Musee du Louvre

Visiting the Louvre is everything you have heard about there are crowds, it’s huge, there is so much to see you would need a week!

I have pre booked a ticket for timed entry I arrive early and find the 9:30am line. It’s all very organised and at 9:28 I have been through the security bag check and am inside there are already hundreds of people inside. I find the cloak check area which is great and easy to use. You can’t take drinks in but you can take your bag. I head straight for the Mona Lisa figuring once I have seen her everything else is a bonus. The crowd in the room is not as bad as I expected and within moments I am in front of the most famous painting in the world. I think because we have seen this painting so many times in the movies on TV, when we actually get to see her there are no surprises she is beautiful the painting is beautiful. I am glad I came.

I have an audio guide which is actually a Nintendo Ds it’s very annoying to use but I get there in the end. I find more of the important pieces to visit, Winged Victory of Samothrace c190bc and Venus de Milo c160bc. I walk to the furthest section to see The Lacemaker by Vermeer but she’s out on loan. (Of course she is…)

There is so much beauty here but also pieces which capture the hardest parts of humanity The Raft of Medusa by Gericault c1819. I saw Gericault’s grave yesterday this painting is an important part of the French History.

I would love to find some reference to pilgrims or pilgrimages, St James or the Camino. Much of the art here is inspired by biblical stories and characters. There must be a pilgrim here some where….

In the end I am in the gallery for 6 hours. It’s been wonderful but I need to sit down and rest my brain and my feet.

A Campari spritz fixes everything!

Tuileries Garden

This is a beautiful park not far from the Louvre, there are ponds a carousel for kids cafes and gorgeous trees giving much needed shade on what had become a hot day.

I walk back to my hotel via streets filled with art galleries and antique stores, more lovely parks and cafes.

Distance Walked 15km

Pilgrims Spotted- two a sculpture and a painting.

Some bits about the Louvre..

The Louvre opened 1793.

There are 615 797 items in the collection 35 000 on display,

9million visitors last year and in 2022 it was the most visited museum in the world.

Tomorrow, my last day in Paris