Where Is the Louvre? Metro, Bus and Which Entrance to Use
- From
- Anywhere in Paris
- To
- Louvre Museum (Pyramid entrance)
- By
- Metro lines 1 and 7 to Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre, or line 14 to Pyramides
- Time
- About 200 m on foot from the Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre metro exit to the Pyramid
- Cost
- 2.55 € for a metro ticket and 2.05 € for a bus ticket (2026 fares)
Open directions in Google Maps
Where is the Louvre? In the 1st arrondissement of Paris, between rue de Rivoli and the Seine. To get there, take metro line 1 or line 7 to Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre: the station is about 200 meters from the Pyramid. Line 14 drops you at Pyramides, about 500 meters away. The museum has four entrances, and the one that suits you depends on your ticket. Everything below comes from the museum's own access page and the RATP fares for 2026.
Step by step
- 1
Take line 1 or line 7 to Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre
This is the museum's station. Line 1 crosses Paris east to west (Bastille, Châtelet, Concorde, Champs-Élysées) and line 7 comes down from Opéra. A metro, RER and train ticket costs 2.55 € and is valid for two hours without leaving the network. If you come on line 14, get off at Pyramides and walk about 500 m south along avenue de l'Opéra.
- 2
Decide which entrance to use before you go up to the street
The Louvre has four entrances: the Pyramid (the main one), the Carrousel (through the underground shopping mall), the Porte des Lions and the Passage Richelieu. With an individual timed ticket you will use the Pyramid or the Carrousel; the other two come with conditions.
- 3
Pyramid: join the green line if you already have a ticket
The main entrance is split into three lines. The green one is for visitors with a ticket or a Paris Museum Pass; the orange one for those without; the blue one is priority, with no wait, for people with disabilities. The museum recommends that everyone book online, including those who get in free.
- 4
Carrousel: the entrance through the mall, open to everyone
Any visitor can enter through the Carrousel du Louvre (99 rue de Rivoli), with or without a ticket, including groups and members. It is the underground shopping mall by the place du Carrousel, opened in October 1993, home of the inverted pyramid. Useful if it rains or if the Pyramid line is long.
- 5
Porte des Lions: only if you already have a ticket
It is on the Seine side, in the Denon wing. Only visitors who already have a ticket get in; it opens every day except Tuesday until 6:00 pm, with last admission at 5:00 pm. Its cloakroom runs until 3:00 pm and does not lend equipment. Inside, next to the Five Continents gallery, is the Café des Lions.
- 6
Passage Richelieu: groups and tours with an accredited guide only
Reserved for groups, for groups of six with a booking accompanied by an accredited guide, for people taking part in a museum activity, for Auditorium audiences and for holders of certain passes and cards. It closes at 5:30 pm, and at 7:30 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you book a guided tour, the operator gives you the meeting point in the booking.
- 7
Allow time for the security check
No ticket skips security. The listing of one of the tours we review warns that it can take more than 15 minutes in high season. Your ticket is for a set date and time and allows a single entry: if you leave, you can't get back in.
Tips
- The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays: check the day before you head to the door.
- The metro ticket (2.55 €) is not valid on the bus or vice versa; the bus and tram ticket costs 2.05 € and lasts 90 minutes.
- The cylindrical lift under the Pyramid is reserved for people with reduced mobility, manual wheelchairs and strollers.
- The Porte des Lions only admits visitors who already have a ticket and does not open on Tuesdays.
- If you are pairing the Louvre with the Tuileries, Tuileries station (line 1) is on the garden side, about 600 m from the Pyramid.
Other ways to get there
| Method | Time | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus | Depends on the route | 2.05 € | Lines 21, 27, 39, 67, 68, 69, 72, 74, 85 and 95 stop near the museum. The bus and tram ticket is valid for 90 minutes and cannot be used on the metro. |
| Metro from the Eiffel Tower | One change | 2.55 € | From Bir-Hakeim, line 6 to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile and there line 1 to Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre. The Eiffel Tower is about 3 km in a straight line from the Pyramid. |
| On foot from the Eiffel Tower | About 3 km in a straight line, more along the quays | Free | Cross to the Right Bank on the Pont d'Iéna and follow the Seine upstream to the place de la Concorde; from there, the Tuileries Garden leads you to the Arc du Carrousel and the Pyramid. |
| RER | One change or a 10–15 minute walk | 2.55 € | The museum has no RER station of its own. From Châtelet–Les Halles (RER A, B and D) it is two stops on line 1 to Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre, or about 800 m on foot along rue de Rivoli. |
| Batobus | Depends on the starting stop | Separate Batobus ticket | The Seine shuttle boat stops at the Louvre stop, on quai François-Mitterrand. |
| Bike (Vélib) | Depends on the starting point | Vélib fare | The nearest stations are no. 1015 (place André-Malraux), 1023 (165 rue Saint-Honoré), 1014 (5 rue de l'Échelle) and 1013 (186 rue Saint-Honoré). For your own bike there is parking next to the École du Louvre and at 158 rue de Rivoli. |
| Taxi or car | Depends on traffic | Taxi or parking fare | The nearest taxi rank is on place André-Malraux and there is a short drop-off area by the Carrousel roundabout. By car, the underground Carrousel car park is at 1 avenue du Général-Lemonnier (run by Indigo). |
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Louvre Museum?
In the 1st arrondissement of Paris, in the Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois quarter, between rue de Rivoli and the Seine, east of the Tuileries Garden. The main entrance is the Pyramid, in the Cour Napoléon; the entrance through the Carrousel shopping mall is at 99 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris.
How do you get to the Louvre by metro?
On lines 1 and 7 to Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre, about 200 m from the Pyramid, or on line 14 to Pyramides, about 500 m away. A single ticket costs 2.55 € in 2026 and is valid for two hours.
How do you get from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, or the other way?
They are about 3 km apart in a straight line. By metro: line 1 from Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile and line 6 to Bir-Hakeim, with one change. On foot, following the Seine and crossing the Tuileries, it is a long but flat walk.
Which entrance do I use with my Louvre ticket?
With a ticket or a Paris Museum Pass, the Pyramid (green line) or the Carrousel (99 rue de Rivoli), which admits everyone. The Porte des Lions also works if you already have a ticket, except on Tuesdays and until 6:00 pm. The Passage Richelieu is for groups and tours with an accredited guide only.
What is the Carrousel du Louvre?
The Louvre's underground shopping mall, at 99 rue de Rivoli, opened in October 1993. It houses the inverted pyramid and one of the museum entrances, open to all visitors.
How early should I get to the Louvre?
Early enough for the security check before your time slot: the listing of one of the tours we review warns that it can take more than 15 minutes in high season. If you are on a guided tour, go to the meeting point given in your booking, not the museum door.
Is there parking at the Louvre?
Yes, the underground Carrousel car park, at 1 avenue du Général-Lemonnier; rates are published by Indigo, which runs it. The nearest taxi rank is on place André-Malraux.
Sources