In Sisley’s Footsteps

At Moret-sur-Loing and in the surrounding area, several hiking trails lead walkers in the footsteps of Sisley, with reproductions of canvases he painted in the area scattered in different spots. Many artists still enjoy coming to set up easel around here.

Born to English parents in Paris in 1839, Alfred Sisley learned to paint in the French capital alongside a group of young artists including Frédéric Bazille, Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet. Bonding through their shared aims, first and foremost defined by their choice of subject matter, they distanced themselves from academic painting and its attachment to historical subject matter to depict scenes and landscapes from everyday life, painting in nature and in the moment, or “sur le motif”… they were of course the pioneers of the Impressionist movement in the late 19^th century.

Around 1880, Alfred Sisley, following several stints staying in the nearby forests, such as Fontainebleau and Barbizon, and painting there with his friends, settled in Moret-sur-Loing. He went on to spend the last 20 years of his life in this little historic town with medieval roots that has kept its charm to this day. Around here, he painted over 400 canvases depicting either the Loing River or the Seine, among them Le Pont de Moret, on display at the Musée d’Orsay in central Paris. Sisley and his wife are buried side by side in Moret-sur-Loing Cemetery, according to the artist’s wishes, under a sandstone slab taken from Fontainebleau Forest.

Trail around Moret-sur-Loing

Put in place by the association Les Amis d’Alfred Sisley, along this trail through town, you’ll encounter enamelled lava plaques carrying reproductions of the artist’s works, set in the very spots where he set up easel. A booklet in several languages helps guide visitors along this trail and is available from the Moret Seine & Loing Tourist Office shop.

Guided tours are also put on by the Tourist Office, “Sur les pas de Sisley” (“In Sisley’s Footsteps”) for adults, while “Les enfants de l’Impressionnisme” (“Children of Impressionism”) is a tour reserved for groups of children.

Trail around Saint-Mammès

From Moret-sur-Loing, it’s possible, on foot or by bike, to reach a second trail, taking you via Veneux-les-Sablons and Thomery. Once there, two viewing tables (tables d’orientation) serve as the starting point for an educational trail allowing walkers to discover further places where Alfred Sisley went to paint. The Seine quays along here, now also known as the “Promenade Sisley”, have plaques reproducing sketches the artist made in his notebooks each time he sold one of his canvases. These drawings have since become known as “dessins de raison” by art historians.