Musée Fournaise

Over het museum

The Fournaise house was built in 1844 at the foot of Chatou’s old stone bridge, initially as a wine shop with boat workshops. In 1857 Alphonse Fournaise, a bridge keeper, bought the premises and opened a restaurant with his wife Louise, along with a boat hire service. Chatou then became a popular destination for oarsmen, and the house attracted painters. In 1880 Auguste Renoir painted “Le Déjeuner des canotiers” there, on the restaurant’s balcony; other artists such as Degas, Monet and Caillebotte also came by.

At the start of the 20th century the establishment closed and the building fell into disrepair for several decades. The commune of Chatou acquired it in 1979; it was listed as a historic monument in 1982 and restored from 1984, with the support of the town, the State, the Région, the Département and two associations. A restaurant reopened in the house in 1990.

The museum opened in the upstairs rooms in 1992. Its collection brings together paintings and archives on the history of the house and on the golden age of the Seine banks, as well as ceramics, prints and souvenirs of writers. Today the museum offers an immersive show-style tour devoted to Renoir and Impressionism. In 2025, the large restaurant room, with its painted decorations, was also protected as a historic monument.

Hoogtepunten

• Former guinguette where Renoir painted “Le Déjeuner des canotiers” in 1880
• Immersive show-style tour “Renoir impressionniste”
• Collection of paintings and archives on the golden age of the Seine
• Hameau Fournaise on the Île des Impressionnistes
• Large restaurant room with its painted decorations

Vaste collectie

• Renoir impressionniste, l'expérience immersive – Show-style tour in the house where Renoir painted his scenes of oarsmen, with a staging of Impressionism on the Seine.
• Collection beaux-arts – Paintings and archives on the history of the Fournaise house and the golden age of the Seine banks.

Opgericht

1992

Beheerder

Ville de Chatou

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Rates for the show-style tour on Renoir. Booking is strongly recommended; tickets can be exchanged but are not refundable. Payment in cash, by card or by cheque; the Pass Plus 78-92 and the Pass Culture are accepted. Free entry, with proof, also for job seekers, guide-lecturers (guides-conférenciers), ICOM members, Friends of the Maison Fournaise and teachers at art schools.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: niet aanwezig
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The reception and the ground-floor shop area are accessible to people with reduced mobility. The exhibition rooms are on the upper floor and the building has no lift.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops

The show-style tour is also offered to families with children and teenagers; school offers range from Grande Section to CM2, and to collèges and lycées. A “Jeune public” section presents games and workshops; the home page mentions a one-hour family workshop during the autumn half-term holiday (Toussaint).

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

From Paris, take the A14 then the A86 towards Versailles, exit Chatou no. 35a; on the bridge, turn right towards the island. GPS address: 3 rue du Bac, 78400 Chatou. From Rueil-Malmaison station, cross the road bridge and go down to the island on the right. The museum holds the Accueil Vélo label.

Service & horeca

• Restaurant
• Museumwinkel

Shop on the ground floor. The restaurant La Maison Fournaise, run separately from the museum, is in the same hamlet; the restaurant Les Rives de la Courtille is also on the island.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur

Private hire of the museum from 18:00 to 20:30 for groups by reservation; quote on request. Dinner or cocktails possible in the island’s restaurants.

Je bezoek plannen