11.18.08
A Visit to Monet’s Gardens
Planning a trip to Paris…trying to figure out which day trips to work into your visit? If it is May or early June, the choice is made for you; you must see Monet’s gardens and home in Giverny. Claude Monet, the Impressionist painter, drew inspiration for his paintings from his two-acre water lily garden and almost three acres of flowers. Carefully planned to give a beautiful show as the seasons change, the gardens are one of Monet’s greatest works of art.
The gardens are open from April 1st to October 31st from 9:30am – 6:00pm everyday except most Mondays. I have visited Giverny in late May and in early June, both of which were absolutely breathtaking. My pictures of the roses and the peonies in full bloom will keep the memories fresh. When I visited Giverny in October, the look was completely different with the gardens overgrown in autumn colors. You might enjoy going to the web site to see what is in bloom each month:
www.Giverny.org/gardens/fcm/calendar.htm
The gardens are spectacular! Don’t forget to bring your camera. Every area seems to have its own delights from the arched walkways filled with flowers, to the fruit trees, and on to the water lily pond. Monet’s home is also charming and gives unique insights into the artist.
Make sure you save time for a visit to the gift shop. Gardeners will especially enjoy the books that describe Monet’s planning for all of the seasonal blooms. The one I purchased was Monet’s Passion, which details how you can bring Giverny home. What an inspiring thought!