go on your trip, make sure you plan your visit. The Louvre always has a large number of visitors, so it's best to buy tickets online in advance to avoid queues and stress. You should also familiarize yourself with the museum's opening hours and the areas you are most interested in. Once a month, namely on the first Sunday of the month, the Louvre opens its doors for free, find out in advance when this date is to save on tickets.

The standard ticket price for an adult is 22 €, for children under 18 years old - tickets are free. However, you must create a ticket for each person, indicating the name and surname of the child, if you are going to visit the museum with them.

Choose the most convenient time

In spring, there is a smaller flow of visitors to the Louvre compared to summer or autumn. Morning or mid-day in the middle of the week can be the quietest hours to visit, when you can enjoy the masterpieces of art without pressure and crowds. When choosing a ticket online, you can choose the most convenient slot from the ones listed on the website, but we still recommend coming to the museum in advance.

Secret entrance

This museum is also known for its huge queues to enter the Louvre pyramid. But there are several ways to get to the Louvre, one of them has absolutely no queue to enter, you need to cross the road from the Louvre Pyramid in the direction of the Tuileries Gardens and immediately see an underground passage with the inscription "Carrousel du Louvre", going down the stairs you will find yourself at the lowest level of the Louvre on the -2 floor in a shopping center with a huge number of souvenir shops and delicacies. It is here that there is an additional entrance to the museum. And after a tour of the Louvre, you can buy here all the souvenirs you want with the museum's markings and all the most popular French souvenirs: macaron cookies from Laduree or chocolate sets or French wines.

Gioconda

If you want to see the Mona Lisa without a crowd, like at a rock concert, come at 9:30 am. However, this is not a guarantee. If you came for the sake of her, and you don't have enough time, we advise you to immediately take a brochure at the entrance to the museum and go to the 4th floor in search of zone 717, where the Gioconda is hidden. On the way to it, you will see a café, Napoleon's chambers, 17th-18th century tableware, royal jewelry, and paintings by the greatest artists of mankind. To fully enjoy the exposition, it is advisable to have at least 3 hours.

At your service in the museum: free luggage storage, audio guide for an additional fee, special carts for children who are tired of walking, a children's room with babysitters, a cafeteria, tables for a snack, elevators for visitors with strollers and people with disabilities.

Prepare for the weather and think about options

Spring in Paris can be unpredictable, so it's best to be prepared for different weather conditions. Prepare for rain, but don't forget about the sun. Comfortable shoes and a lightweight top will help make your visit comfortable.

If it's going to be sunny on your trip, we recommend buying a ticket for a double-decker bus that stops near the Louvre. This is very convenient especially if you have already walked kilometers around the Louvre and are tired, it's a good option to catch your breath, continue your tour of Paris, with a breeze on the second floor of the bus.

Explore the best of Paris at your own pace with an unlimited hop-on/hop-off bus ticket. For example, an eco-friendly double-decker open-top bus from Tootbus. The bus operates from 9 am to 5:30 pm and during this time you can get off and on many times at all stops of its Blue Route, including the Opera Garnier, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Galeries Lafayette, Latin Quarter.

Ticket price: 35.20 € for adults, children under 4 years old are free.

The buses have headphones for listening to the audio guide at each stop, a full tour of 13 stops lasts about 2 hours, the company has its own application for mobile phones in which it is very convenient to show tickets and listen to the audio guide at your own pace and in your own headphones. You are guaranteed an unforgettable experience and beautiful photos.

Visit the Tuileries Gardens

After visiting the Louvre, you could relax in the nearest park - the Tuileries Gardens, which are located next to the museum. This is a great place to walk among the spring greenery and flowering trees, as well as to relax after a busy day. There are a lot of green metal chairs that you can move around the park and sit comfortably by the nearest fountain. It's also a magical place to wander through a green maze or have a picnic on one of the lawns, from which you can see the Eiffel Tower.

Try French cuisine

After a cultural experience at the Louvre, head out for a delicious lunch or dinner at one of the many fine restaurants in the museum area. Try traditional French dishes and enjoy the atmosphere of springtime Paris at Café des Arts, which, by the way, has a luggage storage for only 5 € per suitcase. We recommend trying the traditional onion soup, snails, cheeses and terrines (similar to a meat casserole) or goose liver pate. They also have great breakfasts and this place is well located for visiting on the last day of your trip.

Visit trendy places 

Cafe Kitsune 

Around the Louvre, there are three Cafe Kitsune within walking distance, which are very popular among young people and street stylists. None of the Paris Fashion Week is complete without photos of models and guests of the shows with branded coffee cups from this coffee shop. Cafe Kitsune Palais Royal is especially popular. Go there to enjoy a delicious coffee, matcha or lemonade, you can also try pastries and buy souvenirs, such as a coffee pair or a thermal mug from this place to always be in trend. 

In addition, Officine Universelle Buly is incredibly popular on TikTok.

Here you can choose a fragrance, custom combs, balms, and much more. The engraving will be done right in your presence. For example, when choosing a balm, there is an option to choose not only the color of the box itself, but also the color of the lid and the color of the protective cover. It's perfect for a gift.

Palais Royal

A calm and harmonious place that is close by and seems to be created for relaxing from the bustle of the city, and for making a photo shoot near fragrant magnolias and famous black and white columns. Take your time and enjoy every moment of your walk. 

So, the Louvre in spring is really a very good idea. At this time, the museum reveals itself in all its beauty and hospitality, it is filled with incredible masterpieces of art that will leave you with an unforgettable experience. This place is truly one of those that everyone should visit at least once in their life.

Plan your visit in advance, enjoy the spring atmosphere of Paris, and don't forget to leave time for your own impressions and discoveries.