Discover Impressionism and its precursors south of Paris
Close to Paris and its vibrant atmosphere, experience the delights of the great outdoors at the southern gateway to the French capital. Between Barbizon and Yerres, an extensive area still clearly bears the stamp of the Impressionists, as well as of their precursors. The inspiring local forests, charming villages and invigorating rivers drew all these painters to the region.
Even today, the area is packed with places where you can appreciate the personal development of many artists, visiting painters’ homes, museums and dynamic galleries. A number of Gustave Caillebotte’s canvases were influenced by the times he spent at his family property in Yerres, southeast of Paris. As to Sisley, he settled in Moret-sur-Loing for the last 20 years of his life. A trip to Barbizon, a village on the edge of Fontainebleau Forest, acts as a splendid excuse for following in the tracks of landscape artists such as Millet and Rousseau who were part of the Barbizon School, an art movement seen as a forerunner of Impressionism.
What to see and do
in Barbizon, its surrounds & Yerres
Interactive
map
Explore Impressionism around Barbizon & Yerres thanks to our interactive map!
Inspiring
momentsShare lovely moments with family or friends at the terrace of one of Barbizon’s restaurants. Fall for the charms of the special atmosphere in this village that attracted so many artists, lingering to admire the streets lined with fantastic galleries.
Hire a bike to ride around the medieval lanes of Moret-sur-Loing at your own pace. Later, replace your bike with a canoe to glide along the Loing River. After a delightful tour of this picturesque stone-built town, enjoy a riverside rest, listening to the water lap at the quays as you taste Sucre d’Orge de Moret-sur-Loing, a barley sugar speciality made here since 1638.
On a fine day, walk around the lush grounds of the Propriété Caillebotte, with their follies and kitchen garden. This is a truly enchanting place. Imagine the sensations the painter felt here, in this idyllic setting that has remained unspoilt since his day. Then go out on a little boat on the Yerres and glide gently along the river…
