Giverny: Claude Monet’s Home and Gardens

Our last day in France was probably the most colorful and whimsical of our entire trip!  Like the beautiful pictures that Jane Austen painted for us in story, Claude Monet gave us on painted canvases.  And it’s no wonder the place he made his home is a colorful masterpiece in itself.  Only about a 45 minute train ride from Paris, the village of Giverny is where you’ll find Monet’s House and Gardens.  From the station, there are several shuttle buses waiting to transport tourists to the home.  Reserved ticketed entrance is required so visit their site HERE for more info.

We arrived early for the first entrance time of the day, and immediately realized we were in an amazing and unique place.

The garden path runs the perimeter of the property and is buzzing with bees and gardeners tending to the thousands of blooms of varying heights and hues.

There are borders and arches and bushes and trees along the walk, and slowly the plants begin to allow a glimpse of the house so fitting to a garden like this.

When you finally take in the full house in its vibrant pink and green, it’s apparent it was home to someone with masterful appreciation of color.

Stepping inside to explore the rooms is like immersing yourself in an artist’s palette.  The rooms are carefully decorated in the same style and furnishings as they were when Monet lived there in the late 1800s to early 1900s.  The paintings are expert replicas of his works.

The colors and furnishings in each room are so much to take in, and the mix of patterns and prints surprisingly come together as one cohesive work.

There is an extensive collection of Japanese drawings that are Monet originals, which were another surprise element.

The kitchen was amazingly tiled in blue and white with copper pots gleaming amidst the blue painted cabinets and walls.

A short walk from the house and flower gardens is the water lily pond, which inspired his famous water lilies paintings.

After our tour of the home and gardens, we strolled down the street and had lunch and dessert in the village.  There is the Museum of Impressionism and other galleries and shops to see as well,

We absolutely loved our visit to Giverny and definitely would do it again and recommend it if you are planning a trip to France.  This was a perfect final chapter to our England and France literary and arts tour!  If you missed previous posts on the rest of our itinerary, click on the previous posts button below or HERE to see posts on our trips to Europe!  I hope this has been helpful and inspiring as you plan and dream about your travels.