Normandy | A French Collection

Claude Monet’s House at Giverny, France

Claude Monet's country farmhouse, with its long plain pink walls surrounded by gardens, painters studio and greenhouse in the town of Giverny in Normandy, France is simply breathtaking. Colourful, beautifully decorated and full of Monet's personal art collection, visiting his house is a highlight on any trip to France.

Claude Monet's House at Giverny

The house bequeathed by Michel Monet on his death in 1966 to the Académie des Beaux-Arts with the aim of safeguarding his memories of his father and to create a place that could be visited by his admirers, is now a place of homage for art and garden lovers and one of the major tourist attractions just outside of Paris.

Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France

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.

Villers-Bretonneux and the Australian National Memorial

Remembrance Day this year will be a special one for me after my recent visit to the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux and the Warlencourt British Cemetery in the Somme département, in France. The Australian National Memorial is located between the towns of Fouilloy and Villers-Bretonneux in the Somme département, France and it's the main memorial to Australian military personnel killed on the Western Front during World War I.

The Warlencourt British Cemetery is located in the Pas de Calais region of France and is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for military personnel who died on the Western Front during the First World War.

Remembrance Day or Armistice Day in France

Remembrance Day is a traditional memorial day which evolved out of Armistice Day and is also known as Veterans Day in the US or Poppy Day. It's an annual observance day on the 11^th day of November.

Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Veterans Day or Poppy Day?

It can be a bit confusing with the four different names but the explanation of the four names is simple enough. It is a day of honouring the war dead following the Armistice at the end of World War I. The day was initially called Armistice because the armistice was signed by the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne to end the hostilities "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month". The naming of the day was changed from Armistice Day by many countries during the Second World War to Remembrance Day (in commonwealth countries) and to Veterans Day in the US.

Château de Canon Garden – A Beautiful Garden of Normandy

Chateau de Canon Garden, Normandy, France

Château de Canon Garden - A Beautiful Garden in Normandy

Château de Canon Garden is the second garden in our Gardens of Normandy Series exploring the beautiful grounds, parks, and gardens of châteaux around the region of Normandy.

This week we take a look at Château de Canon, a special property because it has been privately owned by the same French family since it was built in the 18th Century. As a result of the family’s care and respect, the property has maintained its original design, aesthetics, and garden plan. In May 2000 , the gardens received the first prize of the Garden Art Company.

Presbytère d’Étienville – A Beautiful Garden of Normandy, France

Apple blossom in beautiful garden in Normandy, France

Presbytère d’Étienville - A Beautiful Garden of Normandy, France

Normandy (Normandie) in the north of France is one of 18 regions. It is well known for its coastline and many beautiful gardens. Covering an area of approximately 30,627 kilometres it is divided into five administrative departments. In this new series of Beautiful Gardens of Normandy, France, we will be travelling through the region exploring its gardens in more detail.

“The many great gardens of the world, of literature and poetry, of painting and music, of religion and architecture, all make the point as clear as possible: The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden. If you don't want paradise, you are not human; and if you are not human, you don't have a soul.” - Sir Thomas More, author of 16th Century seminal classic ‘Utopia’

Mont St-Michel and La Mère Poulard

La Mere Poulard Mont St Michel, Normandy 1024 x 695

Mont Saint Michel and La Mère Poulard

The Pilgrim's route or Grande Rue has been the main route winding uphill past Elise St-Pierre towards the impressive abbey gates of Mont Saint Michel since the 12th century. Now this main street is crowded with restaurants to cater to the vast number of tourists, the most famous being restaurant La Mère Poulard founded by Anne "Annette" Boutiaut. The story of this restaurant starts way back in 1888.

Annette Boutiaut - Her Story

Annette Boutiaut married Victor Poulard on January 14, 1873 and in 1888 Annette Poulard started her inn to cater for the pilgrims and increasing number of visiting tourists that arrived at all hours of the day tired, hungry and often wet. Because access to Mont Saint Michel is governed by tides, and visitors walked over the low lands and wet sands to reach the island, they arrived wet and cold. So making quick, hot nutritious food that could feed a number of people was required.

« Previous Page

Claude Monet’s House at Giverny, France

Claude Monet's House at Giverny

Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France

Claude Monet's Garden at Giverny in Normandy

Visiting Claude Monet's Garden

Villers-Bretonneux and the Australian National Memorial

Villers-Bretonneux and the Australian National Memorial

Remembrance Day or Armistice Day in France

Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Veterans Day or Poppy Day?

Château de Canon Garden – A Beautiful Garden of Normandy

Château de Canon Garden - A Beautiful Garden in Normandy

Presbytère d’Étienville – A Beautiful Garden of Normandy, France

Presbytère d’Étienville - A Beautiful Garden of Normandy, France

Mont St-Michel and La Mère Poulard

Mont Saint Michel and La Mère Poulard

Annette Boutiaut - Her Story

PRESS & MEDIA

Follow Us

GET OUR NEWSLETTERS

JOIN ME IN FRANCE ON INSTRAGRAM

afrenchcollection