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Comment by leakycap | Hacker News Reader

I have always wanted to go to Paris, but I have heard nothing except claustrophobia-inducing reviews from people visiting the Louvre for the last decade.

I'm sure there's a solution, I just hope it isn't simply increased prices to lower the number of people who can visit.

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I was there a few month ago. The Louvre is huge and most people are in a few rooms in and around the Mona Lisa (and even that wasn't anywhere near as bad as the horror stories I'd heard). The top floor for example with Northern European art and Dutch and Flemish masters was almost empty when we were there. There were entire wings of the museum where I was basically the only person there.

This was my experience at the MET - nightmare crowds in some areas, empty in most others. Thanks for the reality check!

Go outside the tourist season. Summers are horrible in Paris anyway, since it tends to get quite hot and humid, and public transport only barely starts having AC.

You may get cold and rain in the winter months, but those can be worked around: a sweater and an umbrella will do the job. When it's 40ºC outside and 60% humidity, there's nothing you can do.

Winter definitely sounds like the way to go, thanks for the idea. I've heard about the awful summers but never even considered going in winter for some reason.

I can second visiting Paris in February. Instead of 40+ degrees and massive hoards of tourists. You'll have 10 degrees, rain, and merely large hoards of tourists.

This is during tourists peaks. I go there in October, November, February etc. and there is neither a queue nor many people.

I cannot talk about the secret entrance at the Lions Gate because it would not be secret anymore.

I cannot talk about the secret entrance

For what it's worth, that's the entrance Google maps brought me to when I asked for walking directions to the Louvre when I was in Paris last.

Ha, now even Google leaks such secrets :) Trust no one :)

But on a serious note, this is the best entrance when there are crowds at the pyramid. The only drawback is that you land at the end of a wing, so there is a lot of walking to do to reach the Egyptian or Middle Ages section for instance. There are great paintings on the way, though.

January/February is a lot easier. Fewer tourists but even better the pickpockets and scammers and thieves all go back to Eastern Europe when the tourist season ends.

I had no crowd problems at the Louvre one Janurary except at the Mona Lisa for obvious reasons. The place is huge and there is plenty of room.

Louvre is not the only place in Paris. Paris is full of parks with statues, museums, historic buildings and what not.

Yes, but it is the only place you can see the works on display at the Louvre -- and is the first word of the topic we're discussing.

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