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.
If you're visiting during peak season and want to guarantee entry without the stress, our guided Louvre tours include pre-secured ticket access.
Book your private louvre tour here!
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. Read until the end to know all our secrets tips!
The Guaranteed Option: Book a Guided Tour
Every strategy in this guide works, most of the time. But if you're travelling during Easter, Christmas, or July, none of them are 100% reliable. The one approach that guarantees entry regardless of online availability is booking a guided tour.
And look, I couldn't write this guide without mentioning what we do at Dayin but I promise this isn't just a sales pitch. It's genuinely the most stress-free solution, and here's why.
At Dayin, we handle tickets for every guest before they arrive. We know the Louvre like our own home, I've been coming to this museum since I was 5 years old, and I know all the ins and outs.
Our small-group Louvre tour with pre-secured ticket access covers the highlights in 2 hours, which is honestly the right amount of time before the museum starts feeling overwhelming. If you'd prefer a fully personnalised experience our private Louvre tour is perfect for you!
Having a guide also removes every other headache: you don't have to worry about what to see, what route to take, or what the story is behind what you're looking at. We've wrapped it all into a 2-hour experience that covers the must-see without the museum fatigue.
If you want a guaranteed visit without the logistics, book your Louvre tour here.
If You'd Rather Go Alone
No problem at all, here are the best DIY tactics. Just know that none of these are 100% guaranteed, especially in peak season.
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, or not even make it inside!
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.
Go to the Louvre Late
The Louvre sells tickets directly inside the museum. They usually have some availability, but as mentioned earlier, the issue is the line to get in. That's why we recommend going later in the day, around 4pm. Just keep in mind they start emptying the rooms at 5:30pm, so you'll want to arrive with enough time to actually enjoy it.
By late afternoon, most people have already filled their day and won't be heading to a museum. The line should be much shorter.
The best days for this are Wednesdays and Fridays, when the Louvre stays open until 9pm. Not many people know about the late opening, or have other evening plan, so you can expect noticeably fewer crowds and a much more relaxed visit.
That said, this tip may not work during peak season, when the Louvre can reach maximum capacity. During Easter, Christmas week, July, and August, tickets at the door may simply not be available even if you show up late. It ultimately depends on the Louvre's decision on the day, so if you're travelling in those periods, don't rely on this as your plan A.
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.
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