Wednesday around Paris
 

We planned on going to Giverny tomorrow (Wednesday) and our friends were heading to Versailles . While talking to a local today, they said that children have no school on Wednesdays and as a result, these sites will be very busy (overrun with kids). Is this true? If so, does that mean the Louvre will also be extra busy! Thanks.

I wrote a feature article on Monet's Gardens at Giverny and interviewed the director who indeed say the gardens can be quite crowded on Wednesdays when kids have a half day or no day of school - she said lots of grandparents take kids there as well as groups. Monet's Gardens are compact and thus this could make a difference but with vast Versailles can see much of a factor - especially at this time of year as that placed can accommodate huge summer crowds.

I wouldn't worry about it being overrun with French schoolchildren compared to overrun with other tourists. I've been in the Louvre on a Wednesday and that fact didn't change my experience, nor in any other museum. I wouldn't think Giverny would be exactly a hot draw for schoolkids in October, but don't really know. I would think if they were going there, it would have been earlier in the year.

The Louvre it is said is more crowded on Wednesdays because it is closed on Tuesdays!

I think The Louvre has extended hours on Wednesdays, doesn't it?

It's really best to go to the Louvre on Wed. or Friday evenings...much less crowded than during any day.

While the weather wasn't great (cool and overcast) there were very few people there, so few that we were able to take pictures of the Japonese bridges in the water garden without anyone on them! I am pretty sure that doesn't happen too often. The flowers in the garden were lovely even though they were waining. A grand day in the country.

Giverny closes for the season next week (until April 1st), so I would have been very surprised if you had said it was crowded.