Argenteuil · 1874 -1878
Impressionist house of Claude Monet in Argenteuil
History of the pink house with green shutters, visit to its immersive route and guide to the paintings which still connect the rooms, the garden, the Seine and the city to the work of Monet.
Monet's second address in Argenteuil
A real house, but above all the gateway to a decisive period
Claude Monet moved to Argenteuil in December 1871 with Camille and their son Jean. He first lived in a first house near the station. In 1874, the family moved a few meters further into this villa built in 1871, recognizable by its pink facade, its green shutters and its wooden ornaments inspired by the Swiss chalet.
The current house therefore corresponds to the painter's second Argenteuil residence. Monet lived there until the beginning of 1878. These years coincided with the public affirmation of impressionism: first independent exhibition in 1874, open-air work, friendships with Renoir, Manet, Sisley and Caillebotte, and multiplication of views of the Seine, bridges, trains, gardens and regattas.
The production is exceptional: official tourist sources list 259 paintings painted during the Argenteuil period, including more than 150 devoted to the city and its surroundings. The house is not just a biographical memory; it is located in the center of a laboratory where nature, leisure and industry come together in modern painting.
Acquired by the City of Argenteuil in 2003, restored between 2018 and 2022, the residence opens to the public in September 2022. The project preserves the architecture and certain materials while offering a sensitive evocation of the 1870s rather than a documentary reconstruction piece by piece.
In Argenteuil, Monet did not choose between countryside and modernity: he painted their meeting, right in front of his door.Seine, train station, garden and city
Four benchmarks
From family rental to heritage place
The visit gains clarity when we distinguish the entire Argenteuil period - 1871 to 1878 - from the four years spent in the house now open to the public.
Arrival in Argenteuil
After London and the Netherlands, Monet returns to France and settles near the station, with Camille and Jean.
The pink house
The family rents the villa with green shutters. The garden, the Seine and the modern roads become daily motifs.
Departure
Financial difficulties led Monet to Vétheuil, before his final installation in Giverny in 1883.
Open to the public
After restoration, the Impressionist House inaugurates a tactile, audiovisual and family tour.
What we visit
A scenography to open, listen and touch
You should not come looking for a workshop that remains intact or a collection of original Monets. The house recounts the years of Argenteuil through furniture, reproductions, films, sounds and interactive devices.
The spirit of an inhabited house
Heather furniture, pastel colors, letters and documents hidden in the drawers create a domestic atmosphere. The visitor is encouraged to manipulate the elements of the route.
Camille and Jean in the light
The portraits of Camille and the presence of Jean remind us that several paintings by Argenteuil are also intimate scenes. The decor connects the house, clothes, garden and models.
The reconstituted workshop boat
This evocation of the floating workshop explains how Monet could place himself at water level. Screens, sensations and interactive easel provide an essential point of view of its Seine landscapes.
The landscape begins outside
The garden, redeveloped with species evoking the period, extends the visit. It helps connect the house to the paths, fields and flowers that still surrounded Argenteuil in the 1870s.
Why Argenteuil matters
The modern landscape is held in the same view
A sailboat, a bridge, a fireplace, a bank and a changing light can share the canvas. This coexistence - without hierarchy between the picturesque and the industry - makes the years of Argenteuil a founding moment.
Paintings related to the house and the city
Six works to rebuild Monet's Argenteuil
The originals are now scattered in major museums. Gathered here, they give a mental tour of the fields, the family interior, bridges, boats and the Seine.
Poppies
Painted before moving into the current house, the painting still fixes the nearby countryside: Camille and Jean repeat themselves on the slope, among the vibrant reds.
Museum notice
The boats. Regattas in Argenteuil
The sails cut through the sky and their reflections break the surface. The pleasure pool becomes a theater of light and movement.
Museum notice
The Argenteuil Bridge
Modern construction does not close the landscape: its arches give rhythm, while the blue of the water, sky and sails unifies the scene.
See reproduction
The Little Arm of the Seine
Calmer framing shows the other side of the site: trees, low bank and slow water. Modernity remains close, but momentarily off-camera.
Observe the bankArgenteuil
Probably painted from the workshop boat, this landscape envelops the city in a subtle palette. The banks frame an area of calm and depth.
Museum noticeApartment interior
Jean stands against the light in the second house, while Camille appears in the background. Air and light become the real subject of a silent family scene.
Museum noticeReading table
What connection does each work have with the place?
The house allows you to move from domestic decor to territory. Each work illuminates a different aspect of Argenteuil life.
| Work | Date | Place or reason | What she adds to the visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poppies | 1873 | Argenteuil Campaign | The presence of Camille and Jean, as well as the still rural landscape. |
| The Argenteuil Bridge | 1874 | Road bridge and sailboats | The dialogue between modern infrastructure, leisure and light. |
| Regattas in Argenteuil | around 1874 | Navigation basin | Fragmentation of reflections and Sunday entertainment. |
| Apartment interior | 1875 | Second house | The interior distribution, Jean, Camille and the light passing through the room. |
| Camille Monet in the garden | 1876 | Garden of the house | The garden as an outdoor workshop and family space. |
| The Workshop Boat | 1876 | Seine in Argenteuil | The mobility of the painter and his point of view at water level. |
Practical information 2026
Hours, prices and duration of visit
The information below was verified on July 15, 2026. Public holidays, events and transport works may change access: consult the official ticket office before departure.
