1 Centre Georges Pompidou
2 Les Champs-Elysées
3 La Grande Arche de la Défense
4 Les Invalides
5 Le Louvre
6 Notre-Dame
7 Orsay, Musée d'
8 Les Quais
9 La Tour Eiffel
10 La Villette
This former royal palace, which celebrated its bicentenary in 1993, is today one of the largest museums in the world.
The Palace Excavations carried out in 1977 under the Cour Carrée, the courtyard surrounded by the oldest part of the palace, led to the discovery of the original castle built around 1200 by King Philippe-Auguste, which remained a fortress until it was razed to the ground to make way for a Renaissance palace. The tour of the foundations of this medieval Louvre, including the base of the keep, the moat and the outer wall, starts from the main entrance hall under the glass pyramid.
The first palace, built by Pierre Lescot in the style of the Italian Renaissance, was enlarged round the Cour Carrée and along the Seine during the following 200 years. It is said that Molière performed in front of the court in the splendid Salle des Cariatides where Greek and Roman antiquities are now displayed. Louis XIV enclosed the Cour Carrée with the stately colonnade that faces the Church of St-Germain-l'Auxerrois. Soon afterwards, however, the King left for Versailles and the palace was neglected by the royal family and the court. Building was resumed by Napoleon, who built part of the north wing and erected the exquisite Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. During the second half of the 19th century, Napoleon III completed the Louvre along its rue de Rivoli side.Url: www.louvre.fr
Address: 99 rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris Cedex 01. Main entrance via the pyramid
Phone: Recorded information: 01 40 20 51 51; reception desk: 01 40 20 53 17; visitors with disabilities: 0140 20 59 90
Hours: Thu- Sun 9-6, Mon and Wed 9am-9.45pm. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 11 Nov and 25 Dec
Restaurant: Several restaurants (Inexpensive and Moderately priced) and cafés below the pyramid and in the Carrousel du Louvre
Bus: 21, 27. 39, 48, 67, 68, 69, 72, 75, 76, 81, 95
Metro: Palais-Royal/Musée du Louvre
Accessible: Excellent
Admission: Moderate until 3pm, reduced fee after 3 and Sun, free on 1st Sun of the month. To avoid a long wait, buy your ticket in advance: www.louvre.fr
Practical: Guided tours, lectures, concerts, film shows, shops. Information: 01 40 20 52 09
| COUNTRY |
| France |
| REGION |
| French Riviera |
| CITIES |
| Paris
|
| Viewing |
| Top Ten |
| What To See |
| Where To ... |
| Practical Matters |
| Lyon |
| Nice |
| Strasbourg |
| MAPS |
| World |
| Europe |
| TRAVEL BOOK |
| Book Info |
| Order Online |
 |