Paris Day
Trip : Monet’s Giverny gardens
Day Trip to Giverny -
April/October - Tuesday/Sunday
Monet’s garden in Giverny is a class of its own. The
artist lived in Giverny from 1883 until his death in 1926, and his
garden, stretching from his house down to the river, were considered by
many of his friends to be his greatest masterpiece. He planted his
garden so that each month a different colour would dominate. Similarly,
each of the rooms, with his collection of japanese prints hung exactly
as monet left them, were decorated in different colours. The best time
to visit are May and June, where the Rhododendrons flowers round the
lily pond and the wisteria winds over the japanese bridge. But in any
month from spring to autumn you’ll be overwhelmed by the beauty of the
garden’s arrangement of shades and shapes.
Giverny is some
way out of Paris – 65 km – in the
direction of Rouen. Without a car, the easiest approach is by train to
Vernon from Paris Saint-Lazare (45mn – 3 daily). Buses meet each train
for the six kilometres ride to the garden. Alternatively, you could
rent a bike or walk. You’ll need to cross the river and turn right on
the D5. Take care as you enter Giverny to follow the left fork,
otherwise, you’ll make a long detour to reach the garden entrance.
Monet’s house and garden have spawned a couple of
expensive cafes and restaurants in the village, as well as the Musee
d’Art Americain. The display is changed annually and is taken from the
Terra Foundation for the Arts collection which represents a wide range
of
periods from american art. The main interest for a visitor to Giverny
is likely to be the american impressionist collection, which included a
few Sargents.
