Giverny

Since it finally decided to stop raining, I went to Giverny to see Claude Monet's house and gardens (http://www.fondation-monet.com/). Monet sort of retired to this village and it is where he painted many of his famous paintings. It is about a 2 hour train ride from Paris and definitely worth the journey. I wouldn't advising vacationing there as there is nothing much to do, but a visit is definitely in order if you visit Paris in the spring.

The house itself is not really worth visiting; it is just an old home, but the gardens...I have never seen anything like them. No wonder the man was inspired to paint. I was inspired to paint and I don't have an artistic bone in my body. There are flowers in the garden I have never seen before and the layout is fantastic!

The great thing about the gardens is that Monet's paintings are actually visual in the scenery. You can walk over the Japanese bridge, take pictures of the water lilies and see his little boats. There are a lot of tourists from all over the world, but not the normal brand of tourists. Most of the people I met there were either art or flower lovers.


Monet's gardens aren't the only reason to visit Giverny. There is also an American art museum which showcases art from American's who lived or studied in Europe. The layout is really interesting and after seeing the American artists next to the French artists, it is clear the American artists were greatly influenced by French Impressionists.