Question for those who have visited both Giverny/Monet's gardens and the Orangerie...

I think that seeing the waterlily panels in l’Orangerie after seeing the actual ponds in Giverny upon which the paintings are based would be incredible. One strong suggestion: make timed-entry reservations for both. The Gardens at Giverny are particularly popular in the Spring, and l’Orangerie was the museum for which I had to stand in line the longest (not having made a reservation).

I love the water lily panels and they made more sense after visiting Giverny BUT BUT BUT....if the kids are not going to enjoy another museum, I would skip it. You can save it for the next time YOU visit. There is so much to do in Paris that you don't have to do museums. To be sure, my visits are museum heavy but I only have "me" to consider. For the kiddos...I'd skip unless they are wowed by Giverny.

BTW, when you are in Giverny, be sure to walk down the main street to the church where Monet is buried. There is a very moving memorial in the churchyard just to the right when you go in. It's for a Lancaster bomber crew who was killed in a crash during the DDay invasion. The memorial includes a twisted propeller from the plane and is quite memorable to me. It kind of makes you realize that even though this location now has an art focus, during WWII it was just like any other of the dozens of Normandie towns suffering thru the war.

If they are not museum fans, the Louvre may do them in. D'Orsay is much easier to do in a morning. The building itself is fascinating. It makes sense for them to see Giverny and then see the panels. It ties it all together and gives them a better scope of his work. It is not a "heavy duty" museum .

One place a lot of people skip but is pretty amazing, if they understand who Napoleon was, is the building that has his massive tomb. Pretty incredible monument. And can be seen quickly.

I am sure you have looked into the the various Paris Passes that saves money and let you skip the lines. You get in and see what you want, then leave without feeling you wasted time or money. And without overdoing the kids on massive, dark oil paintings and the never-ending amount of sculptures.
They may enjoy the Galeries Lafayete Haussmann. The structure is incredible and there is shopping for everyone if you are so inclined. But it is the building that will impress them".

Have them watch a few movies that are filmed in Paris. That way the can feel a connection when the recognize an area or site. And be sure they have good walking shoes not just stylish ones, to wear. They will not enjoy it if their feet hurt. So much walking is involved. You can also give them the opportunity to figure out the metro by getting maps in advance and ready RS Paris book.

Musee de l'Orangerie can be a very short stop. I agree with others that have said it will follow on from Giverny better than d'Orsay.

With kids who are not art museum fans, I would do either Louvre or Musee d'Orsay, but not both. I have studied art history extensively and have a passion for art museums. Last time I was in Paris, it turned out I was becoming ill during my half day visit to d'Orsay, a museum I have visited and enjoyed multiple times. I have to say, that despite my experience with the museum (as in knowing what I most wanted to see and where things were), I was utterly miserable dragging myself through. I wonder if I your kids, who may be less than enthusiastic about art museums in general, might feel the same way? Especially after having traversed the Louvre? L'Orangerie would be significantly less taxing than either the Louvre or d'Orsay.

I agree with the poster who suggested that a visit to Napoleon's Tomb at Les Invalides is unique and can be a short stop. Quintessentially French! (Musee de l'armee is quite fascinating with good exhibits on Napoleonic, the World Wars, and other military history, but unless the kids have an interest, they may find it boring.)

Can the family split up if the adults are interested in the Musee d'Orsay? One parent in the AM to the museum, the other going in the PM with kids having two substitute half day outings with the guardian parent???? When we traveled as a family negotiating kids' needs, we sometimes did variations on this.

For me… a big Monet fan both the gardens/house were a big yes… I did find the rest of the Musée orangerie worthwhile too , but then again I’m a art meuseum fan…
Wondering if you& kids would be happier if you gave them some ice cream money & had them wait in the Tuileries for you ? I believe at times there are also boat rentals at the pond 🍦⛵️

I've got my heart set on seeing the d'Orsay, and we already have a private tour booked for the Louvre. I'm reading now about a treasure hunt organization called THATMuse that might be a good idea for the d'Orsay to engage my kids and make it all more interesting and fun for them! Thank you all for your input!

Are you familiar with the book Mad Enchantment” by Ross King? It details Monet’s life and particularly the period (30 years) he devoted to the water lilies. Not only was he obsessed with the paintings, but also where and how they would be displayed. You might want to flip through it for ways to engage your teens. Visiting the L’Orangerie can be a quick visit, but if they stand in different parts of the room to see how the light changes the painting (which was what Monet wanted people to see) and imagine standing up to paint these (I believe at one time there were 40 of them), it might keep their interest long enough for you to enjoy them.

Jenn: We visited both in Sep 2016. Givernay great. L'Orangerie was crowded so we couldn't see the panels as intended by Monet (the seating is in the middle for a reason), but still okay to walk all around. Don't know how long you are in Paris; but if your kids are not wowed by Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day, there is no hope for the future generation. While in D'Orsay, have lunch at the Restaurant du Musee D'Orsay. Pretty classy and colorful. Yes indeed, there are better restaurants than In&Out. And an evening stroll along the Champs- Elysees (with a snack in McDonalds - the pastries are surprisingly good and the window view upstairs is entertaining) will be a highlight of one-up-manship at school. Bon Voyage!

