The Louvre Museum is one of the most visited attractions in the world, and tickets often sell out fast—sometimes weeks in advance! If you’re planning a trip to Paris and find yourself facing a fully booked Louvre, don’t panic. There are still ways to secure entry, from alternative ticket sources to guided tours that offer exclusive access. In this guide, we’ll explore the best strategies to get last-minute Louvre tickets, ensuring you don’t miss the chance to see masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Winged Victory of Samothrace. Read on to discover your options and make the most of your visit!
Our Usual Recommendations
It's fairly easy throughout the year to get tickets for the Louvre Museum when you buy them a few weeks ahead. However, in some periods, known as peak season, such as Christmas, Easter, or July, a lot of dates or time slots are unavailable. Even some companies struggle to find them at the last minute. However, at Dayin, we became the masters of the Louvre. We can always get tickets. Here are a few of our secrets:
Get up early
I'm sure you'd expect me to say, "Get up early and go to the Louvre." No! That's what most people do, and they end up queuing. During low season, it's okay, but during peak season, you might wait as much as 1h30.
The secret here is that the Louvre updates its stocks of tickets the day before or in the morning. So between 9:00 am and 10 am, you have the opportunity to buy tickets for the same day, later during the day. The downside of this technique, is that it's not 100% sure; it depends on releases and if you're fast enough to grab the available tickets.
The new online ticketing of the Louvre also tells you when some dates are running short in availability so you can better plan ahead as you can see above with the red dot on February 15th.
Book a guided tour (with us)!
Of course, I couldn't finish this article without promoting our tours! We know the Louvre like our own home, I've been coming to the museum since I was 5 years old, and I know all the ins and outs. Your first issue might be to find tickets; and the good thing is that we take care of that for you!
On top of that, you might feel like once inside you could manage on your own, but let me tell you t's not the easiest place to navigate. Having a guide removes all the hassle; you don't have to worry about the tickets, what to see and what's the story behind it. We created a nicely wrapped 2h tour (more is honestly overwhelming), that covers the highlights of this must-see museum. See below for more!
Go to the Louvre (late)
The Louvre sells tickets inside the museum. They always have availability, but as mentioned earlier, the issue is the line to get in. That's why we recommend going later in the day, around 4 pm (be careful, they start emptying the rooms at 5:30pm). Usually, most people have already done something of their day and won't go to the museum that late. The line should be much shorter then.
The best days to do this are Wednesdays and Fridays, as the Louvre opens later for both, until 9 pm, so you can enjoy the museum at night! As not many people know about this, or have other plans for the night, you can expect less crowds.
However, be aware that this tip may not work during peak season, when the Louvre reaches maximum capacity — for example during Easter, Christmas week, July, and August. In those periods, if tickets are sold out online, they may also be unavailable at the ticket desk. It ultimately depends on the Louvre’s decision.
Final note: beware of resellers
Be cautious when purchasing Louvre tickets from unofficial resellers or third-party websites. During peak season, many platforms take advantage of high demand by charging inflated prices, or selling tickets that may not guarantee entry. To avoid scams or disappointment, it’s always safest to book through the official Louvre website or trusted providers. If a deal seems too good to be true, it often is.
.png){kind=icon}
-100.png){kind=small}
.png)
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
