Paris paintings come to Australia

Art lovers in Australasia can treat themselves to an exhibition of 85 paintings by Europe's masters.

While the Musee de l'Orangerie in Paris gets a facelift, its prized paintings by artists such as Monet, Cezanne, Matisse, Renoir and Picasso are on a world tour and three of Australia's art galleries are on the itinerary.

The Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane is first in line to host the exhibition, which opens on March 29.

From June 1 to July 29, the works go on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, and then at Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria on Russell from August 10 to September 30.