I did art museum treasure hunts with my kids from about age 4. Mostly self-devised using reproductions as a model to match to the original or a "count the dogs in this room" sort of thing. Over time, the tasks became more complicated (and didactic!). Some museums also provide age appropriate "treasure hunts". The game became an expected part of our visits. My now adult kids visit museums frequently. Good luck! I hope they have fun like we used to.

There are reproductions of some of Monet's paintings in the Giverny house. They could search for the originals or similars in the museums.

Not my business, but since the stop is important to you, have you considered sending Dad and kids on a Bateaux Mouche ride while you enjoy yourself? If the visit fails to entice the kids, it may not be all you hope for. Rhetorical question - you know your family and I don't!!

We took our grandchildren ages 14 and 11 to both the Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay in August on different days. I was surprised how much they both loved it. They stayed 5 hours at the Louvre and we had hot chocolate and a treat at Angelina's in the Louvre to break up the time. They liked the Napoleon III apartments and the Sphinx! They also loved the Musee D'Orsay and it was easier to navigate. Hopefully you all have a great time!

The biggest collection of Monet in Paris is in the Musee Marmottan Monet. It has other works, including furniture, from the same period so is well worth visiting.
It should be noted the the relatively young museum at Giverny holds no original Monet paintings.
https://www.paris-toujours.com/5-places-to-see-impressionist-art-in-paris/

L'Orangerie is one of my favorite museums in Paris. I could just stand in front The Water Lilies for longer than is probably humanly possible. :) The rest of the museum is marginal and didn't excite us that much. I loved Giverny too.

I agree with Sue that you can’t miss l'Orangerie. It’s my favorite art museum too. The water lilies are so spectacular after visiting Giverny, even the kids will be amazed. It’s a short visit and it’s close to the Louvre, so it won’t eat up precious vacation time if you combine them. We took a kid friendly tour of the Louvre that my kids really enjoyed.

This forum is so incredibly helpful! Thank you all so much. We were able to secure the same private tour guide for the d'Orsay as we have for the Louvre. She's incredibly nice and so reasonably priced -- I feel like we won the lottery! So we will do a private tour of the Louvre one morning, a private tour of the d'Orsay the following morning, then do our bike tour of Giverny the next day, and then see the l'Orangerie the following morning, even if it's just the water lily panels. Feeling good about it all! Hopefully my kids enjoy at least parts of the museums...I am hopeful. If nothing else, I'll enjoy it all!!! : )

Add the VR experience Eternelle Notre Dame -- the kids will love that. One site for it is at the underground space by the Cathedral, so conveniently central -- takes a little over an hour total with gearing up and such.

You will see some of the water lilies and many many Monet at the Orsay anyway.
The Orangerie can be a nice trip on your own though.
Why don't you go to the Orangerie, while the rest of the family enjoys a walk in the Tuileries while waiting for you?

I know my kids won't appreciate the water lily panels nearly as much as I will, but should I still subject them to it because it'll be worth it?

Yes, because no matter how well you know them, they could surprise you. Your two guided visits to the Louvre and d'Orsay will really open their eyes and teach them how to look. A good family guide doesn't spout dates and techniques, but asks questions about what they see, what they think is going on, how was the painting made, colors, line, etc. Then the guide will fill in with more info, some compelling. So after two mornings of a private guide, they may very well become museum fans and be ready to appreciate the water lilies. Yes, just have them go as a matter of course with no expectations. Let them be surprised. You are giving them a wonderful gift they will have for the rest of their lives.

Another Paris suggestion for those traveling with tweens and teens is the Catacombs. Our kids chose to do this, and we all enjoyed it.

Also, can you share info on the bike tour you’ll be taking to Monet’s Garden? Thanks.

Yes, we were planning on doing the Fat Bike tour to Giverny. That said, I think we're actually going to just take the train to Giverny and then rent bikes by the train station. That way if it's rainy that day, we're not stuck on a bike tour we'd all prefer not to be on!

I should just stay in my lane most likely but I think your kids will be bored to tears after a visit to The Orsay and the Louvre. Impressionist art is an acquired taste I think. All of those museums are great and I would absolutely not miss the l'Orangeire. The gardens are stunning and relaxing, kids might enjoy the flowers, ponds and scenery. The l'Orangiere, it is a real immersive thing for me. I could sit there for hours just seeing the depth of them.
You should ditch Dad and the kids, send them off to rent bikes and ride through the Tuileries for a couple of hours or take a Fat Tire Bike tour while you go to the museum. Give yourself at least an hour or 90 minutes inside.
Finally me thinks that you might enjoy the museum after the gardens more.
We took the train and rented bikes across from the station in Vernon. If you do that there is a nice grocery and bakery on the way to the bike trail. We stopped and got picnic supplies then ate on the trail. It would break it up for the kids and be a fun exercise of letting them shop for supplies.
Think about how much you would have enjoyed being drug through museums day after day at that age. Send pops to the Arc de Triomphe with the kids or something to give you the space to enjoy what you have the passion for. Like Rick says travel like you will be back or something like that.