This is the Paris Louvre Museum Giftshop

The Carrousel du Louvre is a very famous shopping mall in Paris among locals and visitors alike. It offers a great way to take a break after visiting the famous paintings and works of art at the Louvre museum, for which, by the way, I recommend you buy your ticket in advance- not for nothing is it the most visited museum in the world!

Open seven days a week, the exclusive center features dozens of stores, a gourmet food court and an elegant and spacious setting. If you are looking for a place to eat near the Louvre, the Carrousel is a great choice. It's also the place to go if you're looking for new clothes, jewelry, books or a special gift to take back on the plane.

The construction of the Carrousel du Louvre was seen as an extension of the entrance in a project that began in the early 1990s. The Carrousel du Louvre officially opened in 1993 and is now one of the most popular shopping malls in central Paris.

It is not only a shopping mall, but also an artistic space, as it was decided that the medieval ruins should be preserved in their original location. They are now visible in the Carrousel shopping center and form an integral part of it.

As if that were not enough, sculptures have also been added. Carrousel du Louvre plays a more than practical role for the Louvre, as it houses parts of its past. The Carrousel also provides access to the museum.

The Carrousel is also architecturally impressive: the lower section of the famous glass Pyramide du Louvre (Louvre Pyramid), designed by Chinese architect I.M. Pei, is visible from the mall. In addition, the Carrousel du Louvre includes a large exhibition space where major annual events, such as the Paris photo exhibition, are held.

The work on the Grand Louvre and the construction of the Carrousel exposed the amazing foundations of the Royal Palace. These are the ruins of the Charles V perimeter wall, a stone wall designed to protect the city. The part visible from the Carrousel du Louvre mall was built in the 16th century.

The mall features fashion, jewelry, home design, gifts, books and many other specialty boutiques.

In addition to the wide variety of businesses, including the Apple Store, a Lancel leather goods store and a Bickici jewelry store, the Louvre store houses the typical brands of France in one place:

• Mariages Frères: Tea room to take a break during the sightseeing and shopping day.
• Fragonard: Brand specialized in cosmetics.
• L'Occitane: French cosmetics and gift store of medium price and high quality.
• Comedie-Francaise: Space to buy tickets for the French comedy theater.
• Hertz Car Rental: Car rental service in Paris, a very good option to consider.

The Bistrot Benoit restaurant is located in the heart of the museum, just below the pyramid, and is the only restaurant in the Louvre store, hence it is also known as "the mall restaurant''.

This restaurant offersmenus and dishes of French gastronomy, with a menu completely renovated by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, which mixes the traditional with a contemporary twist, as well as providing a large selection of wines and other drinks to accompany the meal.

There is a formula available for lunch where you can have a starter, a main course and a dessert, which also comes with a glass of wine or mineral water and costs about 20 to 30 €). However, you can also enjoy the food even more by ordering a la carte as you would in one of the good restaurants in Paris. In this case, Bistrot Benoit**(originally called Cafe Grand Louvre**) will offer you several options at your leisure to enjoy a three-course meal in a unique and prestigious setting.

Prices and opening hours of the Louvre's boutique restaurant

Bistrot Benoit is open daily except special holidays for breakfast between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., then for lunch starting at 11:30 a.m. and closing at 5 p.m. It is also open at night until 9:45 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, except in summer when it maintains those hours for all days.

The average a la carte price ranges from 20 € to 50 €.

Style of the Louvre Shopping Center restaurant

Bistrot Benoit welcomes visitors all day long in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. An authentic setting in the heart of the museum. The interior offers an artistic style with chairs and tables made of zinc, brass, wood and red velvet (a rather formal look that fits perfectly with the Louvre museum). What's more, you will also find waiters dressed in a traditional style with white aprons and bow ties.

The Bistrot Benoit stands out under the prestigious glass pyramid with an area of 200 square meters and a capacity for 90 people.

Another of the most outstanding places to eat in the mall is its pastry shop. Despite being the only pastry shop in the mall and offering some of the tastiest cakes, crepes and croissants it is not a place to spend a lot of money, and you will hardly find anything that costs more than 8 euros. Moreover, it is located very close to the museum entrance.

In addition, they also serve breakfast in the morning, a very smart option to save time and go straight to the museum, especially if you go with children to the Louvre, although you should keep in mind that it does not open until 10:30 am. In case you prefer to visit the Louvre earlier and want to have breakfast nearby, I recommend heading to the cafes and food places near the museum.

Of course, it must be said that the Paul Patisserie offers very complete French-style breakfast menus with coffee and croissant, the classic French ham sandwich with butter or a chocolate cake. You can even stop by for a light snack in case you want to visit the museum later.

Information of interest

• Location: Second floor, just below the Louvre Pyramid.
• Hours: Continuous service from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.
• Prices: Breakfast between 8 and 12 € per person.

Do not buy just for the sake of buying: although it is true that the mall has many electronics and clothing stores, I recommend buying only those items that are exclusive to the museum and that you will not be able to buy elsewhere. This is because, in general, the prices of items not related to the museum are usually more expensive.

Take advantage of your location to enter the Louvre: if you plan to visit the museum and you have your tickets already purchased, I recommend not leaving the mall, but go directly to the door of the Louvre museum, this entrance has the same name as the mall: Carrousel du Louvre and is much less crowded than the main entrance (Pyramide).

The Carrousel du Louvre is open daily from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. With a few exceptions, the stores are open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., 7 days a week.

Important: Every corner of the Carrousel is accessible for people with disabilities or movement difficulties.

The shopping center is located at 99, rue de Rivoli. If you go by metro I recommend the Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre stop (Line 1). However, if you have your own means of transportation, keep in mind that parking is available at the Caroussel du Louvre.

If you go by bus, lines 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81 and 95 will be useful. You can also use the RER trains to get there, the Chatelet - Les Halles stop where lines A, B and D stop is only about 650 meters from the restaurant. In addition, you can use the tourist buses as a means of transportation, or even the water buses that travel along the Seine River, leaving you at stops near the Louvre Museum and the restaurant Bistrot Benoit.