The French capital is one of the best cities in the world to take in the mesmerizing work of Impressionist master Claude Monet. From modern art collections that feature an unusually large number of the artist’s masterpieces, to smaller institutions that are almost wholly dedicated to spotlighting his life and work, there’s an abundance of choices if you’re hoping to get to take a deep dive into the topic. Keep reading for the best “Monet museums” in Paris, including a day trip to the nearby town where the master lived and worked for over 40 years– and whose lush landscapes became his most familiar subject.
1. Musée Marmottan-Monet
Nestled in a quiet corner of western Paris, this intimate museum holds the largest single global collection of works from Monet, and also boasts an impressive number of paintings and other works from fellow Impressionists including Berthe Morisot, Alfred Sisley, Paul Gaugin and many others.
Masterpieces that grace the permanent collection include the iconic “Impression, Sunrise” (acquired in 1940) and a large-scale installation showing one version of the artist’s “Nymphéas” (Waterlilies). Monet’s son Claude helped to greatly expand the collection with donations of other well-known and lesser-known works from his father, including “The Train in the Snow”, “Taking a Walk in Argenteuil”, “The Houses of Parliament London”, “Reflections on the Thames”, and many others.
{Book skip-the-line tickets for the Musée Marmottan Monet (via Tiqets)}
The Marmottan-Monet, which also regularly stages temporary exhibitions that spotlight different aspect of the artist’s work (and of other related artists, periods and movements) is the only museum to hold in its collection the final versions of two of Monet’s late masterpieces, “The Japanese Bridge” and “The House Seen From the Rose Garden”– breathtaking works completed at Giverny (see below for more on visiting the artist’s house and gardens).
Getting There & Practical Info
The Musée Marmottan Monet (see our full guide here) is located in Paris’ 16th arrondissement, at the corner of the neighborhood known as Passy in western Paris and not far from the sprawling Bois de Boulogne park.
{Book a 2-hour guided “Impressionists” tour of the Marmottan-Monet here (via Viator)
- Address: 2 rue Louis Boilly, 16th arrondissement
- Metro: La Muette or Ranelagh (Line 9)
- Tel: +33 (0)1 44 96 50 33
- Visit the official website (including information on temporary exhibits, current ticket prices, opening hours and special events)
2. Musée d’Orsay
It’s unsurprising that the world-renowned Musée d’Orsay holds such an impressive number of important works from Monet, given that its permanent collection is a treasury of Impressionist and Expressionist masterpieces. Come to see the wider collection, but make sure to spend a good amount of time homing in on the museum’s numerous oeuvres from the master of light and color himself.
These include “Coquelicots” (Poppies, shown above and painted in 1873); “The Magpie” (an enchanting winter landscape completed in 1869); “Nymphéas Bleus” (Blue Waterlilies, 1919); “The London Parliament” (1900); and the deeply moving “Camille Monet sur son lit de mort” (Camille Monet on Her Deathbed, 1879)– a grief-laden portrait of the artist’s wife, who died at only 32.
The collection at the Orsay also includes portraits of daily Parisian life and industry that are full of movement and dynamism, including a portrait of Rue Montorgueil on a colorful parade day, and of trains coming into the Gare Saint-Lazare— Monet somehow manages to draw out a strange, ethereal beauty from the industrial scene and puffs of steam emitted by the trains.
Read our full guide & visitor tips for the Orsay here.
Getting There & Practical Info
The Musée d’Orsay is located on the left bank of the Seine in the 6th arrondissement (district), just across the river from the Musée du Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries.
- Address: 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007, 6th arrondissement
- Metro: RER Orsay; or get off at Metro Saint-Michel or Saint-Germain-des-Prés and walk to the museum entrance
- Tel: +33 (0)1 40 49 48 14
- Visit the official website (including info on temporary exhibits, ticket prices, hours and more) or book a guided tour of the collections (via Tiqets.com)
3. The Orangerie
This small Parisian museum is home to one of Monet’s most monumental– and important works:
The permanent collection houses Les Nymphéas (Water Lillies), a series of eight enormous panels that completely fill the permanent collection’s two curved exhibition spaces. Walking around them, it’s easy to get lost in their dreamlike, light-filled, watery and slightly surreal landscapes.
The history of this particular “Nymphéas” series is a poignant one, too: Monet donated it to the French stay just a day after the end of World War I in 1918, calling it a hope for world peace.
{Book skip-the-line tickets for the Orangerie online (via Tiqets.com}
This is simply one of the loveliest places in the city to catch your breath, sit or quietly walk around the room for a stretch, and meditate on one of the artist’s truly breathtaking achievements. And the separate collection of modern art at the adjoining Walter & Guillaume collection is well worth seeing, too, with masterpieces from the likes of Modigliani, Renoir, Matisse, Cézanne, Picasso and Soutine.
Getting There & Practical Info
The Orangerie is located on the right bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement, at the west end of the Tuileries garden and opposite the bustling Place de la Concorde. Note that it’s also in close reach of the Musée d’Orsay right across the river, so you can easily follow a visit to one with the other.
- Address: Jardin des Tuileries, 75001 Paris
- Metro: Concorde or Tuileries
- Tel: +33 (0)1 44 50 43 00
- Visit the official website
4. Monet’s House and Gardens at Giverny
Last but certainly not least, a day trip to Claude Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny is certainly in order for the dedicated Monet enthusiasts among you. While it doesn’t hold a significant collection of artworks from the former inhabitant, it offers a moving glimpse into the lush landscapes and water features that inspired (and served as settings for) some of Monet’s most beloved paintings, from the graceful Japanese bridges that amble across the waterlily ponds teeming with reeds and wildflowers at the borders, to idyllic portraits of the green-shuttered house, surrounded by colorful blossoms.
A stroll through the gardens on a sunny, bright day in mid to late spring to mid-summer is the best time to visit, since the greatest number of flowers and other plants are in bloom during that time–from tulips and glycines to flowering Japanese cherry trees, dahlias and irises. But even a fall visit can offer some truly stunning perspectives of the ponds, bridges, soaring weeping willows, and pathways meandering through the garden and leading to the house.
{Related: 10 Best Day Trips from Paris by Train}
Meanwhile, visit the interiors of the house, where Monet lived from 1883 to his death in 1926. Stepping inside allows you to gain a fascinating perspective on the artist’s inner and domestic life. His interest in Japanese art and design is particularly evident in certain rooms, including the “Blue Room” with its numerous Japanese woodblocks.
The house harbored a studio where the artist conceived and completed many of his most famous paintings, as well as separate bedrooms where Monet and his wife retired. Most of the colorfully painted and decorated rooms have distinctive themes, from the pantry to the dining room.
Finally, head to the nearby Musée de Vernon (in the same town where Giverny is located) to see still more noteworthy paintings from the master, including “The Cliffs of Pourville at Sunset” (1896) and yet another mesmerizing installment from the “Nymphéas” series, circa 1908.
Getting There & Practical Info
The Claude Monet Foundation is located in the town of Giverny, easily accessible from Paris by taking a local train from the Gare Saint-Lazare station (see more here at the official website).
You can easily book a half-day trip (including shuttle) from Paris to Giverny (via GetYourGuide). And for a truly personalized experience, consider booking a private tour of Giverny with an art historian, including transport from Paris (via Viator).
Editor’s Note: This post contains a few affiliate links. If you book a ticket or tour through these it comes at no additional cost to you, but does help to fund more free, in-depth features here at Paris Unlocked. Thank you.
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