Centre Pompidou, another heavily visited French museum, adopted this policy, billet unique, now 14€, about 10 years ago, and visitors have not stopped complaining since.

They don't want to spend the whole day in the same place, they may just want to see the permanent exhibit or temporary ones; they resent having a pricy ticket imposed on them for the whole shebang, especially on those occasions where they show up to find half the permanent exhibit closed, with only maybe one temporary one to visit, but they still have to pay for the whole thing if they want in.

Expect French visitors to complain about this new policy at Louvre, especially, those, who, as the article points out, favor temporary exhibits.

Makes it easier for public and ticket vendors alike.

And, anyway, eveybody should visit these ladies from time to time - French or otherwise.

And the ticket vendors will experience their share of grief, as well, from the public, who will complain directly to them about the unfair pricing. Don't believe me, just ask the people who work at Centre Pompidou. They hate the policy, because the public does too.

C'est le passe-temps national ! Mais on les adore quand même !

to charge people for something they don't necessarily want. You wouldn't like having to pay for a full course meal in a restaurant when all you want is salad bar, would you?

What is wrong with giving people the choice, other than the museum might make less money, which is the reason for this pricing policy.

All the clichés about the French being des râleurs I attribute to the climate. All those gray days and cool summers make me grumpy too, and I'm not really French.

than by giving people the choice to pay for just a temporary exhibit, if that is all they want.

At least, that is why Centre Pompidou changed their ticketing policy some 10 years ago. And I assume that's why Louvre is doing it too. More money.

Haven't been in there in years, and couldn't find precise info on their website for just temporary exhibits, but they do tell you can purchase a Paris Museum Pass, which is good for about 60 museums in and around Paris, but only for their permanent exhibits, not for temporary.

Paris Museum Pass
Valable :
- 2 jours : 42 euros
- 4 jours : 56 euros
- 6 jours : 69 euros

Thus, if you show up at, say, Centre Pompidou with your Paris Museum Pass you will still have to purchase a full price ticket 14€ if you only want to get in to see a temporary exhibit. People feel like they're getting ripped off.

to be soft and gentle. No tornado alley here! LOL!

But, I know what you mean about those short winter days and sometimes soggy summers.

Go south - anywhere south of the Massif Centrale - different story there.

for being particularly grumpy.

maybe depressive...

I used to hear reports in France about how the French were among the largest, if not the largest, consumers of anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs in all of Europe.

Sometimes in Paris during rare heat spells, you can walk around parts of town and feel like you're really in a Latin city after all. No sign of the famous malaise that the French seem to carry around with them perpetually. And then the perpetual grayness returns, and with it that malaise.