The Petit Palais In Paris – Small, But Full Of Amazing Art

The Petit Palais in Paris continues to be one of our favorite museums in the city. We stop in whenever we're nearby. And what's not to love? It's a small museum and easy to cover in a couple of hours, it's free (there is a small fee for the temporary exhibits), it has an amazing range of art and a fantastic gift store, plus it has a peaceful interior garden with a tea room.

The Petit Palais In Paris

Built for the 1900 Paris World Fair, the Petit Palais is is made up of four wings around a semi-circular garden bordered by a richly decorated arcade. Although it's relatively small, there are plenty of wonderful details to admire. The two decorative murals in the large exhibition galleries took twenty years to complete, the wrought iron gate was designed by the architect Charles Girault, the entrance features stained glass windows, and (look down) the floors were designed by Giandomenico Facchina, a famous Italian mosaic artist. The permanent collections of the Petit Palais are divided into eight categories. Let's take a peek at each for a brief description and the highlights.

line

Romantic River Dinner Cruises In Paris

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

Dinner Cruise by Maxim's of Paris
The legendary Parisian restaurant takes you on a dinner cruise complete with champagne and wine. Choose the 2-hour cruise for a stellar evening in Paris.
Check Availability…

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

1. Paris 1900

Paris 1900 Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt by Georges Clairin, 1876

The 1900s (1899 to 1909) were defined by the triumph of Art Nouveau. The French art of adornment and decoration were ushered into a new century by the likes of Emile Gallé, Hector Guimard, Rene Lalique, and Georges Fouquet. This stunning collection holds jewelry by Georges Fouquet, Greek revival vases from Baccarat, Hector Guimard's entire dining room (he of Metro entrance fame), and ornamental motifs of the era.

2. The 19th Century

19th Century Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, Winter Effect by Claude Monet, 1880, photo by Mark Craft

In these galleries of the Petit Palais you can see highlights of 19th-century French art — paintings, sculptures and art objects from the Restoration to the Third Republic (1814-1870). The Troubadour style shows the decadent lifestyles of kings, painters, and knights of the Middle Ages. A room devoted to Romanticism was inspired by the travels of the painters who founded that artistic movement.

Also on display are sculptures, terracottas, and plasters from Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, Jean Carries, and Jules Dalou. From the Barbizon school to Impressionism, you can also see paintings by Alfred Sisley, Gustave Courbet, and Camille Pissarro. It's worth the visit just to see Claude Monet's Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, Winter Effect, every bit as magnificent as Impression: Sunset.

line

Skip-the-Line at the Louvre Museum

The Louvre's Greatest Masterpieces
Skip the lines make the most of your time in Paris with a whirlwind tour of the must-see works of art in the Louvre on this professionally-guided tour. The top choice.
Check Availability…

Louvre Skip-the-Line Tour
Head straight to the front of the line, then journey through art history on a 3-hour private Louvre visit. On this complete tour, an expert guide reveals subtle details about the artwork.
Check Availability…

The Louvre's Greatest Masterpieces
Skip the lines make the most of your time in Paris with a whirlwind tour of the must-see works of art in the Louvre on this professionally-guided tour. The top choice.
Check Availability…

3. The 18th Century

18th Century Jérôme de La Lande by Fragonard, 1769

The heart of this collection was donated by American collector Edward Tuck and his wife Julie in 1921. The 18th-century treasures are displayed in four rooms that cover paintings, furniture, tapestries, porcelain, watches, silverware and enameled objects. The paintings encompass landscapes by Hubert Robert, portraits by Jean-Honore Fragonard, and historical painting by Jacques-Louis David. Also on display are art objects from the reign of Louis XIV, like Beauvais tapestries, marquetry furniture, silverware, and Sèvres porcelain.

4. The 17th Century

17th Century A Scene of Gallantry in a Palace by Van Delen, 1636

Almost all of the 17th-century paintings at the Petit Palais Paris were donated by Auguste and Eugene Dutuit in 1902, creating the backbone for the then-burgeoning museum. The vast collection includes antiques, medieval and Renaissance art objects, rare books, drawings and prints, and 17th-century Dutch art. Thanks to the Dutuit's generosity, the Petit Palais has one of the leading collections of Dutch painting in France, rivaled only by the Louvre.

line

Two Of The Most Popular Paris Experiences

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic, VIP dinner cruise is the #1 nighttime activity. Be sure to choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, the most champagne, the best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

Best of Versailles with Priority Access + Grand Canal Lunch
Skip the long lines to experience the grandeur of Versailles on a guided tour. Stroll through the stunning gardens then meet up for lunch on the Grand Canal. Hotel pick-up is included.
More information…

Most Popular In Paris

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic, VIP dinner cruise is the #1 nighttime activity. Be sure to choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, the most champagne, the best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

5. The Renaissance

Renaissance Knight, Death and the Devil by Dürer, 1513

The collection of Renaissance artworks is divided into two main groups — France and Northern Europe; Italy and the Islamic world. In this collection you will see rare Moorish ceramics, Venetian glass, Iznik (Turkish) ceramics, French glazed earthenware, Saint-Porchaire pottery, and painted Limoges enamels. There are also Renaissance clocks, watches and jewels illustrating the precious arts of Europe.

