Orangerie and Orsay Museum Tickets 2026: Booking & Tips

Paris Travel

Musée de l'Orangerie & Musée d'Orsay

Booking & Review

For my final post about

this Paris trip... drumroll, please!

A Paris must-visit: Musée de l'Orangerie & Musée d'Orsay!! (+ The Clock Tower)

I booked my tickets in advance, which made it so easy to skip the long lines! Since they're located so close to each other,

it was super convenient to explore both in one day. 🌟

1. Getting to Musée de l'Orangerie

Located at the western end of the

beautiful Tuileries Garden,

you'll find the Musée de l'Orangerie.

Jardin des Tuileries - Cote Seine Place de la Concorde, 75001 Paris France

It's incredibly famous for Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces—

especially Claude Monet's legendary 'Water Lilies' series.

🍀🍀🍀

On my way there, I spotted this cool pop-up amusement park!

It was open to the public,

and it looked so fun that I had to take a quick video.

I mean, a log flume right in the middle of a park? Seriously...

I was so jealous! 🥹

The weather was absolutely perfect, which made the walk even more enjoyable.

​

We've arrived at the entrance!!

Let's head inside ~~

🚶‍♀️

2. Inside Musée de l'Orangerie: Basement Level

I started my tour on the basement level,

where you can explore the museum's permanent collections

as well as various temporary exhibitions.

But what really caught my eye were all these gorgeous postcards and mugs. I loved them! ☕️

There were so many pretty mugs, plates, notebooks, and souvenirs,

so I had to capture a quick video of the shop.

If you're a fan of art prints and stationery,

this corner is absolute heaven haha.

Look how much I ended up buying!

They look even more stunning in person.

They're absolutely perfect for writing letters to friends

on special occasions or birthdays~ 📩

My friends who received them loved them so much haha.

3. The Ground Floor

Once you head up to the ground floor,

you'll reach the museum's most famous gallery, where Claude Monet's

breathtaking 'Water Lilies' series is on display.

Photos really don't do them justice—

the paintings are just so, so incredibly massive. 🌸🌸🌸

Landscape mode

Portrait mode

hahaha

Even if you don't know much about art,

there's no denying how beautiful Monet's work is... 💞

At first glance, they might look like just a few paintings,

but they are actually a series made up of multiple massive panels,

spanning across two custom-built oval rooms.

The first room features several Water Lilies scenes with a calm, serene atmosphere,

while the second room displays more dynamic pieces with vibrant, intense colors.

And best of all, even though it's an art museum, I loved that it wasn't confusing or overwhelming.

It's split into just two floors!

4. On My Way to the Musée d'Orsay

Once you've wrapped up at the Orangerie,

it's time to head over to Orsay.

I tried my absolute best to stick to our reservation times.

Since both museums operate on a reservation system with limited daily visitors,

timing is everything.

I think that's why we were able to enjoy the galleries without massive crowds.

The Musée d'Orsay sits right along the Seine,

directly facing the Louvre. 🏞️

The Seine was looking so beautiful on the way over, so of course, I had to snap a picture.

1 Rue De La Légion d'Honneur, 75007 Paris France

It's located right in the heart of Paris,

which is amazing because it's super close to other major hotspots like the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, and the Musée de l'Orangerie.

​

6. Security & Bag Check Procedures

For everyone's safety and security,

there's a bag check right at the entrance.

🧳

All bags and personal belongings go through security scanners,

and keep in mind that oversized bags or large backpacks might not be allowed inside.

Since I was carrying way too many things that day,

I left my heavy stuff at the cloakroom so I could explore hands-free!

And guess what? It's completely free!!

These standard security checks are the same at the Louvre and the Orangerie as well.

On my way out, I saw a tourist throwing a bit of a fit

because they couldn't get their bag locker open lol TT haha.

We've made it to the entrance! ~~

The Musée d'Orsay is one of Paris's absolute must-visit museums,

housing an incredible collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces

from the mid-19th to the early 20th century.

🚉

* The building is famously a beautifully renovated former railway station

Of course, I had to stop and browse the postcards here too haha.

7. Famous Artworks at Orsay

There are so many masterpieces here,

and since my time was limited that day,

I decided to focus mainly on the most famous ones.

First up, Jean-François Millet’s masterpiece:

The Gleaners

A painting everyone has probably seen at least once!

As one of the most significant works of 19th-century French Realism,

it depicts the everyday, humble labor of peasant women.

