Level 5
Start hereThe Impressionist gallery: Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne. Busiest by mid-morning.
17 must-sees on Level 5 →
← Orsay guide overview
MUSÉE D’ORSAY · PLAN YOUR VISIT
How to visit the Musée d’Orsay in one morning
Tickets, opening hours, how the old railway station is laid out, and a 3-hour plan that starts at the top. Read it once on the plane.
Tickets: book a time slot online
An online ticket comes with a timed entry slot. The door price is €2 lower, but expect a queue, especially mid-morning.
A combined ticket with the Musée Rodin is also available.
Book on musee-orsay.fr ↗| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, online with a timed slot | €16 |
| Adult, at the door | €14 |
| Thursday evening, after 18:00 | Reduced rate |
| Under 18, and EU residents 18–25 | Free |
| Visitors with a disability + 1 companion | Free |
| Everyone, first Sunday of the month | Free |
Free visitors still need a timed reservation. Prices are from the official site. Confirm before booking.
Opening hours
- MONClosed
- TUE09:30–18:00
- WED09:30–18:00
- THU09:30–21:45Late night
- FRI09:30–18:00
- SAT09:30–18:00
- SUN09:30–18:00
Also closed May 1 and Dec 25. Last entry on Thursday is 21:00. Quietest: right at opening on a weekday, or Thursday after 18:00, when the top floor feels like a different museum.
Getting there
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RER C
Musée d’Orsay station, directly beneath the museum.
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Metro 12
Solférino, then a 5-minute walk.
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On foot
15 minutes from the Louvre, across the Tuileries and the Seine.
The 3 levels, in one minute
The Orsay is a converted train station: one long nave, with the collection on three main levels. The classic mistake is starting on the ground floor and reaching the Impressionists already tired.
Level 2
SecondToulouse-Lautrec, Art Nouveau and the sculpture terraces above the nave.
- The Gates of Hell
- Jane Avril Dancing
Ground floor
On the way outManet, Millet, Courbet and the pre-Impressionist rooms along the old platforms.
9 must-sees on the ground floor →A 3-hour plan that works
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09:30 · 15 min
Arrive at opening
Come with an online timed ticket. Inside, leave the ground floor for later and head for the escalators.
Ride straight up to Level 5. The first hour is the quietest of the day.
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09:45 · about 1.5 hours
Level 5 first
The Impressionists while the rooms are still quiet. Manet and Monet in Room 29, Degas in 31, Renoir and Cézanne in 35, then the Van Gogh room.
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11:15 · about 30 min
Down to Level 2
Toulouse-Lautrec and the sculpture terraces that look down over the nave.
- The Gates of HellRodin terrace
Jane Avril DancingRoom 68
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11:45 · about 45 min
Ground floor on the way out
Millet, Courbet and Manet along the old station platforms, finishing near the exit.
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12:30 · done
Out by 12:30
Leave before the midday peak. The Tuileries are just across the Seine.
Still curious? The Orangerie is a 15-minute walk through the Tuileries.
Six small things worth knowing
- Go up firstLevel 5 before 11:00, or after 18:00 on a Thursday.
- Find the clock windowBehind the Level 5 café, the station clock frames Montmartre.
- Check what’s on the wallPaintings travel for exhibitions. Confirm the one you came for.
- No flash, no tripodsPhotos are fine without flash. Selfie sticks aren’t allowed.
- Leave big bagsLarge backpacks and umbrellas go in the free cloakroom.
- Free Wi-Fi insideConnect to the Musee_Orsay_Public network.
Quick answers
Do I need to book in advance?
It’s recommended. Online booking gives you a timed slot and skips the queue at the door.
How long should I spend?
2.5 to 3.5 hours. Three hours covers the 28 must-sees if you don’t backtrack.
Which works shouldn’t I miss?
Start on Level 5 with Van Gogh, Manet, Renoir and Degas, then see the full 28.
Do I need an audio guide?
Not required, but labels are short. A guide tells you what to look for while you stand in front of the work.
