Museums in Paris aren't just museums

Whether you are a fan of French impressionism or whether you don't care for paintings and rush to the Egyptian section of major museums, Paris holds something for you, that's for sure! And even if museums bore you to death, you can still admire their astonishing architecture, or eat in one of their hyper-chic (and expensive) cafés.

 

During my last stay in Paris I visited several museums. I bought the Paris Museum Pass, with which I saved about 20€ on my entrance fees. The entrance to Versailles alone costs 18€! This card is not cheap (56€), but it allows you to enter almost every museum and church in Paris and in its surroundings - including Versailles and the Louvre - during 4 consecutive days. There is also a 2-day version of this card (42€). There was a price change from January 2014, so I'm reporting the new prices. If you intend to see lots of museums, and if you are worried about the queues, this card may really help you. With it you make the investment at the beginning of your 4 days, and after that you won't have to think whether to enter or not that museum you just passed by: if you have time, why not? It's free for you, and if you don't like it, you can quickly exit and go on with your tour of the city.

Sainte Chapelle, one of the many attractions included in the Paris Museum Pass

I suggest that you visit one big museum per day and spend the rest of day exploring the streets of Paris, perhaps visiting a church or having a long lunch, savouring some French food with a glass of wine on the side.

 

1) Musée du Louvre. The most famous of Parisian museums is hosted in a former royal palace of French kings. As a matter of fact, before Versailles was built, this was the residence of the kings and queens of France. This is by itself an excellent reason to visit the Louvre! Moreover, the famous Louvre pyramids (there are four, one big and three smaller), although built only a few years ago, in 1989, have become a symbol of Paris.



The famous Louvre pyramid seen from the Tuileries garden

Don't miss the beautiful light of the sunset near the pyramids. I really need to work more on my photography skills, because I couldn't capture the light well enough, but I still cherish the experience of that Parisian sunset. Admission is 12€: not too much considering the amount of famous and astonishing stuff you can see in here. The big hall from where you can access the wings of this huge museum will leave you speechless. Apart from that, you can see the medieval foundations, you can admire the rooms of Napoleon III and, of course, see the Monna Lisa and many other important paintings.

Louvre Pyramid after sunset

One day is not even enough to see it all, and even with the plan, I got lost. Endless stairs, corridors, wings and elevators frustrated me, but you'll be rewarded when you'll see that painting or artefact that you have been dreaming of for years. In my experience, I wanted to see Vermeer's paintings, but I just couldn't find them! Every time I thought I was in the right wing of the right floor and in the right corridor I was wrong! To save a few euros, exit the museum for lunch: the food inside is pricey and you can always re-enter because a ticket for the Louvre is valid for the day. A good option is a Korean restaurant in Rue Sainte-Anne.

Just remember that in front of the most famous things - like the Monna Lisa or the Venus of Milo - there are many tourists taking pictures, making the experience less pleasant and somehow ruining the link you should have with the artefact. This is for instance a picture of said situation in front of Monna Lisa, on a not-so-crowded November day. I can't imagine what's the situation like in July and August! You can't get near the painting, which is really small, and all the rest of the room gets ignored. Just in front of Monna Lisa, for instance, there is "The Wedding at Cana" by Veronese.

People taking pictures of Monna Lisa

My picture of the Venus of Milo almost comically became a picture of a girl having her picture taken in front of the famous statue. It's a cool picture anyway, and it explains how little one-to-one "talk" you can have with the artefacts at the Louvre.

Girl having her picture taken in front of the Venus of Milo

A little delight during my visit was seeing this painter trying to reproduce "The Virgin of the Rocks" by Leonardo da Vinci. I've never seen a real painter, with canvas and palette, in any other museum in the world, have you?
 

Painting the Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo

 

2) Musée d'Orsay. This museum was built inside a train station, when the railtracks here became obsolete for the newer trains France had in mind. The setting is spectacular: you'll peer at the UNESCO-listed banks of the Seine from behind giant clocks, eat in designer restaurants, see world-class exhibitions disposed in a perfect way, making for excellent photo opportunities.

Musée d'Orsay, big golden clock

 

Eating at Musée d'Orsay

This is the building that fascinates me the most of the three, and it hosts some of the artists I love, including Renoir and Degas. I also discovered new artists, and it was easier to skip the sections I wasn't interested in. Admission price is 9€, but remember that young people aged 18-25 from EU countries enter most museums in Paris for free!

Looking out of one of the giant clocks

 

3) Centre Pompidou. The building, designed by Renzo Piano and other famous architects, juts out of the urban landscape with all its colourful tubes and, in spite of the fact that it was frowned upon at first, it is now a favourite among both Parisians and tourists. The disposition of the main exhibition might be a bit confusing, but if you're into contemporary art and installations, this is the place to go. Centre Pompidou is a cultural centre, with a library, a bookshop, minor art exhibitions and cafés.

Centre Pompidou

 

Centre Pompidou

Centre Pompidou

Do you like museums? Which museum would you like to see best if you find yourself in Paris?