Musée de l'Orangerie

Today, just as in 1927, you will discover the Water Lilies by natural light. Claude Monet’s majestic mural was the pinnacle of over 30 years work by the artist on his Water Lilies cycle. With this unique project, the Impressionist master wanted to explore every possible variation of light in his garden in Giverny. He himself worked on the plan of the museum’s two oval rooms, which had to hold eight two-metre-high panels that stretch more than 91 metres in width. The effect remains breathtaking. The paintings follow the curves of the rooms, inviting endless contemplation. The pristine walls disappear behind the ethereal beauty of these late works by Monet, allowing each viewer to viscerally experience the splendour of his garden in Giverny.

After seeing Monet’s hypnotic masterpieces, don’t forget to visit the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume collection, once belonging to the art dealer Paul Guillaume and bought by the state in 1960. It brings together 146 works, dating from 1860 to the 1930s. Impressionist works on show include 25 masterpieces by Renoir, 15 by Cézanne, as well as works by Gauguin, Monet and Sisley. Twentieth-century artists include Modigliani, Matisse, Derain, Picasso, Le Douanier Rousseau, Soutine and Laurencin. After several months of renovation work, this collection is now presented in renovated spaces and through a renewed presentation.

Temple of Impressionism

As the name suggests, the handsome building wasn’t always a museum. Overlooking the Place de la Concorde, it was built in 1852 to shelter the Tuileries’ fragile orange trees over the winter. In 1921, the building was entrusted to the Fine Arts school. It was the French prime minister Georges Clemenceau who suggested placing Monet’s “Water Lilies” here: the artist had painted the canvases during World War I and offered them to the state the day after the armistice on 11 November, 1918, as a symbol of peace. The monumental work was revealed to the public in 1927, a few months after the artist’s death. Since then, the museum has welcomed its new artistic vocation and offers a rich cultural programme. You can also enjoy a pleasant break under its beautiful glass roof, also home to a café and a bookstore.

Don't miss the works of art in Paris' other museums and cultural sites.