Musee de l'Orangerie

The Musee de l'Orangerie is an intimate jewel in the Tuileries Garden, best known as the permanent home of Claude Monet's Water Lilies. Originally built as a winter shelter for the orange trees of the Tuileries, the building was transformed to house eight monumental canvases that Monet conceived as a gift to France after the First World War. There is nothing else quite like it in Paris.

The Water Lilies are displayed in two oval rooms designed to Monet's own specifications, with soft natural light and curved walls that wrap the paintings around you. Standing in the center, surrounded by reflections of water, willows and sky, is a calming and almost immersive experience that no reproduction can capture. Many visitors find it the most moving art encounter of their trip.

The lower level holds the Walter Guillaume collection, a superb gathering of works by Cezanne, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani and Soutine. Because the museum is small, it is the perfect counterpoint to the giant galleries elsewhere in the city, and you can see it thoroughly in a single relaxed visit. A skip-the-line ticket with a timed slot is recommended, since the compact entrance fills quickly and the oval rooms feel best when they are not packed.

The Orangerie is closed on Tuesdays. Mornings are usually the quietest, before tour groups arrive. Take metro line 1, 8 or 12 to Concorde, then walk a few minutes into the Tuileries toward the Seine. Its location pairs beautifully with the Orsay just across the river or a stroll up to Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysees. Because the Tuileries surround the museum, you can sit by the fountains before or after your visit, which makes the Orangerie one of the most relaxing cultural stops in central Paris on a sunny day.