Auguste Renoir was an artist with a flair for capturing everyday life, including this famous scene of happy-go-lucky partiers out at a riverside restaurant. It turns out that the giddy restaurant he painted still exists today on the “Island of the Impressionists.”
This boater-hat happy place, called La Maison Fornaise, serves up traditional French cuisine on an island in the Seine. Eating at this restaurant, combined with a stroll along the sunlit island and a visit to the attached impressionist museum, is a perfect fix for anyone interested in impressionism and the Belle époque period in France.
But be aware that due to the restaurant’s popularity, it’s important to call ahead and make reservations, even if you just want to grab a drink on the terrasse.
Logistics
Travel time:
25 minutes from central Paris
How to get there:
Take the RER A to Chatou-Croissy
Travel costs:
€4 from Paris RER station Chatelet Les Halles
Other day trips
This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:
• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market