The Boating Party Lunch at Maison Fournaise: we tried the special menu tied to the Renoir exhibition

Imagine dining inside a painting? That’s the idea behind Maison Fournaise in Chatou (78), echoing the event exhibition "Renoir and Love: The Happy Modernity (1865–1885)" at the Musée d’Orsay. On the very balcony where Renoir set up his easel in 1880 to capture his guests in full light, the restaurant is presenting until July 19, 2026 the Menu des Canotiers, reinterpreted by Christian Le Squer, the three-Michelin-starred chef.

Renoir and Love: the retrospective exhibition, a landmark event at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris — final days
When love becomes light, Renoir turns it into art. With the exhibition "Renoir et l'amour" (March 17 - July 19, 2026), the Musée d'Orsay brings together his major masterpieces for a retrospective as modern as it is tender, in collaboration with the National Gallery in London and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. [Read more]

For starters, the menu offers a choice between a delicate whitebait fry or the Canotiers’ platter (celery remoulade, smoked herring, beets and radish, and shredded Paris ham). For the mains, you can pick between pike-perch quenelles gratin with crayfish sauce or poularde with pot-au-feu vegetables in a lightly creamy sauce. The dessert wraps things up with a wine-poached pear and vanilla ice cream, or a faisselle of fromage blanc with cherries, amaretto and toasted almonds. Expect 39 € for this special menu.

The Maison Fournaise, on the Île des Impressionnistes, was founded in 1857 by Alphonse Fournaise. It quickly became the go-to spot for artists, the bourgeoisie, and boating enthusiasts. Alphonsine Fournaise looked after the painters and guests, while the Seine and the surrounding kitchen gardens dictated the menu.

Monet, Degas, Pissarro, Sisley, Berthe Morisot and Caillebotte were all drawn to these places, and Renoir painted more than a dozen canvases here, including the famous Déjeuner des Canotiers. After a long closure at the dawn of the 20th century, the house was restored and classée Monument Historique, to offer today a bright and authentic setting.

• To be read
• This week's top picks in Paris and Île-de-France for September 28 to October 4, 2026.

Before or after your visit to Orsay, hop on the RER A to Chatou-Croissy and extend the experience at the Musée Fournaise, housed just beside the house. Stroll along the banks where Renoir captured the Seine’s golden reflections, and end with a visit to the Musée de la Grenouillère in Croissy-sur-Seine.

And what if you stepped into an Impressionist painting for the duration of a meal?

Our take:

At Maison Fournaise, the "Canoeists’ Lunch" menu rides the Renoir universe and the Orsay Museum exhibition with a promise: a riverside lunch in the very setting that inspired Le Déjeuner des canotiers. Here, the experience matters as much for the venue’s atmosphere as for the plate.

The menu sticks to traditional French fare: generous portions, but not groundbreaking. The small fried perch comes in a hefty serving, though the fish was a touch overcooked on our visit, dry and a tad undersalted. More interesting is the Canotiers’ spread: celery remoulade, smoked herring, beets, radish, and torn ham, arranged as nibbles you can poke at as you wish. The herring, well-seasoned with a smoky, saline profile, leans a bit strongly for some palates, but paired with the ham it creates a bold land-and-sea pairing that stands out next to the more classic starters.

The pike quenelles baked in crayfish sauce lean into a generous approach, with two substantial quenelles and a fish-forward sauce. The chicken casserole with pot-au-feu vegetables offers a more balanced plate, featuring melt-in-the-mouth veg and well-cooked poultry.

The desserts stay in the same simple, generous vein. The wine-poached pear with vanilla ice cream pleases with its balance of freshness and sweetness and a pleasing texture mix, while the cottage cheese with cherries, amaretto, and toasted almonds remains straightforward yet hearty.

The real soul of the experience sits outside. To truly savor the moment, book a table on the open balcony by the Seine, beneath the famous red-and-white striped awning where Renoir once set up his easel. That’s where the "Canoeists’ Lunch" truly comes alive, especially in good weather. With a reasonable price for the setting, a ten-minute walk from the RER, free parking under the Chatou bridge, and a pleasant riverside stroll to cap off the meal, the spot suits a relaxed Sunday outing more than a culinary pilgrimage.

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.