Can I expect a big line up at the Louvre and Versaille in early October?

Question

btw, how long does it take a typical person to see these 2 sights?

Is it 2,4 6 hours each?

Answer 1

I have been in Paris for 3 times.. I will write on my trips shortly (and for travel trips and booking) on http://iluvtotravel.blogspot.com/

However for your answer -

Well the Louvre - generally there is some sort of queue whenever you go.. Try to go early. It is very big and beautiful.  It will take you as long as you want to go round there.. I think if you  take your time to look at all the pieces of artwork/statues etc, you can stay there 3 days!! My suggestion is to pre plan what you need to see beforehand e.g Monalisa and just go and see those..

Versailles - There is a very big castle with alot of ground around it.  It might take you around a day to see it well. Just check beforehand on the days when the castle is open.

Answer 2

By October the worst of tourist invaision has receded but there is still likley to be  a line to buy tickets at the Louvre and Versailles. Buy your tickets in advance on line and you can avoid the worst of this problem.

Versailles makes a wonderful all day excursion. In addition to the chateua itself there are the two smaller Trianon palaces, the Bellvedere, the Hameau of Marie Antoinette, and even a working farm and petting zoo.  The grounds are enourmous and filled with all sorts of things to see. Take along a picnic lunch.

The Louvre is simply overwhleming. With 35,000 works of art it is simply impossiuble to see everything before "great art fatigue" crushes the life out of you.  I usually take first time visitors thru a 3 or 4 hour "best of" viewing. Anything more is too exhausting (Then again I've seen the Louvre several dozen times).

Answer 3

Get yourself a Museum Pass (available in 2-, 4- and 6-day passes) and you can go in a separate entrance. You can get the museum pass at a ticket booth in the metro rather than standing in line to get it at a museum such as the Louvre or Versailles.

Enter the Louvre through the Carrousel du Louvre (enter from the Musee du Louvre metro and go through the mini shopping center). If you enter through the Pyramid, you'll be standing in line. Bypass that and enter from the Metro station. You may have to stand in line to go through the baggage x-rays, but that's about it.

Now, with the museum pass in Versailles, there is a separate entrance, which is a god-send.

If you are in a hurry and want to see only the most famous works of art of the Louvre, you can do it in 2 hours with help from Rick Steves' Paris guide book (or download an audio tour from his web site on iTunes). I can spend all day in the Louvre, regardless of how many times I've been there.

The Louvre is open late on Wednesday evenings...and the pyramid is lit up.

Versailles is doable in 2 hours (not counting travel time), if you don't venture into the gardens. If so, tack on maybe 2 more hours if you want to see Marie-Antoinette's hamlet and enjoy a leisurely stroll.