Claude Monet's Hometown - What to See and Do
Giverny in the northwest region of Normandy is well known as the hometown of Impressionist artist Claude Monet (1840 - 1926) but the picturesque village has more to explore than just Claude Monet's House and Garden complex. Read more as I discover what to see and do in Giverny.
Monet In Giverny
Monet's attachment to the village of Giverny started after signing a rental agreement for his pink maison (home) on 3 May 1883, and then after buying the house, moving in with Alice in 1890. They lived in this house and village with the two children from Monet and Camille's marriage and the six children from Alice and Ernest's marriage for the rest of their lives as a blended family.
The village was originally divided by a railway line that went along what is now called Chemin du Roy. Chemin du Roy divides Monet's two gardens and is now a narrow laneway for cars. Giverny encompasses Monet's garden and home but also has many other attractions to offer for the visitor.
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Top Things To Do In Giverny, France
1. Visit Claude Monet's House and Garden
The Foundation Claude Monet operates Claude Monet's house and two gardens, The Clos Normand and The Water Garden and opens them to the public from April to October each year. Visiting the gardens and the house is the reason many people go to Giverny and it's definitely the number one draw card for this sweet village. Being only an hour and a half drive from Paris, or a short train and connecting coach trip, it is a popular add-on to many tourists' stay in the 'City of Light'.
This site is where Monet lived, raised his family and painted from 1883 until his death in 1926. Our comprehensive posts with everything you'd want to know and gorgeous photos, can be read here on Claude Monet's Garden and Claude Monet's House.
Useful Information
- Monet's house and garden address: 84 Rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny, France
- Foundation Claude Monet website: http://fondation-monet.com/
Claude Monet's grave, Giverny
2. Visit Claude Monet's Grave
If you wish to pay your respects to Claude Monet, then you might like to visit his grave at Sainte Radegonde's Church which is on rue Claude Monet only 900 metres from his house. As you leave Monet's house, turn left down the main street (rue Claude Monet). Pass the Musée des Impressionismes, Terra Café, studios, and shops. After ten or fifteen minutes you'll arrive at Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny (built in the 15th and 16th centuries), and the church that Monet attended.
Behind the church you'll find the Monet family grave. It has a white marble cross and if you read closely you'll see Monet's stone is at the centre one. The translation of the stone is: "Here lies our beloved Claude Monet, born 14 November 1840, died 5 December 1926; missed by all".
The gravestone and grave are beautifully cared for with plants and flowers caressing the famous family's last resting place - a truly historical place.
3. Visit the Museum of Natural Mechanics
The exceptional museum houses a collection of both industrial and farming vehicle engines which three brothers, all three of them mechanics, have been restoring since 1966 and who all share the same passion: bringing machines back to life. A collection of hydraulic machines which have been brought from the four corners of the world (the United States, France, Poland and England amongst others) are exhibited here and have been restored into complete working order.
From motor pumps to farm vehicle engines you would think have come straight out of the film Modern Times as well as some craftsmen’s machines such as an 1824 veneering wood saw which can cut precious wood into fine layers to the nearest tenth of a millimetre! The ‘Le Moteur est dans le Pré’ exhibition, (‘Engines and Happiness are in the Field’), is held here the first week-end in September.
Useful Information
- Musée de la Méchanique Naturelle address: 2, rue Blanche Hoschédé Monet, 27620 Giverny
Museum of Impressionisms, Giverny
4. Visit the Museum of Impressionisms Giverny
The modern Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny is striking and sits in a beautifully designed garden of its own. The permanent collection which covers Monet’s influence on his contemporaries is a small one but the annual exhibitions are excellent and varied.
The formal garden beds and path layout suits the modern lines of the museum and it's another good reason to visit Giverny.
Giverny boutiques and shops are full of beautiful things to buy and take home
5. Explore Modern Artists Studios and Shop the Boutiques
Giverny is still a popular place for artists who reside in the area and they showcase their work in the small galleries and studios in the village. Painting and photograph sessions are run by Art Colony Giverny for modern day budding artists and is based at Les Moulin des Chennevieres, a local B&B.
If you love a spot of shopping or a coffee amongst the flowers, then the boutiques and cafes of Giverny are waiting for you. Sweet and nestled between vine covered buildings and private flowering private plots, these businesses welcome tourists with their art inspired products.
Useful information
- Moulin des Chennevieres address: 34 Chemin du Roy, 27620 Giverny, France
Hotel Baudy, Giverny
6. Eat at Restaurant Baudy
Restaurant Baudy in 1886 was a refreshment bar owned by Angelina and Gasto Baudy which became a hotel, almost by accident, loved and frequented by artists of the day including Renoir, Rodin, Sisley and Pissaro. It’s popularity with artists started when American painter William Metcalf first visited Restaurant Baudy, and then returned a few days later with some of his painter friends to enjoy the peaceful and charming village of Giverny.
On this visit they found out that Claude Monet lived just down the road and from then on these painters and many more came to the village by train. Offering accommodation and food at a reasonable price and workshops in the garden, Angelina and Gasto Baudy turned their restaurant into a hotel. Because of the large number of American painters that stayed at Hotel Baudy, it was sometimes referred to as the Hotel of American painters.
It is now functioning as a restaurant again and is only 5 minutes from Monet's house and garden complex and with a reasonably priced menu and indoor and outdoor seating it's a nice place to sit and ponder. The outdoor dining garden is particularly delightful in summer. Who knows, you may be inspired to pick up a paint brush and get creative yourself.
Useful Information
- Restaurant Baudy address: 81 Rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny
- Website for menu and opening times: https://www.restaurantbaudy.com/
Main street of Giverny
Giverny - What To See and Do
So you can see that the sweet village of Giverny has more to enjoy that just the gardens and home of Monet, and for me I loved taking the time to sit quietly and enjoy the sound of bees and birds while eating an ice-cream one spring afternoon. I hope you also enjoy Giverny, the hometown of Claude Monet when you next visit France.
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