Claude Monet lived in Giverny, a village in Normandy about an hour from Paris, from 1883 until his death in 1926. Over those decades, he turned his property into a living painting: a flower garden in front of the house, and across the road, a water garden with a pond, weeping willows, water lilies and a green Japanese bridge.
He painted that pond again and again for the rest of his life. Today, the house and gardens, run by the Fondation Claude Monet, open from spring to autumn and welcome many visitors. You can still find peace there, if you visit slowly.
Before you go
- Choose your season. Spring brings tulips, irises and wisteria; summer the water lilies in full bloom; early autumn softer light and fewer crowds. The gardens close in winter, so check the dates. - Arrive at opening time, or come late in the afternoon. The light is gentler, the paths emptier. - Book ahead if you can, so you don't spend the first hour in a queue.
How to visit slowly
1. Start in the flower garden, the Clos Normand. Walk the central path under the arches of climbing roses. Then step off it and stand in front of one bed. Monet planted by color, like a palette. Find the colors he chose to put side by side. 2. Visit the house. The yellow dining room and blue kitchen are a lesson in living with color. Look at his collection of Japanese prints on the walls. 3. Cross to the water garden. Walk once around the pond without stopping. Then find a spot, away from the bridge where everyone takes photos, and stand still for five minutes. 4. Look at the water, not the flowers. Watch the reflections of the sky, the willows, the clouds. That's what Monet was really painting. 5. Close your eyes for a minute. Listen to the water, the wind, the birds. Then open them and see the pond again, as if for the first time.
Take the garden home
Before leaving, sit on a bench and write one sentence about what you'll remember. Not the bridge, but a feeling.
A garden for your wall
If you love the idea of living with a garden's light, my Tuileries prints are a deconstructed view of the Jardin des Tuileries in spring, crisp air, blooms and bright blue sky. Each print is hand-finished, signed, and comes with a meditation letter. A little Giverny feeling, in the middle of Paris.
Remember to take as much time as you need, and meet me at the next one.
Love, Evi