Carousel du Louvre visitor guide

Visit Carousel du Louvre, Paris

The Carousel du Louvre is a shopping centre, an entrance to the Louvre museum, and an exhibition, situated next to the Louvre in the 1st Arrondissement, in the centre of Paris.

The main entrance to the Carousel du Louvre is not immediately obvious: it is at 99 Rue de Rivoli, at the point where a passage leads through the buildings to the Place du Carrousel (the main square in front of the buildings of the Louvre).

Explore the Carousel du Louvre

France This Way review: it was surprising to discover this large open area just below the Louvre, and both interesting and impressive to visit - it is much more than just another entrance to the Louvre Museum

Inverted pyramid in the Carousel du Louvre

In the centre of the Carousel you can see the inverted pyramid that is situated underneath the Place du Carrousel in front of the Louvre. If you have read the book by Dan Brown called The Da Vinci Code you will be aware of this upside-down pyramid, that copies the design of the main Louvre pyramid.

Next to the pyramid you can see one of the entrances to the Louvre museum. This entrance is sheltered from the weather, so it is a good choice if you are visiting the museum and the weather is hot, cold or wet outside, and tends to be quieter than the main entrance in the square in front of the museum.

Most of the shops are situated between the entrance to the carousel and the pyramid, along a high open area. The ceiling is hung with ornaments that may tribute to some of the famous items in the museum. The majority of the shops are selling gift items, chocolates etc. and there is an area with a selection of cafes on the upper level.

There is also a conference and exhibition centre here, but that was only open to "Influencers" when we visited, and will not be an area that most visitors will see inside.

On the other side of the pyramid, the Carousel serves two functions:

The first is as an access route, because there is a large area where coaches can park, entirely hidden from sight below the gardens of the Carrousel: when you walk through the gardens you wouldn't guess that you are walking over a giant car park! This access allows visitors arriving by coach to reach the Louvre museum without being exposed to the weather.

The second function is as a display area. There are several statues in this area, that came from the Palace des Tuileries. This Palace was demolished in the 19th century, and was originally an impressive palace that stood in the area in front of the Louvre, now the Jardin des Tuileries. The statues represent virtuous values such as Honesty and Liberty.

Also in this area you can see a large area of stone wall that was part of the original defences around the city of Paris, built in the 14th century under the reign of King Charles V. I imagine that Charles V would be surprised to see his walls today, carefully restored and lit and with neon signs explaining their history!

Statues in the Carrousel du Louvre

Attractions nearby

Of course, the principal attraction close to the Carousel is the Louvre Museum. This is an indispensable part of your visit to Paris and among the most impressive museums in the world.

You can find more travel ideas in the Paris region guide.

To make travel arrangements to visit Carousel du Louvre see HERE