Did You Know?

Did you know that Paris is known as the "City of Light"? This nickname doesn't refer to the city's abundance of streetlights but instead to its historical status as a center of enlightenment and education during the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century.

Did you know that Paris is home to the Louvre Museum, one of the largest and most visited art museums in the world? However, the Louvre wasn't always a museum. It was initially built as a fortress in the 12th century, then transformed into a royal palace before being opened to the public as a museum in 1793.

Did you know that the Eiffel Tower, one of the most iconic landmarks in Paris, was initially built as a temporary structure for the 1889 World's Fair? It was intended to stand for just 20 years before being dismantled. However, it gained immense popularity and was saved from demolition, eventually becoming a beloved symbol of the city.

Did you know that Paris has an extensive underground tunnel network known as the Catacombs? These tunnels house the remains of approximately six million people. The Catacombs were created in the late 18th century to address the issue of overcrowded cemeteries in the city.

Did you know that Paris is known for its café culture? The city is famous for its numerous charming sidewalk cafes where people can relax, enjoy a cup of coffee, and soak in the atmosphere. The café culture in Paris has been an integral part of the city's social life and has inspired many famous writers, artists, and intellectuals throughout history.

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Immerse Yourself In The Timeless Beauty Of The Musée D'Orsay

Inside the Musee d'Orsay, a stunning art museum housed in a historic train station in Paris, showcasing Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces.

For every classic work of art at The Louvre (just across the nearby bridge), the Musée Dorsay has one from the world’s greatest modern artists. Well, not one to one exactly (there are few galleries with as many pieces as The Louvre), but a vast collection.

Compared to the relative seriousness of The Louvre, the Musée Dorsay is light and bright, with airy, spacious galleries, a more modern mood than its classical counterpart. This sensibility makes for a less serious art appreciation experience, and tends to be favoured by the young. Monet’s gardens, Degas’s ballerinas; all a more upbeat beauty than pre-20th century subjects.

Spread over three floors are the Dorsay’s Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, including the international modernist works of Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Paul Gaugin, Eugène Delacroix, Edouard Manet and Vincent Van Gogh. There is another art museum in Paris dedicated to Monet, but many of his great, famous works are hung here in the stunning Musée Dorsay.