Grez-sur-Loing was the scene of intense artistic activity starting in 1860. Artists flocked here from all over Europe and even Japan, including Seiki Kuroda, the forerunner of Japanese modern painting, who lived in Grez for two years. They enjoyed leaving their Paris studios behind to paint "from nature", working outdoors on the banks of the Loing or in the narrow medieval streets. Remains of the fortified village – Ganne Tower (the keep), the Old Bridge, church, and narrow streets, which have preserved their quaint charm – can still be seen today. Visitors must not miss the two wash-houses and nineteenth-century garden painted by Corot before a charming promenade on the banks of the Loing below.