Meet your local guide for a walking tour of the village of Giverny and enjoy skip-the-line access to Claude Monet’s gardens and house.
Claude Monet’s house in Giverny is a must for any modern art history enthusiast, or anyone who simply enjoys beautiful surroundings. Your tour guide will tell you the story of Monet’s life and how he led the Impressionist movement from 1883 to 1926. In Giverny, he was joined by artists like John Singer Sargent, Paul Cézanne, and Mary Cassatt.
By 1887, the sleepy little village found itself somewhat of an artists’ colony. Monet’s thatched roofed house with its pink facade is surrounded by enchanting ponds and magnificent gardens, two of the central features of his paintings. Wandering through the village of Giverny, as well as Monet’s house and gardens, is like stepping inside one of Monet's paintings. The cobblestone street featured in Claude Monet's “Wedding March” has remained practically unchanged since the artist depicted it with his master brushstrokes. The same goes for the Japanese footbridge that crosses over a pond decorated with luscious lilies.
Today, Monet’s house and gardens are maintained by the Foundation Claude Monet. The gardens are enchanting; from April to October, they overflow with wild roses, hollyhocks, poppies, and fragrant honeysuckle. The water lilies, weeping willows, and Japanese bridge in the Oriental Water Gardens are instantly recognizable from his classic paintings. The artist’s house features a cheerful and lively kitchen, as well as Monet's collection of 18th and 19th century Japanese prints. In the village, visitors can pay their respects to the great painter, whose grave is in the cemetery of Giverny's church.
