About
Giverny is a small village in northern France, and it is best known as the place where the painter Claude Monet lived and worked. Visitors come for his house and gardens, which are the setting for many of the works that made him famous, including his water lily paintings.
What the visit is like
A trip to Giverny is a slow, garden-centred day rather than a city outing. Much of the appeal lies in walking through the grounds that Monet shaped around his home, and then seeing how those surroundings reappear in his canvases. The village itself is small and easy to explore on foot.
- Monet's house, where he lived and painted
- His gardens, the source of many of his impressionist subjects
- The village streets, which are quiet and compact
Planning your day
Giverny sits in the countryside of northern France, so it suits a day trip or an unhurried half-day rather than a long stay. Because the village is small, the main thing to plan around is the time you want to spend in the gardens, which deserve more attention than a quick pass. Wear comfortable shoes, since the grounds involve plenty of walking.
If you enjoy impressionism, the chance to see the places behind the paintings makes the journey worthwhile. If you prefer lively city life, you may find Giverny calm to the point of quiet, and that is part of its character.