According to a spokesperson at the Grand Palais, there are no plans to make more tickets available online. You are able to buy tickets at the Grand Palais, and the queue for entry is between 1 and 2 hours long.

You can still purchase a copy of the Grand Palais Exhibition Catalogue online.

But remember that there is also another Monet exhibition on at the Musée Marmottan Monet, until 20 February 2010.

In my opinion, while the Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais should not be missed – the exhibition at the Marmottan is in fact a better exhibition. There may be more paintings on show in the Grand Palais, but there are a number of significant paintings not on show that are important canvasses in the development of Monet’s style and contribution to Impressionism.

This is also a temporary exhibition, and includes many other personal effects that belonged to the artist. The Musée Marmottan has the World’s largest collection of Monet paintings, not all of which are on permanent display. For this temporary exhibition, everything in the Museum’s collection is on display until February. It really should not be overlooked, the hype over the exhibition at the exhibition at the Grand Palais notwithstanding.

Read more about Monet at Musée Marmatton, Paris 2010 – 2011, and book your tickets on that page. You reserve a ticket for 10.45 and are allowed entry any time during the day.

There are currently two temporary Monet exhibitions in Paris that will close in 2011. There is the Monet retrospective at the Grand Palais – organised by the Musée d’Orsay, and there is another at the Musée Marmatton Monet, from 7 October 2011 through to 20 February 2011. This exhibition, Claude Monet: son musée, presents for the first time the whole collection of Monet owned by the Musée Marmatton Monet – the biggest single collection of Monet paintings and other artefacts in the World. On show are 136 pieces by Monet, as well as a few others by his contemporaries.

The Marmottan Museum became a museum in 1934 following an incredibly generous donation to l’Académie des Beaux-Arts by Paul Marmottan. Later, in the 1960s Michel Monet gave the Museum a significant number of his father’s paintings, drawing and other objects.

The paintings the Museum has in its collection are some of the more iconic ones – those paintings missing from the retrospective on at the Grand Palais. These include the painting that gave rise to the Impressionist movement, namely Impression, soleil levant (above, a painting depicting sunrise over the harbour at Le Havre), paintings of the parliament buildings in London, the Cathedral in Rouen, the Japanese bridge at Giverny and of course some of his final paintings of the water-lilies.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS FOR THE MONET EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEE MARMOTTAN MONET HERE
On the first page, click on a time (within a box – those times not in a box are nolonger available) and date of your choice. The next page will automatically appear. On the next page you will be asked to first choose the number of tickets, and in what category. Then lower down the same page, you choose the payment option: unless you have a choose “Carte bancaire, Carte privative & Cartes Cadeaux” – credit cards being ‘carte bancaire’. Then click on ‘Poursuivre’ at the bottom right.

Opening Hours:
11.00 am – 18.00 Tuesday to Sunday
11.00 am – 21.00 Thursday
Closed on Mondays, 25 December, 1 January and 1 May.

Entry Fee €9
Reduced price €5, children under 8 free

Getting there:
2 rue Louis-Boilly
Métro Ligne 9 Muette
RER Ligne C Boulainvilliers

And, don’t forget about the exhibition Claude Monet, at the Grand Palais, Paris.

Claude Monet, 1878, The Rue Montorgueil in Paris. Celebration of June 30, 1878. Oil on Canvas 81 cm x 50 cm. © Musée d’Orsay.

Today, on the eve of what is being billed as one of the most significant art exhibitions in Paris for years, it is hard to imagine that the artist in the spotlight was once dismissed by the very nation that now holds him up as a national hero. Tomorrow, 22 September 2010, is the opening at the Grand Palais in Paris of the first major retrospective in thirty years of Claude Monet’s work.

Today Nicholas Sarkozy, the President of France, in a Foreword to the exhibition catalogue describes Claude Monet as “unmistakable emblem of the international influence of French culture”. Nearly 150 years ago, art critics scoffed at Monet and his friends’ new style, calling it “delusional”. Prominently displayed in the retrospective then is Monet’s Rue Montorgueil (above), a painting that depicts the celebrations at the end of the World Fair of 1878 and demonstrates French nationalist and republican enthusiasm of the time.

The Monet exhibition in Paris is expected to break all attendance records – which is not surprising really given that no movement in the history of Western art is more popular than Impressionism. A movement of art for which Claude Monet is widely regarded as its father.

With nearly 160 of Monet’s oil paintings on exhibit, this exhibit is by far the biggest collection of his paintings bought together in one exhibition. Sadly, because of institutional rivalries, some of Monet’s iconic images will be missing from the exhibition – including the painting that gave its name to the movement, i.e. the painting of the Le Havre harbour at sun rise, Impressionism, soleil levant (below).

