The Louvre Museum

A classic itinerary for a first visit to the museum: you will trace the history of the royal palace through the Louvre's greatest masterpieces. For nearly 700 years, the Louvre was one of the principal residences of the kings and emperors of France. Built at the end of the 12th century by King Philip II as a defensive fortress, it was embellished in the 14th century by Charles V, who made it a secondary residence. It was not until Francis I that the Louvre was transformed into a Renaissance palace. Henry IV then connected it to the Tuileries via a great gallery running along the Seine.

Louis XIV completed the Cour Carrée with a grand colonnade before departing for Versailles in 1678. In 1793, the palace became the Central Museum of the Arts. Napoleon III completed the unification of the Tuileries and the Louvre, but in 1871 the Tuileries were burned down, opening up the great east-west perspective of the capital.

The tour takes in the medieval section, the Borghese collection, and the masterpieces of Italian art — including the world-famous Mona Lisa, the Wedding at Cana, Caravaggio's Death of the Virgin and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. These works and spaces will reveal the extraordinary richness of one of the world's greatest museums, offering an introduction to painting, sculpture and architecture.

On request, the visit can be extended with a stroll through the Tuileries Garden — a perfect way to close the day immersed in Parisian history and beauty.