The Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are shortening their opening hours this week as Ile-de-France remains under a red heatwave alert, with temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius across the region.
The Musée d’Orsay will close at 5 p.m. from July 11 to 15, with last entry at 4 p.m. The Louvre is closing at 4 p.m. with last admission at 2 p.m. from July 10 to 13, while the Eiffel Tower shuts at 4 p.m. on July 11 and 12.
Meteo-France placed 24 departments, home to 22.2 million people, under its maximum heat alert level on July 11, with an additional 59 departments under an orange warning. The measures mark France’s third heatwave since May, following a June heatwave that set national temperature records. The Musée d’Orsay said the early closures aim to ensure orderly visitor reception and avoid long outdoor queues during peak heat hours.
Museums and Monuments Adjust Access Across Paris
At the Musee d’Orsay, access to permanent and temporary exhibitions will remain open until 4:15 p.m., with galleries closing gradually from 4:30 p.m. ahead of the building’s full closure at 5 p.m. The museum, housed in a former railway station on the banks of the Seine, holds one of the world’s largest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, including works by Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas and Cezanne.
The Palace of Versailles is closing at 4:30 p.m., and at 4:15 p.m. for the Trianon Estate, on July 11 and 12. The Chateau de Fontainebleau is closing at 2 p.m. from July 11 to 13. The Sainte-Chapelle is open mornings only, from 9 a.m. to noon, until further notice, and the Arc de Triomphe has adjusted its hours to 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The Palais de Tokyo has temporarily suspended access to its ground floor, and the Musée Gustave Moreau is fully closed for the duration of the heatwave. The Bourdelle Museum is closing several galleries from 3 p.m. onward starting July 11. The Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée Rodin are also closing early over the coming days. City of Paris museums, including the Petit Palais and the Paris Museum of Modern Art, remain free to enter and offer air-conditioned rooms open to the public.
Wider Impact of the Heatwave
Many French towns have cancelled Bastille Day fireworks displays scheduled for July 14 due to elevated fire risk and dry conditions. Wildfires have burned twice as much land in France so far this year compared with the same period in 2025, according to an official cited in reporting on the heatwave. France recorded more than 2,000 excess deaths during the June heatwave and 300 during high temperatures in late May, according to official figures.
High temperatures are expected to persist through Bastille Day, according to Meteo-France. The French government has faced criticism over its preparedness for extreme heat events, which scientists have linked to increasing frequency amid climate change.
Travellers planning visits to Paris this week are advised to check individual site websites for updated hours before arrival, as several attractions have indicated that schedules may change depending on conditions.
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