6. The Middle Ages

Middle Ages Adoration of the Child, 1480

In this collection you'll find art objects, paintings, and sculptures from the Middle Ages to the early Renaissance. Things like French ivory works, earlier Limoges enamel works, medieval manuscripts, and some of the first printed books. Also on display is a rare set of wooden sculptures depicting the most popular religious scenes and holy figures from the era.

line

Find Hotel Deals for Your Dates in Paris

Check with Booking.com to find today's sale prices on hotel rooms in every arrondissement of Paris. Save 10%, 20%… or even more!

Booking.Com Paris Hotel Deals
Find hotels in the Latin Quarter, Saint Germain, the Right Bank, the Marais, near the Eiffel Tower.
Search for your hotel

Find Hotel Deals for Your Dates in Paris

Save on hotels in every arrondissement of Paris – the Latin Quarter, Saint Germain, the Right Bank, the Marais, near the Eiffel Tower. Save 10%, 20%… or even more!
Search for your hotel

7. The Classical World

Classical World Rhyton (drinking vase), 500 BCE

Here's the chance to see rare gems from the Greek and Roman worlds in one room. There are bronzes from the the Archaic Greek era, circa 520 BCE; a collection of Etruscan vases; terracottas and jewelry from the Hellenistic Age of Ancient Greece; ancient Roman glass and gold works from the Golden Age of Augustus.

8. Icons

Icons Saint George, Russia, 16th century

A gift from wealthy industrialist and art collector Roger Cabal, when his collection of icons was donated to the Petit Palais in Paris it became the finest public collection in France. Seventy-six icons span the period from the 8th century to the 19th century — Greek icons from after the fall of the Byzantine Empire, Russian religious images, a Pieta from the Cretan-Venetian school. In case your art history is failing you, an icon refers to a painting of Jesus Christ or a holy figure that appeared in Byzantine churches.

line

Go Deeper Into France: Day Trips From Paris

Small-Group Loire Valley Chateaux & Wine Tasting Trip from Paris
Journey to the magical castles of the Loire Valley in on a day trip that also features a guided tasting of the best regional wines. This small-group tour travels in a luxury Eurovan.
Check Availability…

Mysterious Mont Saint-Michel
The magnificent floating island of Mont Saint-Michel is a sight to behold. Travel through the picturesque Normandy countryside with an expert guide on a day trip from Paris that includes a cider tasting
Check Availability…

Small-Group Loire Valley Chateaux & Wine Tasting Trip from Paris
Journey to the magical castles of the Loire Valley in on a day trip that also features a guided tasting of the best regional wines. Your small group travels in a luxury Eurovan.
Check Availability…

Temporary Exhibitions

Petit Palais

Although we've visited the Petit Palais in Paris many times, it's their temporary exhibitions that always lure us back. Recent shows included From Watteau to David, Baroque During the Enlightenment, The Art of Pastel from Degas to Redon, and Paris 1900. These are just a taste of what may appear here. There are usually about six exhibitions per year.

Le Jardin du Petit Palais

Le Jardin du Petit Palais

The cafe opens onto to an enclosed garden with blue and gold mosaics, colonnades and exotic plants. You'll feel like you're far from the crowd in this peaceful Paris oasis. The cafe is open daily (except Mondays & holidays) from 10 to 5.

line

Visit the Champagne Region from Paris

A Day in the Champagne Region, with Hotel Pick-up & Lunch
A small-group tour led by an expert guide to the Land of Champagne for a day-long tasting of the bubbly. Inclues lunch & pick-up at your Paris hotel.
Check Availability…

VIP Champagne Private Day Tour
Travel in a private, luxurious minivan to the Champagne region where your guide, a wine & champagne expert, introduces you to the best of the bubbly.
Check Availability…

A Day in the Champagne Region, with Hotel Pick-up & Lunch
A small-group tour led by an expert guide to the Land of Champagne for a day-long tasting of the bubbly. Inclues lunch & pick-up at your Paris hotel.
Check Availability…

Autour le Petit Palais

While you're in this prestigious corner of Paris, the 8th Arrondissement, spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the Champs Elysées neighborhood. Just across the street is the Grand Palais and between the two palais runs the very short Avenue Winston Churchill, which crosses the Seine at the magnificent bridge, Pont Alexandre III. All three — Petit Palais, Grand Palais, and the Pont Alexandre III — were built for the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition. And to illustrate how compact the city of Paris is, it's a short 15-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower.

Petit Palais Resources

  • Avenue Winston Churchill
  • 8th Arrondissement, at the Seine
  • Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 6
  • Closed Mondays and public holidays
  • Friday is late night at the museum, open until 9 for temporary exhibitions only.
  • Temporary Exhibitions
  • Museum Website

Six Free Paris Planning Guides

A Gift from Us to You.
Bon Voyage !