Day 4: Louvre Lessons and Sandwich Wins
Our fourth day in Paris was meant to start bright and early with a visit to the Louvre. But after a rough night of sleep, my friend and I didn’t leave until nearly 11 a.m., a late start that would come back to haunt us.
Before heading out, I suggested grabbing sandwiches from our favorite café, thinking it might be cheaper than museum fare. That turned out to be a brilliant move. While we waited nearly two hours in line just to get through bag check, my sandwich kept me going. We quickly regretted not buying tickets in advance.
Tip: Even with timed-entry tickets, lines begin forming an hour before your slot. Arriving “on time” still means waiting, sometimes up to an hour.
Second tip: Dress warmly. The open plaza outside the Louvre is breezy, and with temperatures in the mid-50s and light rain, we were shivering in the same layers that had been fine the previous days.
Getting There (Thanks to ChatGPT’s help):
- From Ségur, take Line 10 toward Gare d’Austerlitz.
- Get off at Sèvres–Babylone (just two stops).
- Transfer to Line 1 toward Château de Vincennes.
- Ride until Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre.
- Exit and follow signs to the underground entrance via the Carrousel du Louvre.
After two hours of waiting to enter, we found security to be surprisingly lax. I strolled in past the guards who were supposed to be scanning bags, no one pulled me over to scan my bag. After waiting that long I wasn't about to stand around more so we walked right in.
Once inside, we were surprised to find no line at the ticket counter. The museum’s vastness seemed to swallow the crowd we’d been packed in line with, until we reached the Mona Lisa.
We made the classic mistake of joining the throng of people jostling for a photo. It was chaotic and frustrating. I should’ve listened to my brother’s advice to skip it and explore other masterpieces. We lost nearly an hour in that crush. There’s a small area in front of the crowd reserved for visitors with injuries, but it was clogged with people lingering for the perfect shot. My friend, ever the realist, muttered, “What if they’re faking it?” A nearby guard replied dryly, “How could you know?” Cue our joking plans to fake injuries next time, though, honestly, the amount of walking and standing required to reach the Mona Lisa makes that a tough sell.
After escaping the crowd, we wandered into the gallery of royal jewels. King Louis XV’s crown was a standout, though not in the way you’d expect. It looked like a craft project gone rogue, as if someone had glued random jewels on without a hint of symmetry. Every new gem seemed to be added wherever it fit, no rhyme or reason.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of priceless artifacts and endless corridors. At one point, my friend needed to recharge her phone, so I took a break with coffee and cake. Sadly, the cake was dry, my brother bakes better ones at home!
We stayed until nearly closing, ending our visit in the Egyptian wing, where ancient wonders glowed under the dim evening lights. That section might be better appreciated earlier in the day it was hard to see much in the low lighting. We wandered through quieter halls filled with statues missing heads, arms, and other parts, which somehow added to their mystique.
Fifteen minutes before closing, we stumbled into the gift shop and couldn’t resist picking up a few souvenirs. On our way back to the metro, I spotted one of my favorite stores, closing in 15 minutes! I dashed in and managed to snag a few treasures just in time.
