quixotic72

My friends and I will be in Brussels in Sept. and are debating a day trip via Eurorail to Paris to see the Lourve (we are all big art fans). None of us have ever really been to Europe/Paris before and we are wondering if this is realistic for three newbies. If so, how hard is it to get from the Eurorail train station to the Lourve? What if your French skills are null? Also, the Lourve is HUGE, so would we be able to see enough in a day to justify the effort? Thanks!!

mgmargate

If 1 day is all you can spare for Paris you might want to consider it for a future vacation.If you do this the Louvre is a short cab ride and the fact that you don't speak french will have very little effect on you're ability to get around or be understood.

Michel_Paris

It might be more manageable to go to a smaller museum, that could be seen in a day. Something like the Orsay, Marmottan or the Rodin come to mind.

StephenG

I would do Orsay with only 1/2 a day,
Any arts fan would not be disappointed.

JudyC

Louvre is worth visiting no matter how much time you have. Since there are frequent trains (every 1/2 hour) from Brussels to Paris Gare du Nord,and take only about 1 1/2 hours, it is possible to have a nice visit.

You could either take a cab or take direct metro to Chatelat,then a short walk to the museum.

travelbunny

..ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT DO!! yes it is only an hour away by tgv..BUT, the louvre is such a rich treasure that there is a tendency to try to do too much at once..a bit like a child in a candy store..i think i spent the whole day there on my first trip to paris as a student...i was museumed out and rather jaded by the end of the day.i think it spoiled it for me..i didnt go back until i lived in paris..i would never go to more than 1 gallery at a time..even now i never go to more than 1 gallery at a time even though i only end up in paris once or twice a year..it is to be savored.

Underhill

As an art fan also I would certainly do what you suggest. The Louvre is absolute richness, and you can see as much as your eyes can take in, stop for coffee and stop for lunch in between looking at all that wonderful art. Even if you see only the highlights it will be an unforgettable experience.

ira

Hi Q,

Actually, I would go to Paris and then consider if I wanted to go to Brussels (or even better Bruges for a day).

I would not do a daytrip to Paris just to see the Louvre.

It's a 1 1/2 hr trip by THALYS from Brussels Midi (Zuid) to Paris Nord.

If you leave early, you will have a day and most of a night in Paris.

Why not plan to do a quick tour of the city?

If you go to http://www.voyages-sncf.com
you can get discounted SMILEYS tickets that you can pick up at the station in Brussels for 49E RT. Purchase up to 60 days in advance.

PS There is no Eurorail train.

Enjoy your trip.

mamc

A day trip to Paris from Brussels is well worth it. You may decide to stay! However, a full day in the Louvre is bound to be overwhelming and very tiring. Perhaps you can spend half a day at the Louvre and spend half a day seeing other wonderful sights in Paris. If you do, you will want to return as soon as possible.

Nikki

If all three of you have a strong desire to see the Louvre, go for it. Why not? Language should not be a problem, you can take a cab from the station and say Louvre and get there, that's all you need to know.

I think even a half day in the Louvre is enough to justify the effort. You don't have to see the whole thing; in fact, that would be difficult no matter how much time you had. Just go until you don't want to see any more. You can spend the rest of the day in Paris doing whatever else you want.

Before you decide to do this, you should look at the Louvre web site and plan which galleries you most want to see and make sure they will be open the day you are there.

You say you are all big art fans. Depending on which type of art you all like, the Musee d'Orsay might be a better choice. If you all love French Impressionism, that would be the case. The Louvre has paintings up to but not including the Impressionists, as well as sculpture, antiquities, etc. The Musee d'Orsay has the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.

Underhill

The Louvre actually has one large room of glorious Impressionist paintings, a major collection that was donated specifically to the Louvre about 3 years ago.

SalB

Sometimes it's fun to do crazy things. Go for it. There's a Metro station that goes directly into the Louvre. You don't even have to stand in line outside by the pyramid.

Check the Louvre web site (in English) http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm to see what they have and where it is. Make a list of things you "have" to see and map out your visit so you see them.

You can visit art for a while and then have tea or lunch to relax a bit. There are good restaurants right inside the museum. After a relaxing lunch, visit some more art and just have fun!! There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the art so don't feel you have to be on your feet all day . . . although it's hard not to!

Have a grand time.