A Visit to Giverny, France

Now why does that name sound familiar…is that what you are thinking?

Some clues: Giverny (Jzee-VAIR-nie)  is a small community north west of Paris.

Not helpful?

Okay. think French Impressionist painters.

Specifically , think Claude Monet and scenes like this.

 

Well, do those clues help? You are correct is you have figured out that Giverny was the rural home of famous impressionist painter Claude Monet.

Hint: you can click on any photo to enlarge it.

Getting there: We took a train from Paris (Gare Saint Lazare) to Vernon. There we boarded a specially marked bus (La Navette Giverny) that was waiting just outside the station. For 8 euro per person (round trip) we rode this bus the 20 minutes or so through the lovely town of Vernon, over the Seine, and out into the countryside and Giverny. We are dropped off at a bus parking area about 200 meters from the gardens.

Your entrance ticket (cost us 19 euros for two seniors) allows you to explore the gardens and visit Monet’s house.

As you (and hundreds of other tourists) wander the paths, your focus shifts back and forth… close up focus to admire individual flowers and wide focus to get overall views. I realize this is what eyes normally do, but here it takes on a slightly different intensity.

For example, look again at the first photo on this page. Enlarge it (by clicking on photo).

Is this a photo of one of Monet’s paintings or is it a photo we took of the real garden? There is a different texture to the plants in the background. Is it the light? Is it the colour palate? Or did Monet’s paint brush create this impression?

(Answer …this is a photo we took that day in the gardens.)

The highlight of the garden tour (for me) the Water Lily Pond (Etang des Nympheas) was across the road.

Those familiar with some of Monet’s painting will delight in standing/sitting in the same spot Monet might have been seated when he painted a specific scene. Recognize this one?

One is also able to walk through Monet’s house which has been kept just like it was when he lived there. No photos are allowed…so how did we get this photo?

No, we did not take an illegal photo inside the house!

This is a photo of a large diorama that we saw in the gift shop.

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