FRA9 FILE · Museums & heritage
Musée de l’Orangerie: Water Lilies, tickets and timing
See Monet’s Water Lilies without reducing Orangerie to one room: route, tickets, hours and an Orsay pairing.
See the essentials at a glance
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key points: Nymphéas · 1 h 30 · Fermé mardi · Concorde
Your route before you leave
- 1Water Lilies
- 2Walter-Guillaume
- 3Tuileries
Water Lilies before the crowds
The two oval rooms designed for Monet’s Water Lilies are the visit’s centre. Enter early or late, first read the panorama as a whole, then return to detail. Silence and changing light are part of the experience as much as the sequence of panels.
Do not miss Walter-Guillaume
The lower level holds the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume collection: Renoir, Cézanne, Modigliani, Matisse, Picasso, Derain, Soutine and Utrillo. It turns a Monet stop into a genuine early-twentieth-century route and deserves at least forty-five minutes.
Timing and visiting order
Allow ninety minutes for Water Lilies, the permanent collection and an exhibition without rushing. If the oval rooms are crowded, begin downstairs and return later. A one-hour visit is possible, but it sacrifices context and the less famous works.
Hours and Tuesday closure
Orangerie normally opens 9 am–6 pm and closes Tuesday. Last admission is listed at 5:15 pm and galleries close at 5:45 pm. During certain exhibition periods Friday can run to 9 pm; always check the official day schedule.
Prices, free entry and combined ticket
The listed full rate is €12.50 online and €11 onsite; the onsite reduced rate is €8.50. An Orsay–Orangerie combined ticket is advertised at €20 onsite. The first Sunday can be free, but online time-slot booking remains mandatory.
The next date to know
The exhibition ‘Monet, painting time’ is announced for 30 September 2026–25 January 2027. Demand may increase and Friday late openings may apply. Do not assume temporary exhibition access without checking the official ticket conditions.
Access and a logical Paris pairing
The museum sits beside the Tuileries on the Place de la Concorde side. Metro lines 1, 8 and 12 serve Concorde. Pair it with the Tuileries and Orsay rather than a distant monument; the riverside walk makes a coherent museum day.
Accessibility and mistakes to avoid
The compact building is easier than a large palace for a short visit, but security and exhibitions can still create waits. Travel light, carry reduction evidence and avoid resellers imitating the ticket office. Check gallery closures and access conditions that morning.
Frequently asked questions
Which day is Orangerie closed?
Tuesday.
How long does it take?
About ninety minutes for Water Lilies and the Walter-Guillaume collection.
Is the first Sunday free?
It can be free, but an online time-slot reservation is mandatory.
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