Free first Sundays at Louvre and D'Orsay
 

I have read on their websites that the first Sunday of each month is free admission at these two museums. Does that mean it will be a mob scene to visit them on the first Sunday in June, when we'll be there? Anyone know of any time of day that might be less crowded? We're not interested in spending hours in each museum, but would like to see the Impressionists, Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and other key pieces. Anyone know? Thanks.

Yes. It will be a mob scene. It is June and it is free. It will be better if you wait until late afternoon and go then.

Yes, the free days are very crowded, so are weekends in general.
Winter and weekdays are less crowded. Least crowded times are at the end of the afternoon (1-2 hours before closing) or on the weekday evenings when each has evening hours.

Maureen, we will be in Paris the first Sunday in April. I'm not sure if we will try to hit the museums that day, but if we do, I'll let you know how crowded they are in April!

Thank you, mamc and Elaine. I appreciate your comments. And Allison, I'd love to hear what crowds are like in April at the museums if you go. Call me "cheap" but I figure free admission at both covers maybe a lunch tab in Paris, so I'm planning on trying to visit the Louvre and the D'Orsay for about two or three hours each on Sunday. Can't wait.

P.S. Which museum might be less crowded of those two? That's the one we could visit in the morning, saving the more crowded one for afternoon. I'm assuming the Louvre is more well-known, therefor more visitors??

The Louvre is extraordinarily larger, but they will each be very crowded. Seeing both of these in one day would be WAY too much museum for me in one day, and I love museums.

You can buy Louvre tickets in advance (even without buying the museum pass)--that may save you some line time.
Admission is only 8.5 euro. I can understand being budget-minded, but I wouldn't want to spend extra hours of precious vacation time standing in extra long lines in order to save the price of admission. But that's me.
But that's me.

the repetition was unintentional

I hear you, Elaine. Maybe we'll do just one museum that day. We're not especially museum people, as we prefer to view architecture as our outdoor 'museum'-- so two in one day might just do us in. We love to just walk around and soak in the atmosphere and the ambiance. (My cultural anthropology background coming through!) Thanks again.