Paris Giverny

Drawn to the verdant hills, woodsy haystacks, and lily-strewn Epte River, painter Claude Monet and his eight children settled in Giverny in 1883. By 1887, John Singer Sargent, Paul Cézanne, and Mary Cassatt had placed their easels beside Monet’s and turned the village into an artists’ colony. The cobblestone street that was the setting for Monet’s Wedding March is instantly recognizable. At the Fondation Claude Monet, visitors admire Monet’s cheerful home and stroll across his Japanese footbridge over a lily pad-strewn pond. In spite of tourists retracing the steps of the now-famous Impressionists (see Life and Times), Giverny retains its rustic tranquility.

Transportation: From Paris to Vernon: The SNCF runs trains regularly from Paris’s Gare St-Lazare to Vernon, the station nearest Giverny. To get to the Gare St-Lazare, take the metro to St-Lazare and follow the signs to the Grandes Lignes. From there, proceed to any ticket line marked “France,” or use an SNCF machine to avoid the lines (French credit cards only). To schedule a trip ahead of time, call the SNCF (☎08 36 35 35 35). Round trip around €24, ages 18-25 €18. From Vernon to Giverny: The fastest way to Giverny is by bus (☎08 25 07 60 27; 10min.; Tu-Su.) Buses leave every day for Giverny just a few minutes after the train arrives in Vernon, so hurry over. 4 buses per day go from Giverny to Vernon; look for the schedule inside the information office in the train station; €4 return (as many times as you want in a day). You can rent a bike (☎02 32 21 16 01) from many of the restaurants opposite the Vernon station for €10 per day, plus deposit. The 6km pedestrian and cyclist path from the Vernon station to Giverny is unmarked. It begins at the dirt road that intersects rue de la Ravine above the highway (free map at most bike rental locations). Taxis run from the train station for a flat rate: M-F €10 for up to 3 people; €11 for 4 people; sometimes more on Sa-Su and holidays.

Food

Ancien Hôtel Baudy, 81 rue Claude Monet (☎ 02 32 21 10 03, www.giverny.fr). From the Fondation, walk 500m up rue Claude Monet (when facing the Fondation, walk right). In addition to its delicious Normandy-style cuisine, this renovated hotel (once frequented by Monet, Cézanne, and Cassatt) has an exquisite terrace garden. Also on the premises is a reconstructed ivy-covered artist’s atelier. Menus €22.30. Salads €7.50-13.50. Open Apr.-Oct.Tu-Su 10am-9:30pm. MC/V.
Les Nymphéas, rue Claude Monet (☎02 32 21 20 31). Adjacent to the parking lot opposite the Fondation. After a day of roses and honeybees, visitors can decompress at Les Nymphéas, named after Monet’s famous water lilies. The building was originally part of the artist’s farm. Cuisine nouvelle-Normandie is served in an indoor terrace decorated with Toulouse-Lautrec posters. Menu €20.50, wine €3-4.50. The salade Monet (€11.50) is a masterpiece: mixed greens with mushrooms, smoked salmon, crab, tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, and avocado. Open Apr.-Oct. Tu-Su 9am-5pm. MC/V over €20.

Sights

Fondation Claude Monet. From 1883 to 1926, Claude Monet, a leader of the Impressionist movement, resided in Giverny. His home, with its thatched roof and pink, crushed brick facade, was surrounded by ponds and immense gardens, two features central to his art. Today, Monet’s house and gardens are maintained by the Fondation Claude Monet. From April to July, the gardens overflow with wild roses, hollyhocks, poppies, and fragrant honeysuckle. The Orientalist Water Gardens contain the water lilies, weeping willows, and Japanese bridge recognizable from Monet’s paintings. To avoid the rush, go early in the morning and, if possible, during the low season. Inside the house, with its big windows and pastel hues, the original decorations have been restored or recreated. Highlights include the artist’s cheerful, brimming kitchen and his collection of 18th- and 19th-century Japanese prints. The house also boasts a great view of the gardens from Monet’s bedroom window. (84, r. Claude Monet. ☎02 32 51 28 21; www.fondation-monet.com. Open Apr.-Oct. Tu-Su 9:30am-6pm, last entry 5:30pm. €5.50, students and ages 12-18 €4, ages 7-12 €3. Gardens €4.)

Musée D’Art Américain. The modern Musée d’Art Américain, near the Fondation Monet, is the sister institution of the Museum of American Art in Chicago. It houses a small number of works by American expats like Theodore Butler and John Leslie Breck, who came to Giverny to study Impressionist style. Outside the museum, a garden designed by landscape architect Mark Rudkin features an array of flowers separated by large, rectangular hedges. While not as impressive as Monet’s garden, this smaller labyrinth is worth the free visit. It affords a scenic view of Giverny Hill, the inspiration for many Impressionist œuvres . (99, r. Claude Monet. ☎02 32 51 94 65; www.maag.org. Open Apr.-Oct. Tu-Su and M holidays, 10am-6pm. €5.50; students, seniors, and teachers €4; ages 12-18 years €3; under 12 free. Free the first Su of each month. Audio guides available for €1.50.)