Renoir trail

Renoir at the Musée d'Orsay: from the Bal du moulin de la Galette to the late bathers

Nobody painted happiness like Renoir. Orsay lines up his best-loved canvases — the Bal du moulin de la Galette above all, one of the most famous paintings in the world. A guide to the rooms, the details not to miss, and the quiet hours.

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Masterpiece
Bal du moulin de la Galette (1876)
Where
Fifth floor, Impressionist gallery
Suggested time
30–40 min
Access
Included in the entry ticket

Available tickets & tours

Compare entry tickets, guided tours and combo deals offered by Tiqets, an authorized reseller — free cancellation on most options.

The essential Renoirs at Orsay

WorkYearLook closely at
Bal du moulin de la Galette1876The light falling in dapples through the acacias — every face is a friend of Renoir's, Montmartre in full
The Swing (La Balançoire)1876Painted the same summer, in the same garden on Rue Cortot; the same patches of sunlight, turned vertical
Dance in the City / Dance in the Country1883The inseparable pair: Suzanne Valadon icy in the city, Aline Charigot (the future Mme Renoir) laughing in the country
Young Girls at the Piano1892The French state's first commission from Renoir — official consecration for the Salon outcast
Gabrielle with a Rose1911The late "pearly" period: hands deformed by arthritis, the brush strapped to his wrist
Torso in Sunlight (Torse, effet de soleil)c. 1876The nude that made the critics howl — "flesh in decomposition" — look for the green and pink reflections
🖼️ The Bal du moulin de la Galette has its own permanent huddle, like the Mona Lisa at the Louvre — only more breathable. Earn your quiet face-to-face at opening time or on a Thursday evening after 7 PM.

What Renoir changed in painting

The Bal du moulin de la Galette is as much a manifesto as a party. In 1876, painting a working-class Montmartre dance hall in history-painting format (1.31 m × 1.75 m) meant giving ordinary Sunday crowds the space reserved for gods and battles. The critics choked; Gustave Caillebotte, painter and patron, bought the canvas — and it was his bequest that brought it into the national collections in 1894.

Look at the ground: there isn't a single gray shadow. The violet and blue dapples dancing across the jackets and the gravel are Renoir's technical signature — light sifted through the foliage, rendered in touches of pure color. From ten centimeters away, it's chaos; from three meters, it's a perfect Sunday afternoon.

Round out the visit with Monet, his companion in poverty and open-air painting through the 1870s, and the museum's 20 masterpieces.

Gallery of the Musée d'Orsay leading to the Impressionist rooms where the Renoirs hang
Orsay's fifth floor gathers Renoir, Monet and Degas along the Seine.

Planning your visit around Renoir

The Renoirs are concentrated on the fifth floor, in the Impressionist gallery, a few meters from the Monets — one ticket, one floor, one well-spent hour. The order that works:

  • 9:30 AM: enter with the first slot, elevator straight to the fifth floor;
  • 9:45 AM: Bal du moulin de la Galette and The Swing, still crowd-free;
  • 10:15 AM: the two Dances and Young Girls at the Piano;
  • 10:45 AM: coffee break at the Café Campana behind the clock, photo at the glass wall;
  • 11 AM: head down to Van Gogh on the middle level, ahead of the groups.

Tickets and time slots: it's all in our prices guide; those in a hurry should read how to cut the lines.

Ready for Orsay?

Since March 2026, booking a timed entry slot is mandatory. Reserve your entry in advance and simply show up with your mobile ticket.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the Bal du moulin de la Galette in the museum?

On the fifth floor, in the Impressionist gallery. It's one of the most crowded canvases in the museum: aim for opening time or Thursday evening to approach it comfortably.

How many Renoir works are at Orsay?

Several dozen paintings, plus drawings and pastels shown in rotation. The major canvases listed in this guide are on near-permanent display, barring an exceptional loan.

Does the Moulin de la Galette still exist?

Yes, at the top of Rue Lepic in Montmartre — the Blute-Fin windmill is still there, and a restaurant carries the dance hall's name. Allow 30 minutes by métro from Orsay: the pilgrimage works well that same afternoon.

Is there a Renoir exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay?

The museum regularly devotes temporary exhibitions to Renoir and his circle; they are included in the entry ticket, subject to capacity. Check the booking widget at the top of the page for current offers.

Renoir or Monet: which should I see first?

They're on the same floor, so the question settles itself: start with whichever draws you most while the rooms are still empty — the other is fifteen minutes behind. Our two detailed trails: Monet and this page.