Impressionist house
21 boulevard Karl-Marx, 95100 Argenteuil.
From April 1 to September 30: Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. then from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
From October 1 to March 31: Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. then from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday, Tuesday, public holidays and the whole month of August.
€5 full price; €3.50 reduced rate; free for children under 12 and certain audiences with proof.
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes for a complete individual visit.
Our advice
Reserve your slot when attendance is high: the house is intimate and the capacity remains deliberately limited.
Provide for the chaise longue closure wednesday and Saturday: Entrance is not continuous all day.
Come by train if possible. The train station and bus station are right opposite, while the house does not have its own parking lot.
Add a walk towards the banks of the Seine to compare the painted patterns to the current transformations of the city.
Visit with family : drawers, screens, treasure hunt and touch workshop make the course accessible to children.
Accessibility : accessible entrance and elevator serving the floors; the site announces an independent tour possible in a wheelchair.
From Paris and Île-de-France
The house is practically opposite the station
This proximity already explains the choice of Argenteuil in the 19th century: the railway line quickly connected the capital to a territory still shared between cultures, walks and industry.
Line J
From Paris-Saint-Lazare, allow around 10 minutes to Argenteuil, then 2 to 3 minutes on foot.
Bus station
It is located opposite the house and brings together more than fifteen proximity lines.
A86 or A15
Argenteuil-center exit. The house does not have parking; use nearby public parking.
Not to be confused
Argenteuil tells a chapter; Giverny preserves a universe
The two places are complementary, but the experience and the artistic period are not the same.
Argenteuil
Period: Monet in the town from 1871 to 1878; current house occupied from 1874 to 1878.
Experience: immersive scenography, reproductions, documents, evocative furniture and reconstructed workshop boat.
Common thread: birth of impressionist vocabulary, Seine, bridges, train, family and modernization of the suburbs.
Time to expect: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, easily accessible from Paris.
Giverny
Period: monet's principal residence from 1883 until his death in 1926.
Experience: house, workshop-living room, collection of Japanese prints, Norman enclosure and water garden.
Common thread: horticulture, series, Japanese bridge, water lilies and voluntary construction of the motif.
Time to expect: half a day with travel, seasonal tickets and high attendance.
Collection highlighted
Impressionist landscape
Argenteuil is one of the best starting points for understanding the Impressionist landscape: the changing water, the outdoors, leisure, bridges and the modern city share the same light.
Discover the collectionExtend the visit
Three Argenteuil landscapes to look at at home
Horizontal formats retain the opening of the Seine and the breathing of the sky. Choose according to the structure, dominance and desired degree of animation.
The Argenteuil Bridge
Clear architecture, sailboats and bright blues: the best summary of the modern landscape.
See reproduction
The Poppies
A family and country scene where red accents guide the eye across the slope.
See reproductionArgenteuil from the Seine
A soft palette and a low point of view which bring the viewer into the calm of the river.
Explore Claude MonetBenchmarks checked
Official and museum sources
The practical data was checked on July 15, 2026. The museum notices make it possible to link the visit to the original works.
Titles and dates may vary slightly depending on the catalog. Visiting conditions remain subject to change during events, public holidays or exceptional closures.
Frequently asked questions
The Impressionist House in ten answers
Did Claude Monet really live in this house?
Yes. Monet, Camille and their son Jean occupied this second house in Argenteuil from 1874 to the beginning of 1878. The painter had already resided in the town since December 1871, in a first nearby residence.
Does the house keep original paintings by Monet?
The visit focuses on evocation and mediation: reproductions, films, antique furniture, documents and interactive devices. The original works linked to Argenteuil are scattered throughout major museums.
What do we see in the Impressionist House?
A three-level course dedicated to family, the transformation of Argenteuil, landscapes, regattas and the workshop boat, as well as a winter garden and a redeveloped garden.
How much time should you allow?
The average duration announced is around 1 hour 30 minutes. Add time if you wish to continue with a walk on the banks of the Seine.
What are the times in summer?
From April 1 to September 30, the house opens Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. then from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. It is closed throughout the month of August.
What's the entrance fee?
In 2026, the full price is €5, the reduced price is €3.50, with free admission for children under 12 and certain audiences upon proof.
How to get from Paris?
Take line J from Paris-Saint-Lazare to Argenteuil. The journey takes approximately 10 minutes and the house is a 2 or 3 minute walk from the station exit.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes. The course encourages opening drawers and cupboards, offers puzzles, screens and a touch easel. Workshops can also be scheduled during the holidays.
Is the house wheelchair accessible?
The official tourist site indicates an accessible entrance, possible autonomous traffic and an elevator serving the floors. It is prudent to contact the location for any specific needs.
Should you choose Argenteuil or Giverny?
Argenteuil explains the 1870s and the birth of the modern landscape in an immersive journey close to Paris. Giverny shows Monet's late world, his house and the gardens he created. The two visits complement each other.
0 comments