In 1883, the Impressionist painter Claude Monet sought tranquility and nature in Giverny, a sleepy village in Normandy. Over the next 43 years until his death, Monet's artistic development flourished alongside the gardens he cultivated with immense care. 

Meeting your guide at the Saint Lazare train station, your day trip begins as you hop on a regional train to the city of Vernon, where you will take a shuttlebus which will drop you off at Monet’s door. You may catch a few glimpses of wisteria or iris in bloom from the exterior, but as you enter the garden you will be hit by the diversity of plants and flowers, the smattering of color schemes and the charming garden features, such as the unmissable Japanese bridge. 

With a bit of luck, you may visit while the water lilies are in full bloom, though the garden is equally known for its en-masse plantings of irises, the romantic droop of weeping willows, or the intoxicating scent of roses scaling archways and walls. Your expert will contextualize Monet’s works at various vantage points and you will have the opportunity to enter his house, and admire, amongst other rooms, his perfectly quaint yellow and blue kitchen.  

After a short stroll through the village of Giverny, you will head back to Paris haven spent a moment gazing through the eyes of Monet and with an understanding of what drew him to spend the majority of his days in these picturesque surroundings.