Guided tour of Montmartre and Musée d'Orsay
Step back in time to turn of the century Paris and lose yourself in the sweeping colours and bold energy of the Impressionist movement. Journey with your guides on this full-day tour through the lives and passions of some of the world’s most famous artists – Picasso, Degas, and Van Gogh included – and discover the works that transformed the face of art, as well as the inspiration behind them.
Your day begins at the Musée d’Orsay, famous for holding the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art in the world, as well as for being the favourite museum of Parisians. As you skip the long lines and enter, you’ll quickly see why – these masterpieces are housed in a 19th century train station, in an open, airy space where everything is overseen by a huge, old world clock face that floods the museum with natural light. Using this beautifully old fashioned train station to display artworks that were considered radical at the time sets the scene perfectly for your tour –this museum is a monument to progression and innovation.
Follow your expert guide as they introduce you and your small group of 25 people or fewer to some of the most recognisable paintings in the world – Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night over the Rhone’, Renoir’s ‘Bal du Moulin de la Galette’, and Monet’s ‘Blue Water Lillies’ are all brought to life by your guide’s vivid commentary. Their insight into the innovative techniques used, the daring subject matter, and the society that originally rejected these masterpieces will give you a new appreciation for their genius creativity.
As your journey through these pioneering pieces comes to a close, you will benefit from some free time to enjoy lunch – ask your guide for some recommendations – before embarking on your second trip through the colourful world of the Impressionists.
Your afternoon will be spent in the playground of these artists, Montmartre. A beautifully unchanged village sitting high above Paris, with spectacular views of the city at its feet, this bohemian community has a distinctly unique charm that has enchanted artists for generations. Walk in the footsteps of Picasso, Utrillo, and Modigliani as your guide passionately weaves the stories of their lives with the history of the cabarets and studios that line these cobbled streets. Hear tales of drinking, dancing, and debauchery as you explore some of Montmartre’s most recognisable sites – the painter’s square Place du Tertre, crammed with artists on every side capturing the scenes around them, the Sacré Coeur, the gleaming basilica that offers stunning views of the city of Paris stretching before it, as well as the iconic windmills, the most famous – or notorious – being the Moulin Rouge. You guide will also reveal the hidden gems that make Montmartre so unique, including showing you the only vineyard in all of Paris, where the grapes are taken to the local town hall to be made into wine.
Join us on this waltz through history and meet the colourful artists who injected the art world with a vitality never before seen.
