Monet's Garden

Visiting Monet? 
I have one major piece of advice, and one major piece of advice only. Pick your season well.

This visit was taken in mid-September, and luckily for us, the sun was still shining down on the little village of Giverny, where Monet used to live.

How do I get there?
From Paris’ train station Gare Saint-Lazare, you take a train to Vernon. (It takes roughly 45 minutes to get there. And costs just under 30 euros return.) Once you’re at Vernon, you can catch a bus that takes approx. 20 minutes to get you to Giverny for 8 euros return fare.

Once you arrive in Giverny, it is a simple walk from the car park to the village centre where you can visit where the main man used to live and his garden. I hadn’t really given much thought to his house beforehand (but it was beautiful and worth the time weaving up and down his spiral stairs.) Decorated so beautifully, and in a way (that when you think about it) makes sense to the man you’d imagine Monet to be. But his garden. His garden is the true brilliance here.

Monet’s Money Making Garden?
As I’m getting older (such wisdom follows me) I’m finding myself appreciating gardens and landscaping much more than before. His garden was a mixture of colour, vibrancy and such amazing smells. If I could have bottled it, and taken it home I would have. There were so many butterflies. There were so many bees. (There were quite a few people as well, but not too many.)

There are different parts to the garden, and perhaps the most famous, is his water garden, where his bridge and famous water lilies live.

The cost to see his house and gardens is not too much, 5.50 euros if you’re a student, and under 10 if you’re full adult price.

What else is there?
Once you’re in Giverny, you can also visit Monet’s grave or go to the Impressionist Museum that they have.

Final thoughts?
Overall, it was a lovely day, a little pricey once all travel and tickets were added together, but a place that was definitely worth visiting – and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

(On last thing: if you plan on going, and don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on food, definitely take a picnic. Or at least some snacks.)