It amazes me that I have spent months on end in Paris, and still, until this past trip, I had never visited Monet’s famed gardens in Giverny. It seemed like every time I wanted to go, something would always get in my way. Inclement weather, an accidental alarm-clock mishap and arriving to the station seconds after the train departed, or inopportune timing. However, it was worth the wait, because on this trip we could not have visited Giverny on a more perfect spring morning.
On the last day of our French road trip we woke up at sunrise and drove southeast from Normandy towards Paris. Halfway through our drive we took a slight detour through the charming village of Giverny, and spent the warm, sunny morning exploring Monet’s gardens. I will never forget the moment that I first laid eyes on Monet’s famed waterlilies. As a young girl, I had framed Monet prints all over my room. Those prints traveled with me through college and several moves during my early-adult life, and I would spend hours laying in bed gazing at them, dreaming about the day that I would finally visit by beloved France and see Giverny in person.
As we explored the winding gardens, I was absolutely astonished at the sheer amount of color that lay before me – from climbing roses, to perky foxgloves, to vibrant green foliage – the experience was emotionally overwhelming. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the crowds (more than I had expected!), and in order to keep them at bay, I would recommend buying your tickets in advance and visiting on a weekday either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. However, do not let that deter you. Some things as beautiful as Giverny are always going to be crowded, as they deserve to be experienced by all art-lovers across the world.
For more of my adventures in France: Provence Sunrises | Gordes in Provence | Loumarin in Provence | Fields of Poppies | The Towns of the Loire Valley | Staying in a Loire Valley Chateau | Chateau de Chenonceau | Sailing the Mediterranean | Etretat, Normady | A Chic Hotel in Normandy
Photos by Giverny wedding photographer Molly Carr Fine Art Photography | Contax 645 | Fuji 400h scanned by Richard Photo Lab
