Musée d'Orsay & Montmartre Tour: Impressionist Art & Homes

The artists' neighborhood where the paintings came from

A 5.5-hour guided tour of Paris combining Musée d'Orsay's Impressionist collection with a walking tour of Montmartre, the neighborhood where Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Renoir lived and worked. The tour includes reserved museum entry, private transport between the two locations, and a professional guide who connects the artwork to the streets and cafés that inspired it. Groups stay under 8 people, keeping the pace intimate and the guide's attention focused.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each7 stops

1. 7th ArrondissementEntry included2h 30m
2. Montmartre55m
3. Moulin Rouge10m
4. Au Lapin Agile10m
5. Sacré-Cœur Basilica20m
6. Place du Tertre15m
7. Dalí Paris10m

Explore Musee d'Orsay and Montmartre

• Enter Musee d'Orsay main collection
• See Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Renoir artworks
• Learn about Impressionist movement
• Admire museum architecture
• Take private car to Montmartre
• Climb Montmartre hill from Moulin Rouge
• Explore artists' houses and cobbled streets
• Visit Sacré Coeur Basilica and take photos
• Discover Place Dalida and Moulin de la Galette
• See Vincent Van Gogh’s house and Artists’ Square
• Stop at Amélie Café

The experience

Start at Musée d'Orsay in the 7th Arrondissement, where your guide walks you through the converted Beaux-Arts train station and into the museum's main collection. You'll see Monet's poppies, Renoir's Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, and Manet's Luncheon on the Grass: works that scandalized Paris when they first appeared. Your guide explains the techniques these artists used, the movements that preceded Impressionism (Millet and the Realists), and those who followed (Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles). The reserved entry means you skip the line at the door, and the guide's commentary turns individual paintings into a story about why these seemingly simple works were revolutionary.

After the museum, you travel by private car to Montmartre, climbing the butte's cobbled streets toward Sacré-Cœur Basilica at the summit. Along the way, you pass the houses where Van Gogh and Picasso lived, the Moulin Rouge with its still-turning windmill, Place du Tertre where street artists work, and Au Lapin Agile, the cabaret where Picasso and other artists gathered. You enter Sacré-Cœur itself and get a view of Paris from one of the city's highest points. The walking connects what you saw in the museum (the Impressionists' subjects, their neighborhoods, their lives) to the actual streets and light they painted.

The semi-private format means the group never exceeds 8 people, so the guide can answer questions and adjust the pace without herding a crowd. Transport between Orsay and Montmartre is included, as are all entrance fees. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and additional languages, so the commentary is live and specific to your group, not a recording played to dozens.

What’s included

• Professional guide in your chosen language.
• reserved entry to Musée d'Orsay with no line at the door.
• private transport by car between the museum and Montmartre.
• all entrance fees to both sites.
• walking tour of Montmartre's landmarks including Sacré-Cœur Basilica, the Moulin Rouge, Place du Tertre, and artists' homes.

Options for this experience

2 options

Semi-Private English 1:30pm13:30Semi-private museum and walking tour: a professional tour guide, all entrance fees included, rain or shine. Semi-private means the group is never more than 8 guests in total.

Upgrade to private tour at 1:30 pmGuide in English · 13:30Private museum tour with a professional tour guide exclusively for you. All entrance fees are included. Duration is 5 to 5.5 hours, with private transport from Orsay to Montmartre.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 5h 30m, runs Tuesday to Saturday at 13:30, from € 200 per person, with live guides in 6 languages, in groups of up to 8 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesTuesday to SaturdayDeparts at 13:30Other times ›

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (10 to 17 years) · Child (under 10)

GroupUp to 8 · max 6 per booking2 private ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Babylon Tours Paris

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to understand Impressionism through both the paintings and the places that inspired them, and prefer a small group where the guide can answer questions without rushing. The semi-private format (max 8 people) and reserved museum entry mean you spend your time looking at art and walking the streets, not standing in queues or navigating a crowd of fifty.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 17 years); Child (under 10).

What paintings and artists does the Musée d'Orsay tour cover?

The tour focuses on Impressionist masterworks and the movements around them. You'll see Monet's poppies and water lilies, Renoir's Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, and works by Cézanne. The guide also discusses Post-Impressionists like Van Gogh (Bedroom in Arles) and earlier Realists like Millet (The Gleaners), so you understand how Impressionism emerged and evolved.

Does the tour include Montmartre's famous landmarks like Sacré-Cœur and the Moulin Rouge?

Yes. After the museum, you walk through Montmartre and visit Sacré-Cœur Basilica (with time to explore inside), pass the Moulin Rouge, and see Place du Tertre, Au Lapin Agile, and the houses where Van Gogh and Picasso lived. The walking tour connects these actual locations to the paintings you saw at Orsay.

How does the group size affect the experience?

The tour is semi-private with a maximum of 8 people, so it stays small enough for the guide to answer questions and adjust pacing without managing a large crowd. You get a professional guide's full attention rather than being one of dozens on a standard group tour.

Is museum entry included, and do I have to wait in line?

Yes, all entrance fees are included and reserved entry is provided, so you skip the line at Musée d'Orsay's door. Transport between the museum and Montmartre is also included in the price.

What should I know about what to bring and how to dress?

Appropriate dress is required for entry into Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Large bags and suitcases are not allowed inside Musée d'Orsay. Only handbags or small thin backpacks pass through security. Infants and small children can travel in a pram or stroller. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness, as the tour includes walking up Montmartre's cobbled streets and hills.