My review of the Orsay guided tour
Verdict: what the André hotel lacks—Impressionists—explained by an art historian. Two hours in English, with six or twenty-five people depending on the format chosen, rated 4.6 out of 5 from 511 reviews. Visitors mention their guides by name—Christina, Eric, Chris, Anaïs—and clearly prefer the smaller group size. Book on a different day from Jacquemart-André, or the same day if you don’t mind crossing the Seine.
How the visit works
Meet at 5 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, left bank, in front of the former station. The guide has the tickets, booking fees are included, and headsets are provided if the group requests them. The tour covers masterpieces: Monet, Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Degas. Two formats are available when booking—a semi-private option for up to six people and a group option that can go up to twenty-five. The reviews I mention below are almost all from the first format.
The tour is in English. It is not wheelchair accessible, and the operator warns that there is a lot of walking. Strollers, large bags, and suitcases are prohibited, some rooms are not air-conditioned, and flash photography is not allowed. Orsay is closed on Mondays, the day when Jacquemart-André, on the other hand, is open: a good reason not to schedule both museums on the same day.
Included
- An art historian guide, two hours
- Admission ticket and booking fees
- Headphones if needed
- The choice between six people and a group of up to twenty-five
Not included
- A tour in French — it is in English
- Wheelchair access
- A space for strollers, suitcases and large bags
- Monday — the museum is closed
What the reviews say
Across 511 reviews, the guides are named, and that’s the common thread in all the positive comments. Jack (USA, August 2026): « Christina was excellent—we knew nothing about art and learned so much ». Agneta (Sweden): « Eric was excellent; there were only four of us, very personal ». Nancy (USA): « Chris was wonderful; the small group makes the tour intimate ». Ellen (USA) simply says, « Anaïs was fantastic ».
Two reviews say something more than just the guide’s name. Augusto (Mexico) « discovered connections between the artists », which is exactly what a guide brings to paintings everyone has already seen in reproduction. Wayne (USA) calls Orsay « the most beautiful museum I’ve ever seen » and his guide « fantastic ». The words « four » in Agneta’s review and « small group » in Nancy’s seem like the real insight: the quality these reviews describe is that of the six-person format. At twenty-five, with headsets, it’s a different experience, and reviews mention it less.
What works
- Guides named, review after review: Christina, Eric, Chris, Anaïs
- The six-person format, the one reviews praise the most
- Ticket and fees included, no waiting in line
- The perfect counterpart to Jacquemart-André: post-1870 painting
Things to know
- English only
- Not wheelchair accessible, lots of walking, some rooms can be warm
- A group of twenty-five doesn’t have the same intimacy as a group of six
- Closed on Mondays, and on the Left Bank: allow half an hour from 158
Who it’s for, and who it’s not for
For whom: those who read English effortlessly and want to see the Impressionists explained in small groups. Those who visit Jacquemart-André one day and Orsay the next, in chronological order: the mansion of a 1875 collector, then the paintings being created at the same time on the other side of the Seine. Visitors who know nothing about art, like Jack, and leave having learned something.
Not for whom: those who want a tour in French, or in a wheelchair. Families with strollers. Those who only have one day, and that day is a Monday. Why Orsay complements the house rather than replaces it is explained on the Musée d’Orsay page; what 158 has—Rembrandt, Botticelli, Uccello, Tiepolo—is on the masterpieces page. The route between the two is summarized on how to get there by metro.
Frequently asked questions
Six or twenty-five people?
Six, if you can. The most detailed reviews—Agneta with four stars, Nancy in a small group—come from this format. The twenty-five-person group works with headsets and leaves less room for questions. Both formats are described on the Orsay Museum page.
Can you visit Orsay and the Jacquemart-André on the same day?
It’s possible, but tight: two hours at Orsay, half an hour to travel, then an hour and a half to two hours at 158. On Fridays, with the late opening until 10 PM, it becomes comfortable. And never on Mondays—Orsay is closed.
Is the tour available in French?
No, this offering is in English. For a guided tour in French, the free Jacquemart-André app offers four itineraries, described on the audioguide and app page; the Haussmann walk, meanwhile, is available in French—see its review.