To see those ‘missing’ paintings – go to Musée Marmottan Monet, where from 7 October 2010 – 20 February 2011 their entire collection will be on display for the first time ever.

These paintings aside, the Monet exhibition in Paris is a must for anyone with even the remotest interest Impressionist art.

Visiting Paris? See my Paris Impressionist Guide, where you will find information on other Impressionist-related sites and museums in the French capital.

It is no longer possible to buy ticket for this exhibition online. You can, however, buy tickets online for what I believe is a much better exhibition at the Musée Marmottan Monet, also in Paris, the museum that has the World’s biggest collection of Monet’s paintings and drawings. For more information, and a link to buy tickets, click here: Monet at the Musée Marmottan, Paris.

Opening times:
Friday to Monday 9h to 22h,
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 10h à 22h,
Thursday 10h à 20h
Last access – 45 minutes before closing
24 and 31 December 2010 – the exhibition shuts at 18h
25 December 2010 – the exhibition is closed

Entry Fee 12€
Reduced to 9€ for people aged between 13 and 25, and unemployed

Would you like to take a 5 day guided tour of Monet’s Normandy, while staying in a luxury B&B? Now is your last chance this year to see Monet’s garden in Giverny, and then visit the two Monet exhibitions in Paris, as well as some of the other landscapes and cityscapes in Normandy the Impressionist artists painted … Guided Tours of Monet’s Normandy.

Buy a copy of the Catalgue online – cheaper than at the gallery.

Need a hotel? click here for best deals on Paris hotels.

It was in Paris that a young Claude Monet met other like minded artists, a group that would go on to create what is generally accepted to be the most popular styles of art, that is Impressionism. It is only fitting then that for Monet fans visiting Paris today there are now some of the best permanent collections of his work on show. The three museums not to miss are the Musée de l’Orangerie, Musée d’Orsay and Musée Marmottan Monet.

Musée Marmottan Monet

First impressions aside, the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris has the World’s largest collection of Monet’s paintings, drawings and other personal effects. The building was originally a Duke’s hunting lodge when it was located on the edge of the Bois du Boulogne. It then became a museum to the First Empire. Following two substantial donations the museum became known for its Impressionist collection and its collections of Monet’s works.

Doctor Georges de Bellio, who was physician to the likes of Manet, Monet, Pissaro, Sisley and Renoir, as well as one of the early supporters of the so-called Impressionist movement, had an impressive collection of the Impressionists works. In 1957 his daughter gave this collection to the Marmottan Museum. This donation was followed in 1966 by a donation from, Claude Monet’s second son, Michel Monet, of his collection of his father’s work.

Together these two donations created the world’s largest collection of Monet paintings. It is here that you can view the painting that gave the Impressionist movement its name.

Claude Monet, Impression Soleil Levant, 1872. Oil on Canvas 48 cm x 63 cm. @ Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.

The museum is open every day except Monday (and 1 January, 1 May and 25 December) from 11 am to 6 pm, except on Tuesdays when it is open until 9 pm. For more information visit the Museum’s website.

Musée de l’Orangerie

Located on the Place de la Concorde, the Orangerie, which once the orangerie of the Tuileries Palace, now houses the series of 8 large water lily paintings known as the Nympheas that Monet gave to the state to celebrate victory in 1918.

The museum is open every day except Tuesday (and 1 May and 25 December) from 9 am to 6 pm. For more information visit the Museum’s website.

Musée d’Orsay

Once one of Paris’s grand railway stations, the Musée d’Orsay is probably the most well known of the three museums that house collections of Monet in Paris. Today this museum houses what is the national collection of Monet’s work, as well as many other French Impressionist artists. Undergoing renovation in 2010, the new galleries and layout due to re-open in 2011 promise to do the impressionist work great justice.

The painting collection of the museum is quite impressive, as it has its origins in the Musée de Luxembourg, founded in 1818 by Louis XVIII. Being a national museum, the museum also houses other substantial collections of sculpture, photography and graphic arts. The museum has in its collection Monet’s Poppies at Argenteuil, the most reproduced Impressionist painting.

Claude Monet, Poppies at Argenteuil, 1873. Oil on canvas 50 cm x 65 cm. @Musée d’Orsay, Paris.

The museum is open daily except Monday (and 1 January, 1 May and 25 December) from 9.30 am to 6 pm, except on Thursdays when it is open late until 9.45 pm. For more information visit the Museum’s website.

If you are looking for a hotel in Paris I can recommend one of the World’s leading international hotel comparison websites, which has over 1000 Hotels in Paris to choose from. Here, you will find a good choice of hotels ranging from 1 to 5 star. Making a reservation online is easy and safe, and so is changing your booking should you have to.