You can find it on the ground floor (Level 0).

Honoré Daumier’s sculpture series.

He was a prominent 19th-century French caricaturist and sculptor,

famously known for his sharp social satire and caricatures of political figures.

The iconic clock tower. 🕰️

Beautifully preserving the memory of the original Gare d'Orsay,

the clock tower can be seen up close on the 5th floor and is a legendary photo spot.

I'll share my photo spot snaps in just a bit!!

Gustave Courbet's "Sleeping Girl"

: As a pioneer of Realism, he captures a beautifully realistic and unembellished depiction of a woman.

Gustave Courbet's "The Cliffs at Étretat after the Storm"

: His realistic depiction of nature

made the landscape feel incredibly grand in person.

Thomas Couture's "The Romans in their Decadence"

This painting was absolutely massive!

It depicts a scene of historical decadence,

subtly criticizing the moral decline of the late Roman Empire.

Édouard Manet's "The Fifer"

One of Manet's most iconic masterpieces,

it captures a young boy in a French military uniform playing the fife...

The colors were so unique that they instantly caught my eye.

Whoa, whoa, whoa—this spot was actually pretty dizzying!

Heading up to the 5th floor... ~~~

8. Musée d'Orsay Clock Tower

As soon as we arrived, we saw

Claude Monet's work ~ beautiful landscape paintings that highlight

the vast, dramatic skies and atmospheric changes.

The 5th floor is home to the masterpieces of

Impressionist legends, including Claude Monet.

And now, for the single most popular spot in the museum...

The Clock Tower Photo Zone!!

Since it's backlit, you only get a silhouette, but the result is absolutely stunning.

If you're visiting Musée d'Orsay, you absolutely have to snap a photo here! ~

TIP: Record a video of yourself walking or moving, then grab a screenshot for a super natural shot!

And back to admiring more art ~

This painting of lunch in a garden really caught my eye.

It captured a peaceful, leisurely lunch scene surrounded by nature,

and it looked incredibly serene :)

Other than that,

Renoir - Dance in the Country / Dance in the City

Claude Monet - Woman with a Parasol, Water Lilies, and other core Impressionist

masterpieces that you can lose yourself in.

The nature, colors, and brushstrokes were truly breathtaking.

Next, weaving our way through the massive crowds...

we headed over to see the legendary works of Vincent van Gogh.

9. Works of Vincent van Gogh

This spot was the absolute epicentre

of the crowd. Seriously packed! hahaha

Self-Portrait: Painted in 1889,

this masterpiece is a powerful, intuitive expression

of his troubled inner world.

The swirling, intense blue background contrasts with his face,

dramatically conveying his emotional state at the time.

Starry Night Over the Rhône

The painting beautifully contrasts the dark night sky

with the brilliant, shimmering gold of the stars and their reflection on the water.

Seeing a painting I've seen countless times in books

and online right in front of my eyes felt surreal.

Since it's easily one of his most popular masterpieces,

the crowd surrounding it was absolutely massive.

Still, it was much better than the Mona Lisa madness at the Louvre! haha

10. How to Book Tickets

Since the two museums are located so close to each other,

I highly recommend visiting both on the same day! They each have completely different vibes,

so you won't regret seeing both.

Musée de l'Orangerie Hours: Mon, Wed–Sun 09:00–18:00

Musée d'Orsay Hours: Tue/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun 09:30–18:00

🌟 Coupon Code: KRaff_T&A5%

March 22 (Sat) – April 30 (Wed), 2025

Get an extra 5% discount during this period! Book early to save big! 🌟

🔻🔻🔻

Final Thoughts

Paris Trip: Booking & Review of Musée de l'Orangerie & Musée d'Orsay

Because the two museums are so close, combining them

into a single-day itinerary is a fantastic idea.

I especially loved how peaceful the atmosphere was at l'Orangerie, allowing me to take my time,

and the gift shop was packed with gorgeous postcards!

Musée d'Orsay was much larger, but getting to see the iconic Clock Tower and Van Gogh’s original masterpieces

made it absolutely worth it. And honestly, compared to the overwhelming scale of the Louvre, it felt perfectly cozy! lol

I think my brain is finally starting to recover! haha

If you're also curious about Monet's Garden,

be sure to check out this post! ~~

Must-See in Paris, France: Giverny, Monet’s Garden & House ☆

Wow... is my Europe travel series finally finished? Is this real life?!

Now, shall we head off to New Zealand next?