Things I've learnt about the Louvre, one of them spooky

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The Louvre in 1615
I know I go on about it, but I do do a lot of research when I write a new novel. Over the last six months I've been researching the Louvre and thought I'd share a few things I've learnt with you.

The Louvre Palace dates from medieval times and was originally a fortress. It was the main residence of Louis XIV until he moved his court and the seat of government to Versailles in 1682.

In the late 16th and  early 17th centuries, Henry IV of France carried out major improvements, removing remnants of the medieval fortress, increasing the area of the Cour Carree and completing a link between the Tuileries Palace and the Louvre.

Cour Carree today

Napoleon used the Tuileries Palace as his home but it was  burnt down during unrest in May 1871. The administrative and conservation areas of the Louvre Museum were moved to new space under the Tuileries gardens as part of I.M. Pei's grand design for the entrance pyramid.

Cross section of the new admin. & conservation areas under the Tuileries Gardens.
The Louvre is open from 9am until 7.30pm on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and from 9am to 9.45pm on Wednesday and French public holidays for the rest of the year.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays. Rooms begin closing 30 minutes before museum closing time.

There is free admission to the permanent collections on the first Sunday of the month. Visit the museum website for more info: http://www.louvre.fr/en/hours-admission

The way to beat the crowds at the I.M. Pei Pyramid entrance (it can be a couple of hours) is not to use it - enter through the Tuileries, off Rue du Rivoli. There are sets of stairs either side of the mini Arc de Triomphe that take you down into the museum. Buy your tickets online. Easy.
 
And now for the spooky fact. Since 1882 the Louvre has its own school for curators, L'Ecole du Louvre whose director is Philippe Durey.  Before I knew this factoid I chose the surname 'Durey' for one of main the characters in the latest Roth. How's that for a coincidence? Of course, I've had to change it. There's always something.
Location of the L'Ecole du Louvre in the museum complex
An then there's the art. I'll leave that to you.

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