Claude Monet's Garden at Giverny in Normandy
"At Giverny, Monet created an ideal home for his family, a haven protected from the outside world and surrounded by the countryside that he loved. But this was also where he gained recognition as a major artist after years of rejection." - Adrien Goetz
Visiting Claude Monet's Garden
Visiting Claude Monet's Garden at Giverny in the region of Normandy, France is always a surreal experience for me and something I seriously recommend you try and do at least once. The house and gardens are where Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. The gardens change with the seasons and sometimes the best season to visit is hotly debated, but I suggest you take the chance to visit Monet's Garden whenever you can - it will not disappoint.
At any time of the year wandering around the petite garden paths amongst the vibrant rainbow coloured flowers is like stepping into his paintings. I hope you enjoy my photos as I try and show you something a little different than what you may have already seen photographed in this garden.
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Maison & Jardins de Claude Monet by Foundation Claude Monet
You might be visiting the Maison & Jardins de Claude Monet (operated by Foundation Claude Monet) for the two famous gardens, The Clos Normand or The Water Garden, or to see Monet's house. Either way the added bonus of the other makes this an absolute must see if you're in Normandy or even Paris. Being only an hour and a half drive out of Paris it's an easy half day trip by train, hire car or the popular option of guided coach trip with any number of Parisian tour operators.
The site is described as "Walking into a Work of Art" by the Foundation Claude Monet and comprises of Monet's two gardens: The Clos Normand - the former orchard and first garden; The Water Garden - Monet's masterpiece; The Water Lilies Studio and Monet's House - a house in the country for painting en plein air (painting outside).
This week's article focuses on the two gardens, next week's article will focus on the former home of the artist and finally in our third article we'll shine the spotlight on the darling village of Giverny and share what to see and do to make your visit to this town complete.
Monet's House and Garden Open April to October
Monet's house and gardens are open to the public from April (my favourite time to visit with the gardens bursting with intensely coloured tulips, which are also Monet's favourite flowers) to October each year. Over 500,000 people visit the town of Giverny during this opening period with summer being the busiest season.
Many plants that now grow throughout the year in the garden are chosen for their authenticity. Lists of the plants Monet liked to grow, a study of his paintings and research into the book written by Monet's son have all contributed to the authentic planting of both gardens.
The Clos Normand - Former Orchard and First Garden
Strolling the paths among the geometrically planned formal garden beds of the Clos Normand garden you can see the Monet style of flower gardening, that is, squares of different colours carefully aligned like paintings on a wall. Perennials and annuals bordered by irises and dahlias gave constant colour and he loved to capture this colour by painting from nature whenever the weather permitted. He used his indoor studios when weather forced him to and the large studio he had built to paint his Water Lilies, now serves as a gift store.
The Close Normand garden surrounds the family farmhouse on three sides and was originally more orchard and vegetable patch than flower garden. The garden supported the family in the early years but as Monet became more wealthy, he was able to turn the vegetable plots into flower gardens, and eventually employ staff to assist. Monet truely felt Giverny was his own creation made from his own hands and told the writer Marc Elder -
"I bought the house, and little by little I enlarged it. My drawing room was originally the barn ... In the garden we all set to: I would dig, plant and hoe and in the evening, the children would water. As things improved, so I expanded. One day I managed to cross the road and start work on this garden [the water garden and lily pond]."
Strolling this garden amongst the flying insects, chatter of visitors and clucking of resident Japanese hens from the garden's henhouse it is easy to see why Monet loved his garden so much. He did not see it as merely a fashionable flower garden filled with rare species, but rather a painting, becoming a 'transposition of art'.
The Water Garden - A Monet Masterpiece
From Clos Normandy Garden and across Route departementale (Chemin du Roy), where the old railway ran is Monet's other garden - the Water Garden. The train ran along this line for 10 years after Monet moved into his house (1883) and when it was closed down he then bought the plot of land that became the water garden.
Monet created his water garden by diverting a branch of the River Epte after overcoming the objections of landowners along the riverbanks who fearing getting 'their' water poisoned by exotic plant species. Monet had to obtain special permission from the prefect of the department before works could commence.
This garden is famous for its water lilies, weeping willows and green painted Japanese Bridge. Monet deliberately didn't paint his bridge red, as they are in Japan, as he wanted to respect Japanese tradition and so rather chose green. As you walk the winding path around the series of lakes and gaze at the water lilies, reflection of clouds on the water surface and perfectly placed bridges you'll see why Monet was so obsessed with his water garden and painted it so many times.
Monet painted more than 250 water lily paintings some of which now hang in Musée de l'Orangerie, Musée Marmottan Monet, Musée d'Orsay and Musée Municipal A.G. Poulain.
Monet loved his water garden creation and is quoted "Then suddenly I had a revelation, and I saw all the enchantments of my pond. I took up my palette ... Since then I've hardly painted anything else."
Useful Information on Foundation Claude Monet
Foundation Claude Monet operates the Maison et Jardins de Claude Monet at 84 rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny, France and is open every day from 9.30am to 6pm from 22 March to 1 November. www.claude-monet-giverny.fr
Access by car: Paris A13, exit 14 Giverny via Vernon, 87 km.
Access by train: SNCF line Paris - Rouen (Saint Lazare station, Paris), get off at the Vernon-Giverny station. Shuttles available between the Vernon station and the Foundation Claude Monet.
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