Giverny is a small neighbourhood in Paris with a Population of over 500 people however small but it’s a truly vibrant city where many travellers visit, as it’s filled with beautiful gardens and is also the birthplace of Father of the French Impressionist painting Claude Monet.
Claude Monet noticed the village of Giverny while looking out of a train window. He made up his mind to move there and rented a house and the area surrounding it. In 1890 he had enough money to buy the house and land outright and set out to create the magnificent gardens he wanted to paint. Some of his most famous paintings were of his garden in Giverny, famous for its rectangular Clos Normand, with archways of climbing plants entwined around colored shrubs, and the water garden, formed by a tributary to the Epte, with the Japanese bridge, the pond with the water lilies, the wisterias and the azaleas.
Monet lived in the house with its famous pink crushed brick façade from 1883 until his death in 1926. He and many members of his family are interred in the village cemetery.
Gare de Paris - Saint-Lazare [Paris · Lazare] After departing from the station and get off at Vernon station, take the shuttle bus to Giverny to depart from the station in approximately 15 minutes.
Train fare: roundtrip approximately 30 euros
Shuttle bus fare to Giverny: round trip adult 10 euro
The town of Giverny is big enough to walk around and most places can be covered if you are walking for about 30 minutes.
Claude Monet's property at Giverny (house and gardens), left by his son to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1966, became a Museum opened to public visit in 1980 after completion of large-scale restoration work: the huge Nymphea's studio was restored and the precious collection of Japanese engravings was displayed in several rooms, hung in the manner chosen by the master himself; the gardens were replanted as they once were.
The house becomes a popular tourist attraction (the Claude Monet Foundation), particularly in the summer when the flowers are in bloom.
Admission fee is 9.5 euro for adults, 5.5 euros for students under 26 years old.
A waiting time of about 20 minutes on weekdays and about 40 minutes on weekends is expected.
The other main attraction of the village is the Museum of Impressionism Giverny, dedicated to the history of impressionism and its continuation in the Giverny art colony and along the valley of the river Seine.
The Hôtel Baudy was a centre of artistic life in the Giverny heydey. It is now still a café and restaurant, with period decoration.
The biggest room in Monet's house is filled with Impressionist paintings. Luxury accessories such as antique armchairs tell us a story about the ancient tales.
Monet spent most of his time in this second-floor room with warm impressions decorated with antique furniture. If you look outside the window over his bed you would see, lush green trees and colourful flowers painting a beautiful picture, and the fragrance of light flowers sets the mood.
Gift shop
The gift shop at the entrance of the house is the space that Monet used as an atelier. You can find books, accessories, postcards etc about Monet.
Monet's house and garden
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday 9: 30-18: 00
Note: Open from March 24, 2017, to November 1, 2017. During winter when flowers do not bloom, it is closed.
Article and Photos: O'bon Paris Team
