It seems ludicrous to write a Yelp review about the Louvre, but I've done dumber things. Like writing a review about Nothing, Arizona, when there was literally nothing (review: https://yelp.to/rvYe4_0FTu). The opposite is true here as the Louvre is everything an art museum should be. With over 35,000 pieces and over nine miles of exhibition space, it can be overwhelming, but some pre-planning helped make the most of the three-plus hours Jamie W and I spent here.
First things first, buy time-stamped tickets as soon as you know when you'll be in Paris. That's what we did, and it allowed us to go at the earliest time possible to avoid the worst of the crowds. Check to see if the Porte des Lions is open. Far less used than the glass pyramid, that's the side entrance closest to the Denon Wing where most of the famous works are. Currently Google Maps states it's temporarily closed, but it's worth checking.
Well before coming here, you should decide what the essential works are you want to see. Meandering the Louvre without a plan will tucker you out, and seating is at a premium. Jamie and I wanted to see the acknowledged Top 10 works on a navigational path that allowed us time to browse with minimal backtracking. We started on Level 1 of the Denon Wing and sprinted to Room 711. That's where Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" hangs (Photo 4).
It's small, under glass, and you can see it only from a restricted distance. But believe me, the crowd you see first thing in the morning reflects the best time to check this masterpiece off your list (Photo 39). Flip around and enjoy the museum's largest painting, "The Wedding Feast in Cana" by Veronese (Photo 25). Head to the back of the room and make a right to approach "The Winged Victory of Samothrace" in Room 703, a truly majestic sight (Photo 8).
This was where Audrey Hepburn floated down the steps in her red gown and gossamer shawl in "Funny Face". Walk beyond the mythic statue and make a right into the glorious Room 705 where you get up close to the resplendent French Crown Jewels (Photo 10). Walk back out and head to Room 702 where you see "The Coronation of Napoleon", a massive historical recreation by Jacques-Louis David (Photo 11). Continue to Room 700 and see two masterpieces.
The uplifting "Liberty Leading the People" by Eugene Delacroix (Photo 6) and the darkly tragic "The Raft of the Medusa" by Theodore Gericault (Photo 7). Go downstairs to Room 403 on Level 0 still in the Denon Wing. That's where we saw the beautiful neoclassical sculpture, "Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss" by Antonio Canova (Photo 5). Walk over to Room 345 and join the admiring crowd ogling the Venus de Milo (Photo 9).
At this point, we allowed ourselves to roam among the Roman, Greek, and Egyptian antiquities. It's an expansive space and hard to maneuver if you're looking for pieces in particular. We found the Great Sphinx of Tanis in Room 338 of the Sully Wing (Photo 3) and eventually the Code of Hammurabi from ancient Mesopotamia in Room 227 (Photo 19). It's as mythic as the Rosetta Stone. We recommend strolling through the sculpture courtyard.
It was quite a collection of magnificent pieces in an atrium-like setting. We weren't aware there was an Angelina on the premises, and it wasn't the zoo the original one is off the Tuileries Gardens. We managed to enjoy their fabled hot chocolate and a light brunch without waiting for a table. We did all of that in a little over three hours and still felt there was so much more to discover and explore. Yes, the Louvre is the opposite of Nothing.
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