The Louvre is immense and getting inside to see its impressive collection of some 35,000 pieces can seem daunting, especially if you just want to visit the most important ones. This tour has Misa as its focal point, so you don’t leave feeling like its greatest masterpieces haven’t received enough attention. In addition to the enigmatic portrait by Leonardo da Vinci, you will also see the Louvre’s other two famous women, the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace, as well as embark on a journey across the history of painting and sculpture with the most representative works. This tour follows a carefully planned route that slices through the museum to its ‘stars’, with the added benefit of a maximum of 6 people per group for an experience more like a private tour than the large groups that characterize its halls. After meeting with your guide, you’ll be sped straight past the thousands of people that line up daily to get inside. Your small group size means that you will be able to move swiftly and get up close to these timeless compositions, where you will be captivated by the genius behind their creation. Marvel at the subtle details, true stories and amazing history that your expert guide unveils about each of the artworks as you look on. The most irresistible of these is of course the Mona Lisa, which has been steeped in legend for centuries. This is mainly because the painting remained in its creator’s possession until the time of his death. Regarded as unfinished by Leonardo, it is most likely a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy Florentine cloth merchant that he painted between 1503 and 1506. Many people don’t know it, but Leonardo took it to France himself when he worked under the patronage of Francis I, though it did make it back to Italy and then again to the French monarch. One thing is certain, it must have been an object of meditation for the artist, and much of this energy can still be felt. Your guide will provide you with a number of interpretations, and you'll be able to decide for yourself just what it is that makes her gaze so penetrating. After the tour you will be free to continue exploring the Louvre knowing you got the full story on its essential masterpieces, or you can move on to your next Paris activity without weighing down your day with a longer tour.