Louvre (Musée du Louvre)

Constructed as a fortress in the Middle Ages and rebuilt in the mid-16th century as a royal palace, it wasn’t until 1793 that the Louvre became a museum. Today, it is the home of some of the world’s most famous works of art, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The rest of the permanent collection includes Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Egyptian and oriental antiquities, as well as sculptures, objets d’art and prints and drawings. Entrance to the museum is through the largest of the three glass pyramids that dominate the courtyard. The huge global success of Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code, which opens with the murder of the museum’s curator, has swelled visitor numbers as literary pilgrims flock to see the places featured in the novel.
Air: Paris Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris Orly Airport. Rail: Train: Paris Gare du Nord (Eurostar). Underground: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre. Road: Bus: Regular services. Car: A1 (from Lille); A16 (from Boulogne); E60 (from Brussels); A62, then A20, A71 and A10 (from Toulouse); A3 (from Paris Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport); A4 (from Strasbourg); A6 (from Lyon and Marseille) or A13 (from Caen).