Paris is renowned for its incredible museums that are home to tens of thousands of pieces of art. However, you will quickly encounter the tens of thousands of other tourists associated with these iconic museums too. Take the Louvre for example, it receives up to 30,000 visitors per day, and as I’m sure you can imagine, inside becomes quite a frenzy of people vying for a moment in front of some of the worlds most iconic paintings. And for me, the frenzy and the crowds taint the experience, which then begs the question, how do you avoid it?
An obvious solution would be to visit Paris in the off season, picking those times of year when visitors stay home. However, for most of us (myself included) that’s precisely the opposite of when we want to travel. After all, nothing quite compares to a summer in Europe. So what to do?
Firstly, decide what type of art you wish to experience first hand. Is it painting, sculptures, any particular artists? For me, that was the impressionists – especially Monet and of course a few Rodin sculptures thrown in too for good measure. Once you’ve identified your niche, you will be delighted to learn Paris is home to other smaller museums too that may house just what you’re looking for.
Here are my Top 3 favourite museums to escape the crowds in Paris. I really enjoy visiting these small scale museums, as often in larger museums, I end up overwhelmed by the sheer amount to see and experience (not even factoring in the crowds!).
1. Musée Marmottan Monet
The Musée Marmottan Monet is a quaint art museum tucked away next to Jardin du Ranelagh in the 16th arrondissement. This museum is dedicated to Claude Monet and is home to a tasteful collection of impressionist artworks. Formerly a residence of the Marmottan’s, the home was transformed into an art museum through the philanthropic work of Paul Marmottan. The cornerstone of the collection includes works from Monet, Berthe Morisot, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, and Armand Guillaumin that came as donations from Claude Monet’s youngest son, Michel Monet, adopted daughter of post-impressionist painter Henri Duhem, Nelly Sergeant-Duhem and bequest from the Rouart family.
Visiting the museum is a peaceful affair. I arrived around lunchtime and was able to purchase a ticket at the door hassle free for the same price as an online ticket (14,50 euros). There was no line and I often had the entire room to myself as I wandered around the house. Descriptions and information were provided throughout in both French and English. And the entire house provided a refreshing reprieve from the 30+ degree day outside.
This museum provides a delightful pint-sizes museum experience, and I think I was able to appreciate more artworks than I ever have had the chance at the Louvre, all thanks to the crowd-free and easy to navigate layout of the museum.
To get here I walked from Bois de Boulogne after a morning hike. But you can also take the Metro (Line 9) and get off at either La Muette or Ranelagh or take the RER (Line C) and get off at Boulainvilliers.
2. Petit Palais
Set on the Seine in the centre of Paris, the Petit Palais is a free museum for all to enjoy. The Petit Palais is located on the northern side of the iconic Pont Alexandre III and across from the Grand Palais. Surprisingly, every single time I visit this museum there have been no crowds! Enjoy masterful sculptures followed by paintings from the masters. You may even get to see some of your favourites – with Monet on display during one of my visits (on loan from the Musée Marmottan Monet).
And don’t forget the Palais itself, with exquisite frescos and architectural details throughout. Once you’ve taken in your share, unwind in the beautiful central garden courtyard (with cafe). Or make your way outside and relax in the gardens that surround the Palais. The views through the windows (from inside and out) frame Paris at its finest.
Being in the centre of Paris there are many options on how to get here. The most convenient is the Metro (Line 1 and 13) to Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau. Alternatively, you can take the Metro (Line 8 or 13) or the RER (Line C) to Invalides and enjoy a stroll over Pont Alexandre III with its delightful ornate design and sensational view of the Eiffel Tower.
Métro stop to the Petit Palais is , which is served by lines 1 and 13. You can also take lines 8 and 13 (or the RER C) to the Invalides
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Musée de l’Orangerie
Although in the centre of Paris and very popular, I was able to enjoy Monet’s Water Lilies with only a handful of others. And, it is was the most tranquil and mesmerising experience with my favourite painter. How did I do this in the middle of summer you may ask? I pre-booked my ticket.
Purchasing the first time slot of the day (in advance of my visit), and arriving in the Jardin du Tuilleries early, I was one of the first to enter this iconic museum. Being a small scale, with fewer visitors at any one time, I was able to enjoy the Water Lilies rooms with few others – and yes… rooms! As I moved through the rooms slowly, they did start to fill with the next time slot visitors and those purchasing tickets at the door. But the magic I experienced in that first half an hour was surreal – I still get tingles to this day.
After getting my fill of Monet, I headed down into the basement to be surprised by works from all my other favourite masters. Again, I found I had the area almost to myself, with all the other visitors up in Monet’s Water Lilies above. I enjoyed pieces by Renoir, Picasso, Modigliani, and Matisse (just to name a few) one by one, as if I was having my own private visit of the museum. On my way out I popped back into Monet’s Water Lilies and it was jam-packed. So get there early to avoid the crowds.
To note, this early ticket option doesn’t work as well in the bigger museums. In the Louvre, it was chaos as soon as I descended the escalator. In the Musée d’Orsay it worked momentarily… but with the large scale of the museum and so many different approaches to visiting the museum the uncrowded experience was short lived.
To get to the Musée de l’Orangerie I took the Metro (Line 1) to Tuilleries and enjoyed a lovely stroll the Jardin du Tuilleries to the museum. For a more direct route take the Metro (Lines 1, 8 or 12) to Concorde station.