Van Gogh painting along the Seine

Asnières was such a village. Easily accessible by train, day trippers went there to picnic on the banks of the river and on the island of La Grande Jatte. People rowed, swam and sauntered. Ladies strolled with their parasols and gentlemen sat by the water with top hats and fishing rods. There were many café-restaurants. It was the place to dance and dine.

For painters, the area was especially attractive because of its contradictions: the tourists who were having a day out and the encroaching industrialisation.

Van Gogh and the others

At the time, Van Gogh lived at 54 Rue Lepic, in the Montmartre district. It was a 5-km walk 5 kilometres to Asnières, and from early May to late July 1887, Van Gogh walked the route daily to paint there. He made about 40 paintings there.

But the painters Seurat, Monet, Signac, Angrand and Barnard could also be found there during this period.

Walk from Rue Lepic to La Grande Jatte

The stroll from Van Gogh's residence to La Grande Jatte island may not be as attractive today as it was in 1887. You can choose from several routes at Google Maps. Some run along major roads where cars speed by. You reach the island via the Courbevoie bridge. The walk takes about 1.5 hours.

Although it is a lovely thought that you are walking in the painter's footsteps, the view is nothing like the scenic route of yesteryear. A positive however, is that you will see streets in Paris where you would never have otherwise gone to and you will get some exercise.

Parcours Impressionniste: treasure hunt along the Seine

Along the Seine and on the island of La Grande Jatte, you will see many signs at locations where a painter had set up his easel in the late 19th century. The sign includes a picture of the painting and some interesting background information.

On each panel, you will also see a map showing the other paint spots. It is a real treasure hunt to discover them all.

A weekend away to Asnières-sur-Seine

Want to see Paris from a completely different angle? Then visit 'the village' of Asnières-sur-Seine. The atmosphere there is very different from the centre of Paris: it is not so crowded, the buildings are lower and you will notice that there are a lot of schoolchildren playing on the streets.

There is a genuine chateau, a town hall with a Saturday market and a boules course. It is easily accessible by metro, bus and train. You can also find cheaper accommodation than in the centre of Paris!

What else is there to see?

1. On the island of La Grande Jatte, you will find Maison de la Pêche et de la Nature. A museum for novice fishermen. Here, you can see the underwater life of the fish swimming in the Seine at the aquarium. And are you a carp lover? You can pet them here.
2. You can take a nice walk on the island. There is a path along the Seine and there are parks where you can definitely spend a pleasant Sunday afternoon.
3. The animal cemetery along the Seine is a special place. It dates from 1899 and 'famous' animals such as the film dog Rintintin are buried there. Pets of famous people such as Saint-Saëns' are also buried there. Besides dogs, other animals buried there including turtles, monkeys, mice and horses.
   The cemetery is still used today. You can enter after paying a small entrance fee in cash.

Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam

The museum celebrated its 50th anniversary with three wonderful exhibitions. The latest 'Van Gogh on the Seine' could be seen until 14 January 2024.

The exhibition catalogue includes many postcards of the area from around 1900. It gives a nice impression of the rising industrialisation and villages lining the river.

_{Vincent van Gogh,Bridges over the Seine bij Asnières, 1887, Van Gogh Museum}