Nestled in the idyllic French countryside about two hours from Paris, the Town of Giverny is probably most famously known for being the residence of Claude Monet, the founder of French Impressionist painting. You can take a tour of his brightly colored house that seems to fit right in with the colorful flowers that surround it, walk in his gardens, and see the lily pond and bridge that are featured in his "Water Lilies" series of paintings.
Unfortunately it was raining when my mother and I visited Giverny, so a lot of my pictures are full of overcast skies and the tops of umbrellas, but the scenery was still gorgeous and it was a wonderful experience to have. Another wonderful experience? The Monet House gift shop! I bought two prints of Monet's kitchens (yes, he had multiple kitchens in his house) and framed them to hang in my own kitchen, as well as a unique poster of Monet's house and gardens sponsored by the Fondation Claude Monet and Academie des Beaux Arts.
After touring Monet's house and gardens, don't forget to tour the Town of Giverny, as it is delightful to walk in and filled with quaint gift shops and quintessential French cafes and bakeries. Vive le French bakeries!
My mother and I booked our excursion to Giverny the day before in Paris through a tour company whose offices are by the intersection of the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries. Another option is to pre-book a Giverny excursion before you leave for France through viator.com. Once it's finalized, you print out your email confirmation vouchers and bring them with you to the meeting spot in Paris that is listed on your vouchers; simply give the vouchers to your tour guide and away you go! Bon voyage!
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