Wednesday, August 3, 2022

The Louvre & Tuileries

On Wednesday, June 8, 2022 I went to the Louvre and then the Tuileries in Paris. I arrived in Paris, France on Sunday, May 29, 2022.

Security directed me and everyone else to the correct place. In the covered area only tour groups entered while individual ticket holders lined up outside by the Pyramides entrance.

While waiting in line it was raining so everyone was wearing a hoodie, using an umbrella, or putting plastic bags or ponchos over their clothes and belongings so no one would get wet.

A view of the Pyramides entrance from the street and Tuileries exit in the afternoon after I left the Louvre.

Unsurprisingly, there were also many people trying to sell small umbrellas while going to the correct line and while waiting to get inside.

I arrived for my reserved timeslot of 9:30 am around 20-30 minutes before, so I just waited in line by the Pyramides entrance, making sure to get in the proper line once I got out of the long queue line that everyone was waiting in. 

After waiting in the long queue line, everyone soon went to their separate timeslot lines, which wasn't as long but still a wait due to security. This is when people started to cover their clothes and belongings with ponchos and plastic bags.

Arriving at the first security check, I only had to show my ticket to some security or employee just so they could check for the correct time and day for the appointment. Then I went through the second security check, which was the typical metal detector and bag screening. I just placed anything in my pickets and anything else containing metal, including my watch, inside of a small backpack so I wouldn't have to bother with any hassle from the machine and screening.

After that I was inside the Pyramides and went around the exhibits.

It only took me about 90 minutes to tour the Louvre after I got inside even though some people take more time then that because they want to see the Mona Lisa, which I believe is overrated, as everyone wants to see it and it is always too crowded.

Instead, I saw ancient artifacts and toured Napoleon's apartment.

Entrance to Napoleon's apartments

If you look ahead you might see some type of pink carpeting or flooring. This is suppose to indicate you are entering Napoleon's apartments or least one room that is part of it. I forgot where this was but it's supposed to be part of the apartments because of the colors and flooring.

Inside the music room of Napoleon's apartment

If you notice, the music room still has an old piano behind the chairs. Also notice the details in the chairs and what Napoleon wanted everything to represent during his time as emperor.

The state dining room of Napoleon's apartment

The state dining room of Napoleon's apartment. Notice the reflection.

Imagine what it would have been like to eat in this place, especially if no one was ever visiting, but this is what was necessary to host dinner functions with other world leaders and politicians in order to entertain them and to get down to other important government business matters.

Anyway, as I was touring the apartments I got to the point that I was almost finished, so I exited the exhibit as soon as I found the exit at the end of the apartments.

I exited the exhibit and was back in the main exhibit hall lobby with all of the different areas people could enter.

I felt like I saw what I wanted to see at the Louvre so I left, but also due to there being too many people inside with too many tour groups everywhere and that would make it impossible to go anywhere else, but I didn't want to see anything else inside.

After leaving the main lobby of the Louvre it took a while to get to the metro, but I took the direct path from underneath the Louvre to Metro Line 1, and I decided to get off at the Tuileries station just because it was a while since I was there.

Near the Grand Bassin

As you can see here from the photo above, this is supposed to be the entrance to the Grand Bassin of the Tuileries, if I remember correctly. When you walk further you should see a fountain.

Jardin des Tuileries

Notice how green the grass is and the presence of all the flowers, trees, and shrubs. The Tuileries is a public garden of course and it is meant to represent something for the public.

Jardin des Tuileries

Jardin des Tuileries

When you look at the two photos above you might notice some stairs. These stairs will take you directly to the Louvre via the  Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.

Public Square to Louvre

After exiting the  Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel you will arrive on a public square shown in the picture above. In the picture below, you can see you will have to cross the street in order to get to the Louvre. Just wait for the traffic to clear the street if you choose to cross but it might take a while because many locals and tourists will travel here via bus or metro.

Crossing the street to the Louvre

As you can see in the photo above, there is an extended bus here, so it is nothing unusual to see, because this is part of the city center, which makes it normal, as there is a need for extended buses in the busier parts of the city.

Louvre Pyramides Entrance

Just after crossing the street you will be at the Pyramides entrance, which you might be able to line up if you find the line for your chosen reserved timeslot, but if you're too early you might have to wait, so you could just roam around and take some pictures. But if you arrive one hour before your reserved timeslot via this entrance as shown above you won't wait too long, since you would probably already skipped that long queue line, so just find the line for your reserved timeslot if you bought a ticket. From this entrance above it should be a shorter wait.

After arriving back at the Pyramides entrance I decided to leave so I looked for the exit (which was also the entrance of where the tour groups entered) and just left.

As I was leaving I noticed someone selling bottled water but I just went back to the metro and back to the apartment.












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