Consistently voted Paris’s top attraction, the striking, abundant, and endearing Musee d’Orsay is an absolute must see from the endless array of highlights the city has to offer, granting visitors an inspiring experience to cherish.
Overlooking the Seine on the capital’s Left Bank, this magnificent establishment enjoys a convenient position within Paris’s 7th arrondissement, enabling instant access for guests choosing rental apartments in the flourishing central core, a superb selection of which can be found at www.apartmentsinparis.com.
Emerging from a respectful modernisation in 2011, this fantastic museum occupies one of the world’s most stunning settings, the beautifully crafted, former Gare d’Orsay railway station. Originating at the close of the 19th century and completed on time for the 1900 World Exposition, this masterwork of industrial architecture utilised an immense 12,000 tonnes of metal during construction, surprisingly more than the iron lattice monument of the Eiffel Tower.
After several decades, the station’s platforms were deemed too short for the new and extended train carriages, thus the venue consequently abandoned its purpose as a transport hub. The ensuing years witnessed numerous changing functions, including a car park, a reception area for prisoners of war, a mail centre, and a filming location, immortalised in such movies as Orson Welles’ “The Trial.” Eventually, the station was set for demolishment although fortunate intervention saved the site from impending doom and the suggestion of a museum met with agreement from the city’s authority.
The Musee d’Orsay was subsequently born after a lengthy restoration and opened to the public in December 1986 to instant success. Housing the world’s largest anthology of impressionist and post-impressionist pieces, this remarkable institution expertly showcases the diversity of artistic merit between 1848 and 1914. Six equally engaging compilations constitute the collection, which comprise of paintings, photography, graphic art, sculpture, architecture and objet d’art, honouring such masters as Delacroix, Degas, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Rodin, and countless other illustrious names. Despite the museum’s vast, open space, the ambience is intimate and the exhibits are both accessible and manageable, particularly in comparison with its notorious neighbour, the Louvre. Crowds are also somewhat diminished, allowing a more peaceful approach to discovering the exceptional masterpieces on display. Two charming cafes, one of which is secreted behind the majestic clock, and an elegant restaurant provide much needed refreshment and a moment to reflect on the day’s cultural delights.
With its spectacular backdrop, breathtaking artworks, relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and its hospitable staff, the Musee d’Orsay certainly justifies its position as one of the capital’s most treasured attractions, guaranteed to remain a Paris favourite for many years to come. Visit the museum’s excellent website for further information at www.musee-orsay.fr/en and book tickets online in advance to avoid lengthy entrance queues.
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