The Musée d'Orsay is located on the left bank of the Seine. The building was once a railway station.
Today was the last day for our museum pass so we were up and out early. Eager to see what our guide book called “The best general collection of Impressionism anywhere,” we headed across the river to The Musée d'Orsay. This labyrinth of interconnecting galleries houses an amazing array of artwork – a few pieces familiar from long ago art classes.
Later, after a short coffee break at a nearby sidewalk cafe, we crossed back over the river to the Musée de l'Orangerie, home to Monet's Water Lilies collection. We had no idea what we were walking into.
Altogether, there are eight mammoth studies of the pond at Monet's home in Giverny. The museum created two specially designed oval rooms, each with four paintings, to best display the artwork. The effect is jaw-dropping.
Monet worked obsessively on these paintings for 12 years. Sadly, he did not live to see them installed in the museum, but fortunately for us, his work lives on.
We were unprepared for the scale of Monet's Water Lilies.
This was the favorite of Reg.
There were two separate oval galleries, each displaying four of Monet's Water Lilies.
carryoncouple 
Stunning! That place is now on my list of ‘must see’s’!
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Hi Jeannie…yes, we saw some amazing art today!
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OK, now we’re seriously jealous!
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Paris is incredible!
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Wonderful! I remember going to the Musee D’Orsay as a kid and loving it. You may have visited my favorite sculpture- the lifesize marble polar bear by François Pompon. Andrew and I have a miniature version of it in our living room!
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Hi Leah…we don’t remember your Polar Bear, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t see it. Museums were so amazing and overwhelming that it was hard to take it all in.
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