I could go on talking about Monet for hours! I’m absolutely fascinated by this artist and by the way he painted. His paintings about his gardens in Giverny are mystical and mysterious, but also experimental and he kept studying on them. He could dive into a subject and paint it over and over to make it look exactly like the vision he had in mind. Monet was one of the first abstract painters, he was keen on experimenting and creating a new art movement. Arne Quinze

The city of Rouen is one of a number of towns and cities in Normandy taking part in one of the greatest festivals in celebration of Impressionism and the Impressionist artists in 2010. To mark this occasion in a grand way, Arne Quinze was commissioned to create an installation; he created Camille for Rouen, a tribute to Camille Doncieux, Claude Monet’s wife.

This amazing installation has been constructed out of ’sticks’ of wood that creates a kind of canopy over the Boieldieu Bridge that spans the River Seine. The official launch of Arne Quinze’s Camille in Rouen was at the beginning of July, and it will remain in place until the end of August.

Read more about the artwork in an interview on the Irenebrination: Notes on Art, Fashion and Style website with Arne Quinze about Camilleand Rouen here. (From where the above quote from Quinze was taken.)

I took the following photographs on Bastille Day, 14 July 2010, in the afternoon and then in the evening during the spectacular firework display that lasted for some 25 minutes.

Are you planning on staying in Rouen, and in need of a hotel? The website Booking.com has more than 25 Hotels in Rouen for you to choose from. Booking.com is one of the leading international hotel comparison websites, offering a choice of hotels from 1 to 5 star. Making a reservation is easy, and so is altering it, should you need to.

I have just returned from a few days in the Loire Valley where I stayed with friends who run a wonderful and highly recommendable French holiday gite. The Loire Valley is World renown for its wine and historical architecture – most notably the extravagant castles, but it also has an impressionist connection. The above painting is of the castle at Saumur, painted from the left bank of the Loire River by William Turner, a British Romantic painter whose work is often regarded as a forerunner to French Impressionism.

The view today of Saumur from the left bank of the Loire River Turner painted in the late 1820s.

William Turner is widely credited with having raised the profile of ‘landscape painting’ to rival the so-called ‘history painting. He was both fascinated and preoccupied with light, and although well-known for his oil paintings (above), he is also considered one of the greatest British watercolour landscape artists (see below). Not surprisingly he became known of as the ‘painter of light’. Equally unsurprising then is the fact that Turner was greatly admired by Claude Monet and the other French impressionist painters, also concerned with the effects of light on a subject, as well as painting ‘en plein air’ (in the open).

A watercolour by William Turner of Saumur from the right bank of the Loire River (Tate Collection).

There is some discussion and debate about the exact date of these paintings. We know Turner travelled from Nantes to Orleans along the Loire River in 1826. And it was the sketches he made on that journey that formed the basis of the paintings reproduced here (and others). The watercolour appeared in ‘Turner’s Annual Tour – the Loire’, which was published in 1833. It is, however, generally accepted that the paintings were finished before 1830.

An oil by Turner from the right bank of the Loire River.

Besides Monet’s house and garden and the Musée de Impressionismes, there are at least six other galleries in Giverny that display contemporary art. Some of these are dedicated to the work of one artist, others have a rolling programme of exhibitions throughout the season. So if you are visiting Giverny for the day or even staying in or near Giverny overnight there really is a lot to do.

One of these galleries, Galerie 60, will be hosting a joint exhibition in July of art by Mary Towsey, Amanda Hewitt and Alan Bonner. Galerie 60 is a wonderful exhibition space, from the road it looks small, but as you enter you immediately realise how wrong that initial impression was. The joint exhibition will have about 60 pieces, paintings and sculptures.

Mary Towsey studied art at Goldsmith’s College, University of London, as well as at the Epsom College of Art. Mary’s art has been exhibited extensively in both France and England. Like Claude Monet, Mary has a house in Vétheuil and also like Monet has been inspired by the wonderful surrounding landscape. Her vibrant use of colour has rightly earned Mary a great reputation as a landscape painter.

Mary Towsey’s ‘Clacheloze’.

Joining Mary in the July exhibition in Giverny is her daughter Amanda Hewitt. Amanda, who won the Lions Club National Prize for Sculpture in 2008, is inspired by the female form, particularly in her pregnant state, as well as the theme of mother and child.

Amanda Hewitt’s ‘La Femme Enceinte’.

Alan Bonner is an inspiration to all of those who yearn to be an artist but never quite dared to take the necessary first step. Alan came to art late in his career, but his acrylic paintings certainly do not show a lack of experience. He started out with figurative paintings, but has increasingly moved towards a more abstract/cubist feel.

One of Alan Bonner’s paintings to be on show at Galerie 60, Giverny this summer.

