Where to enter Paris Museums
 

Hello,

I am taking my daughter (15yo) and niece(18yo) to Paris, Florence, and Rome this June. We are staying at the Hotel d'Aubusson in the 6th. My question is regarding the big Paris museums: Louve, Orsay, Orangerie - If we have a paris museum pass, where is the best place (?only place) to enter?? Are there entrances that are less used than others? Also, does my 15 yo need a museum pass, or can she enter free with me? Thank you for any help.

Your 15 year old will be free. All 3 of you go to the same line... she will not need a ticket but may have to produce ID. So you'll save the line for tickets at each place and just have security to deal with.

The Orangerie has only 1 entrance that I know of.
It's at the end of the building nearest Place de la Concorde.

Same for the Orsay. But when you arrive walk to the far side of the museum with your back to the river... the entrance for those with passes is on that side away from the river.

The Louvre has several entrances. The one most likely to have a line is at the Pyramid. You can enter from Rue du Rivoli near the archways. Or with your back to the Pyramid walk toward the Arc
de Triomphe... to the left and right of it you'll see stairways going down guarded by lion statues. And finally there's another entrance off Quai Francois Mitterand but it's often closed.

Rob

The Louvre - the shopping mall entrance from the Rue du Rivoli - enter under the red & white 'Carousel' banner. Down the escalator.


http://www.louvre.fr/llv/pratique/venir.jsp?bmLocale=en

This is very helpful for our trip! Thanks!

So to clarify - once we get to the Orangerie - if we have a Paris Museum pass - do we still wait in the line, or do we go to the front, show our pass and enter? Please let me know the correct procedure.

Thank you.

My memory is that there is a separate line for pass holders at the Orangerie, next to the regular line. The guard lets the people from that line in first. Show your pass to the guard at the front of the line. At least this was the system when I was there two years ago; more recent visitors may have more current information.

I am pretty sure that the Orangerie has a door on the river side for people with reservations and passes.

The Louvre has entrances at the Pyramide, the Carousel Arch, Rue de Rivoli, Port de Lions. The people you see queuing at the Pyramide entrance of the Louvre are not queueing for tickets, they are going through security. Tickets are purchased easily and quickly once in the Louvre. Whichever entrance you choose will require you to go through a security check first. But all except the Pyramide will be relatively quick. http://www.louvre.fr/llv/pratique/venir.jsp?bmLocale=en