You can really get a sense of the lively atmosphere of the 19^th century’s famous guinguette, or dancehall restaurants, through a collection of paintings and documentaries on the area’s history, and the golden age of the banks of the River Seine.  

This is also where you’ll find the renown Fournaise restaurant (in the same building) which provided the setting for the world-famous Déjeuner des Canotiers.

Since the middle of the 19^th century, boating has been the favourite leisure pursuit of Parisians wanting to escape from the stresses of city life.

In 1857, Monsieur Fournaise, a boat carpenter, set up his workshop on the Ile de Chatou, while his wife opened a restaurant nearby.  The Ile de Chatou, and the Maison Fournaise in particular, very quickly became the favourite meeting-place not just for the Impressionists, but for many artists, academics and politicians.

From 1868 to 1884, Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a regular patron of the Restaurant Fournaise, where he found his inspiration.

One of his paintings, globally acknowledged as the masterpiece of Impressionism, depicts one of the everyday scenes which took place at the Maison Fournaise.

 

The Maison Fournaise has been the home of the Fournaise Restaurant since 1900, which restored a number of frescos made by Impressionist caricaturists.

It houses a rich collection of paintings and documentaries, and also features outstanding temporary exhibitions which focus on an artist with a connection to the Seine or a specific theme.