The exhibition opens on 3 July, and runs through to 30 July 2010.

The other day guests staying in my Normandy Bed & Breakfast returned from a day trip to Giverny. Even though they were keen gardeners themselves, they were quite overwhelmed by the numerous displays of tulips in Monet’s Garden and the gardens of the Musée des Impressionismes. This was all the excuse I needed to have a day trip of my own. It will come as no surprise that the various gardens in Giverny look spectacular all year round, and Giverny in spring is no different. So, here are a few photographs for MGN readers to enjoy. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the photographs.

Monet’s House and Gardens re-open in the spring, 1 April to be precise, and are open from 09h30 am to 18h00, with the last admission at 17.30. Monet’s garden is certainly a tad more manicured and organised than it was in Monet’s time, but today visitors get a wonderful idea of what it was Monet created in his own days with his gardeners; and perhaps what they might have gone on to achieve had they had the various plants and cultivars available to us today. In any event for anyone with a passion for gardens, Giverny is not to be missed; at any time of the year.

Also opening at the beginning of April is the Musée des Impressionismes. This museum is only in its second year, but it has already earned an enviable reputation for curating some innovative exhibitions of French impressionist art.

Spring in Giverny, the view from the upper floor of Monet’s house out across his garden.

The first major exhibition in France of Claude Monet’s work in over 30 years will take place at the Grand Palais in Paris from September 22, 2010 to January 24, 2011. It has been reported that there will be over 200 paintings on display from both French and foreign museums.

This showcase event for the Paris arts calendar in 2010 will trace the 19th century painter’s long career, starting with his early landscapes in Normandy and the Paris region from the 1870s through to the iconic and well known depictions of his garden and ponds in Giverny.

Following a major Picasso show at the Grand Palais in 2008 that attracted 784,000 visitors, the Monet exhibition is predicted to attract in excess of half a million visitors.

Online tickets are no longer on sale for the Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais. You can, however, buy tickets online for what I believe is a superior exhibition at the Musée Marmottan Monet, also in Paris, the museum that has the World’s biggest collection of Monet’s paintings and drawings. For more information, and a link to buy tickets, click here: Monet at the Musée Marmottan, Paris.

Still available online: your copy of the Grand Palais Monet Exhibition Catalogue.

Exhibition opening times:
Fridays – Mondays: 9 am to 10 pm,
Wednesdays 10 am – 10 pm,
Thursdays 10 am – 8 pm
Last access – 45 minutes before closing
24 & 31 December 2010 – the exhibition closes at 6 pm
The exhibition is closed on Tuesdays, and on 25 December 2010

Standard Entry Fee 12€
Reduced to 9€ for people aged between 13 and 25, and unemployed

Not only is the exhibition itself one not to be missed by anyone with a passion for Claude Monet’s art, or impressionist art in general, but the setting in the Grand Palais will provide a wonderful ambiance. Built for the Universal Exhibition in 1900, the Grand Palais covers some 775,000 square feet in the form of an H and its glass roof is recognisable from a long distance, the biggest in Europe.

NB: there is also a great temporary exhibition at the Musée Marmottan Monet from 7 October 2010 – 20 February 2011, with many iconic images that are not included in the Grand Palais exhibition.

The following article that gives details of the three museums with paintings by Monet in Paris. And my Paris Impressionist Guide gives some more travel tips for visiting Paris.

Get your copy of the Exhibition Catalogue online – cheaper than at the gallery.

Looking for a hotel in Paris? Booking.com has over 1000 Hotels in Paris to choose from. This is one of the leading international hotel comparison websites, with a great choice of hotels from 1to 5 star: making a reservation is easy, and if necessary so is changing your reservation. Once you make your reservation, you will receive all the necessary contact details by email.

In 1878, Claude Monet moved his family to Vétheuil, a small village on the Seine River to the west of Paris. When they moved to the village, Monet’s wife Camille was already seriously ill, and she was to die there the following year. Camille Doncieux is buried in the old cemetery in Vétheuil. Monet stayed on in the town until 1881. While there he painted over a hundred canvases of the village, the Seine and the Church. These paintings are now spread all over the world, such as the one above which is now in Scotland.

Monet painted the Romanesque church in Vétheuil quite frequently. He was not attracted to its appearance or anything particular about its architecture, but rather the effects of light on its façade at different times of the day, at different times of the year. Monet would return to the painting of ecclesiastical façades, in particular the Rouen Cathedral, in the 1890s.

If you fancy renting a holiday home in Vétheuil, you are in luck – the house to the right of this scene is available on a weekly basis in Spring and Summer, click here for more details: Holiday Rental Accommodation, Vétheuil. This would be a perfect base to visit Giverny and Paris.