Giverny

Along with painting color blobs onsite you can't go wrong doing little 2" thumbnails at such an auspicious place like Giverny.

Try to arrive at the correct train station in Paris when heading off to Giverny. Somehow I got the bright idea to go to Gare Montparnasse. Luckily there was a direct Metro line to Saint Lazare.

Monet was kind enough to draw and paint Gare Saint Lazare as a friendly reminder..

Even the little bus trip from Vernon is bucolic...

Once off the bus just follow the crowds. Don't go exploring yet. That comes later.

Do look down as you're following the gang. The road is lined with loads if iris hither and thither...

A very nice poster that explains better than anything I've seen elsewhere what were Monet's intentions.

I found myself attracted to the less formal parts of the garden...

Where planting was in process..

Looking out the windows makes you feel you're stepping into Monet's shoes...

The walls are covered with Monet's enormous and influential Japanese woodblock collection. Hokosai's cat gazes out the window...

Can you find the cat in Monet's egg yolk yellow kitchen?

Looking much like the cat in the print but now taking a nap on a peony pink poof...

It's peony season at Monet's Maison by the way. Check the flowering calendar.

I took the less traveled path by chance over the lily ponds.

There are plenty of quiet empty places no matter how many visiters...such a spacious garden.

The gift shop is spacious too but not a Monet dish towel in sight...

This book on Giverny is gorgeous by Fabrice Moireau.

And you can take home your own mini version of Monet's chat.

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Giverny

Do these blobs say Monet's Giverny to you?
I went day-tripping since the sun peeked out today and it is just 45 minutes away by train (stop Vernon at Gare Saint Lazar - look for track 22).

It's so close I think I'll go again to get my blob colors right. The Navette is conveniently waiting when you get off the train (8€ round trip). Another 15-20 minutes and boom you're there.

Again I'd suggest going on a weekday and bring a nice picnic. Officially you're not meant to eat on the grounds but if you're discrete and mind you're manners ahem...

You'll hear every language spoken under the sun but no one can top the birds singing. It's quite serene...

Here's my attempt at capturing 'en pleine aire' a bit of Giverny. Pronounce that Gee-vern-E please. G as in George not Give-vern-E.

A closeup of my painting setup since some of you asked. There were tons of French school children visiting. One of them passed by and said,

"Tres bien Madame!" Everyone giggled.

Shall we go inside Monet's house?

I can't resist these old photographs. They capture so much words can't...

Monet's painting atelier...

Et voila, voila...

The views out the house windows are spectacularly gorgeous

Don't forget to take a look.

Of course you're not to take photos inside the house.

I got yelled at by the American docent (quite loudly I might add). I think she was trying to make an example of me but she was barking up the wrong tree. I am on a mission and can't be stopped unless threatened with bodily harm.

Of course I found some ice cream,

Though I doubt very much it was 'home made'. The so-called 'Mango' was really vanilla. We won't go into what the pink stuff was but hey as long as it says ice cream it's OK with me.

More Giverny to come soon!

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