Giverny
In 1883, Claude Monet rented this small house in Giverny and worked here until his death 43 years later. The house and gardens are open to the public.
From the Rick Steves' France 2005 book: "The camera threatened to make artists obsolete ... impressionism recorded each scene from the artist's impression of the scene ...impressions are often fleeting so the artist has to work quickly ... the quick style and simple subjects were ridiculed and called childish ..."
In 1883, Claude Monet rented this small house in Giverny and worked here until his death 43 years later. The house and gardens are open to the public.
Impressionists motto: "out of the studio and into the open air."
The inspiration from these gardens is obvious when viewing Monet's work in the Orsay Museum. We behaved like children scampering about the beautiful gardens taking pictures of each other.
A "must see" is the Japanese bridge and the meandering stream. A man-made estuary (certainly without the mandatory 21st century environmental permits!) made by completely rerouting an existing stream; sort of like rearranging the furniture on the porch.
The attention to detail is both interesting and intimidating to any gardener with aspirations to "get the garden organized" at some point in the future.
 
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What a delicious and beautifully presented meal! The diet Coke (with one ice cube, thank you) cost almost as much as the quiche. This was early in the trip and we had not yet put our soft drink habit aside.
