Paris Museums
 

Hi,

I am beginning to plan my Paris itinerary. Through research I've realized that I could spend a whole month in Paris just touring museums, and still not see them all. So let me ask if you had to pick your top three which would you pick.

Thanks

HI
hard to recommend; what interests you?
How much time will you actually have?
I'll name a few

Louvre: art prior to 1850 or so
Lots of Renaissance and post-Renaissance treasures, plus Egyptian, Crown Jewels, and zillions else.
The big three popular art works are
No Head (Winged Victory), No Arms (Venus de Milo) and No Torso (Mona L.)
But there is so much more; a look at the Louvre website is an excellent way to plan your visit. If you want to hit the highlights (about all you can do on one visit), sign up for either a self-guided audio tour, or a tour with a guide.

Musee D'Orsay---picks up where the Louvre leaves off in terms of mid-19th century. Unparalled collection of Impressionists and Post-Imps. I start on the top floor when the place opens, and work my way down. Extra treat--the objects on the side of the ground floor, glorious vases and such. Magnificent building too, and great gift shop.

Marmottan
A little off the main drag, near La Muette metro stop. You walk through a pretty park to get there from the metro.
Wonderful collection of Monets, including "Impression-Sunrise", the work that gave the Impressionists their name. Also beautiful furniture. I start smiling as soon as I walk inside.
It's not far from there to the Eiffel Tower.

Rodin Museum
A small museum housed in a former residence/studio. Don't miss the grounds either. It's an easy place to like, even if you're burned out on museums.

Cluny Museum--Museum of the Middle Ages (Moyen Age). In a former monastery, has tapestries to end all tapestries, and some Roman ruins.

Museum of the Romantic Life (La Vie Romantique). It's not that strong a recommendation, but if you like the age of Georges Sand, Chopin, and Liszt, it makes for a change, and the house is very pretty. I think George Sand lived there for about 5 minutes, she seems to have lived lots of places in Paris.

Jacquemart-Andre
A treasure-house, formerly a private mansion and private collection. Some masterpieces (Titian, Donatello, etc), in a gorgeous setting.
Nice cafe, and they serve Sunday brunch.

Sorry, I couldn't do just three.

~ Pompidou
http://www.cnac-gp.fr/Pompidou/Accue...cument&L=2

~ MuséeRodin
http://www.musee-rodin.fr/welcome.htm

~ Musée d'Orsay
http://www.musee-orsay.fr/ORSAY/orsa...x?OpenDocument

Other favourites include Musée Maillol, Picasso, Cluny, and Carnavalet. I've never been to the Marmottan but that will be rectified in November and I am, like many others, eagerly awaiting the reopening of Musée de l'Orangerie.

Be sure to get a museum pass and have fun discovering your favourites.

Hi,

Elaine, I could see why you couldn't pick just 3. I don't really care for modern art. I prefer the renaissance, monet, greek, roman, and egyptian art.

I will be in Paris for 10 days, but I don't want to spend all my time in museums. I was thinking that I would like to spend a whole day at the Louvre and the morning part of three other days at smaller museums. Does this seem like a good idea, or do I need to alot more time to museums? I want to go to the d'Orsay, Marmottan, and Cluny for sure, and possible a few others.

Thanks

Given your interests, I think that Louvre is a must.

I've never been to Cluny (gasp!). I suppose there're vestiges of Roman baths, but the museum houses medieval art, so if that's not of interest, then maybe this one is a safe one to skip.

I don't know. If I were you, I don't think that I'd want to spend too much time in museums. See the big ones and then see what else strikes your fancy? Maybe plan a couple of day trips? You've so much time that I'm envious. Have a great trip!

I would recommend splitting your visit to the Louvre over two or three days, rather than spending a full day there. You'll find that it will be too much to absorb in one day.
You certainly must include the d'Orsay as one of the other two. Without rushing, you can easily cover this facility in three-four hours.

Spending an entire day at the Louvre
would wear most people out.

You can find suggested self-guided tours to hit the highlights in a couple of hours. Maybe come back in the evening if you still craved more!

D'Orsay
Marmottan
Carnavalet
(In that order, followed closely by Rodin as a fourth)

P.S. The supposed reopening of the l'Orangerie is a total myth. It will never open again, I'm convinced. At least not in my lifetime.

