The Louvre? Free? Well, not very often. But on the first Sunday of each month the world's most famous museum throws open its doors to one and all.

The good news is that it's a very democratic time in the world's most famous art museum, bringing budget tourists together with boisterous Parisian teenagers in the presence of some of the most highly regarded works of art in human history.

The bad news is that it's crowded, and noisy, and for many visitors, free admission seems to also mean freedom from any other rules, like those about flash photography, maintaining quiet, not blocking stairways and so on.

Perhaps the best way to make use of this opportunity is to get a taste of the museum has to offer, and if it whets your appetite, come back on another day to really enjoy it in relative calm.

Getting there

Two Metro stations directly adjoin the museum: Palais Royal – Musée de Louvre, and Louvre – Rivoli.