When did the Orangerie close anyway? What prompted the close? What else is in it apart from the famed Monet Water Lilies?

Not sure when the Orangerie closed, but it hasn't been open since at least my visit in July 2001. I agree that the conflict over the artifacts found beneath it will be solved in my travel life time. Just move the Monets.

My favorite Paris places (you can use Museum Card at all three):

Rodin Museum - even if you don't go inside you can walk around the gardens. You can see the Thinker and Gates of Hell. Nice place to have al fresco lunch.

Musee d'Orsay - Museum Card lets you escape the long lines.

and although not a museum, my other favorite Paris spot to visit is Sainte-Chapelle
((H))

If you're going to be in Paris for a few days I would definitely get a museum card. It makes it easy to just "pop in" to a museum to see one or two things and leave. AND it lets you escape the long lines. I also would look for the evening openings, another way to manage crowd control. So I guess I would suggest not trying to see alot in each museum but feeling free to spend in an hour or two in more...

This summer we went at night to the Louvre but were really surprised that alot of the museum was closed. It wasn't clear to me if that was true during the day too. Luckily the art we like the most there (da Vinci, Raphael etc) was still open. Make sure you don't miss the great works of Raphael and da Vinci. Everyone streams into see the Mona Lisa and I think they've purposely made it so you have to consciously look for the other paintings. Keeps the less knowledgeable away.

>> I prefer the renaissance, monet, greek, roman, and egyptian art.<<

Go to the Louvre for antiquities...you'll be stunned at how much there is to see there.

For Monet alone, the Marmottan isa good choice, but the Impressionist collection at the Orsay shouldn't be missed and many are Monets. (Some other favorites of mine there are the Manets on the first floor).

For Renaissance paintings, if you've had enough of the Louvre, the Jacquemart-André museum is wonderful and less overwhelming than the collection at the Louvre.

The Louvre, the Orsay, and the Nissim de Camondo.

D'Orsay, Louvre, Marmatton. I would avoid the museum pass, and limit visits to 4-5 hours tops, for the same reason: overload. I went in April. and resisted the urge to get a 3-day pass: don't forget, it has to be used on 3 consecutive days. As my first trip in a while without a tour-imposed itinerary, I wanted to go with weather and whim. It worked out great for me, though I did push it a bit. Whoever said you could cover D'Orsay in 3 hours, I strongly disagree. However, Rodin in 2-3 hours, yes. I might actually skip the inside if pressed for time, pay the 1 euro for the gardens and have a wander 'round there instead - also their tartines are terrific. Enjoy.

If you go May-September, Giverny is open. You can avoid long entry lines by arriving before noon. And the grounds and gardens are a welcome remedy for museum burnout. My next trip I hope to explore more of the small museums. I covered a lot of ground over several days at the Louvre.

I'm not sure I could pick just three, but my favorites are probably:

Louvre
Orsay
Musem Museum
Cluny
Rodin
Jacquemart-Andre
Pompidou
MIlitary Museum in les Invalides

and then the costume/fashion (one next to Louvre and the Galliera ?) and decorative arts museums, but those are particular interests of mine. I also like photography very much and like the Cartier-Bresson Foundation and have made a visit to the new library in both my last trips because of special exhibits there, but that depends what they have. The Maillol is one of my favorites, but maybe not if you don't like modern art (although they have some Impressionist pieces). I really liked the Montmartre museum, also, although not at the top of the list, and the Marine Museum.

I did like the Orangerie very much (which seems to have been closed quite a few years now -- 3 or 4?), but really do not like the Jeu de Paume now--really weird stuff there the last time I visited this summer. I'd put the Carnavalet in the middle, as the Marmottan. I do like Monet but don't think the Marmottan has very good works of his as a whole.

If you can only do 3:

Louvre
D'Orsay
Cluny

All are IMHO unmissable

we did Louvre and Orsay - do a little reading before you go - most books will have a guide/map in them and determine which wings (especially at the louvre) you want to see. then, go straight for those works, meander coming out. Actually, and i will probably get flack for this....I almost consider Versailles a museum so that would be my third choice. Rodin is great and if you have a little time, les invalides can be a quick trip.

My choice for the top three are:

Louvre
D'Orsay
Cluny - even if you aren't "into" medieval art, you have to see the Unicorn tapestries.

I've discovered that the Cluny is now called the Musée Nationale de Moyen Age--a mouthful!