G is for Giverny

November 7, 2023 /

Giverny is the village where Impressionist painter Claude Monet built his beautiful gardens, which he painted over and over again.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see these lovely gardens twice, first in early June of 2018, and then again in late September of 2022. It was lovely to see the difference in flowers, between late spring and late summer. The first 3 pictures above are from my 2022 visit, and the bottom 3 are from 2018.

Here I am last September in Paris, at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, which in addition to these huge paintings of his water lilies also houses a lovely collection of impressionist art. Not huge like some other museums, perfect for an hour or two.

Are there any art/garden fans out there? A few years ago I saw a show with British Gardener, Monty Don, where he visits several French gardens that inspired artists or would be considered art on their own. He visited Monet’s gardens in Giverny, Cezanne’s home in Aix, Villa Noailles (a garden based on cubism), as well as a couple of others, plus some vertical gardens in Paris. It’s really lovely. I saw it on Netflix, but it’s no longer there. You can watch it here if you’re interested and have the time, it’s about an hour. I find it relaxing and absolutely love it. Perfect with a cup of tea or a glass of wine.

26 Comments

  • Elisabeth

    November 7, 2023 at 5:32 am

    Oh, J. This post is delights my hearts. The Musée de l’Orangerie was one of my absolute favourite experiences in Paris and we LOVE Monet and this pictures are just gorgeous. I now MUST VISIT Giverney.

    My husband and I love art and have been fortunate enough to see Monets in galleries around the world. Van Gogh is our favourite (though I think he’s considered post-impressionist), but there is something so relaxing and timeless about Monets pieces. I could look at pictures from Giverney all day long.

    Loved this!!! And now I’m feeling inspired to do some short travel recaps from our Paris trip. It was back in 2019 before I started blogging, but I’d love to hop back into that “world” and have an excuse to look at all the pretty pictures again!

    • J

      November 7, 2023 at 5:53 am

      Elisabeth, DO IT! I would love to see your photos! Van Gogh was so amazing, wasn’t he? I think he and Monet are two of my very favorite artists (though I am also very fond of Cezanne)

      I think I’d really like to see Giverny in April…GOALS.

      I am so glad that we went to the Musée de l’Orangerie. We went for the Water Lilies, but it was overall just a beautiful museum.

  • Tobia | craftaliciousme

    November 7, 2023 at 7:59 am

    I love it. I honestly didnt know that Monet had been painting his own garden over and over again. But I sure know is work. While he isn’t my favote (my heart belongs to Paul Klee) he sure is one of the ones I appreciate a lot.

    When I was in France we were in Arles and I learned that van Gogh was down there when he started painting his night skies and that he cut of his ear down in Arles.

    I have not seen that particular musuem im France but if I ever go back I’ll put it on my list.

    I hope to visit a Edward Munch exhibit here in Berlin with a friend soon.

    • J

      November 7, 2023 at 8:06 am

      Van Gogh’s illness is tragic, isn’t it? I think it was in Paris that I learned that he painted some of his most famous work in the asylum. I love Klee and Munch as well.

  • Margaret

    November 7, 2023 at 8:31 am

    I love both art and gardens although I didn’t use to enjoy gardens or flowers as much as I do now. A positive of age? You look 30 years old in that photo!

    • J

      November 7, 2023 at 8:42 am

      Margaret, you might really enjoy the video I linked to. It’s lovely. And thank you for the compliment, it’s definitely the lighting!

  • Jenny

    November 7, 2023 at 9:30 am

    Sooooo beautiful! I went to the Musee de l’Orangerie years ago when I was in Paris. But I’ve never been to Giverny. I love your photos! The video you mentioned sounds interesting- a garden based on cubism? Cool.

    • J

      November 7, 2023 at 10:28 am

      I think Giverny is worth the time for a day trip from Paris, depending on how much time a person has of course. Both times we were on our way somewhere else in addition, though my step-mom was in Paris back in April, and they booked a tour that picked them up at their hotel and drove them, and they LOVED it.

  • Suzanne

    November 7, 2023 at 11:38 am

    Love the photos! And I love Monet. I was fortunate enough to visit Giverny when I was eight, but I was a little young so my memories are fuzzy. I did buy a picture book in the gift shop called Linnea’s Garden, and I love it to this day. (My daughter doesn’t love it as much as I do.)

    • J

      November 7, 2023 at 1:00 pm

      Suzanne, perhaps your daughter will love the book more after she’s seen the gardens for herself. 😉 I think you’re due for a return visit anyway!

  • Ernie

    November 7, 2023 at 3:28 pm

    These photos are amazing. I particularly love the one in the center with the arches and the sky. We visited Butchart Garden on Vancouver Island in 2019 and it was so beautiful. You are quite the traveler.

    • J

      November 7, 2023 at 6:29 pm

      Ernie, I am mostly a mental traveler, but have been fortunate to take a couple of lovely trips over the last several years. We were supposed to go to Vancouver Island in 2020, but I’ll bet you can guess what happend to that trip…

    • J

      November 7, 2023 at 6:30 pm

      Thanks San! I know, so fortunate. When I went with my cousin in 2022, I was really happy to be able to show her the beauty of it.

  • Tierney

    November 7, 2023 at 9:48 pm

    These pictures are lovely. I love art and gardens, although I can’t think of any pairings off the top of my head. I love your travel posts.

  • Daria

    November 8, 2023 at 1:38 pm

    How lovely!!! The video is like a meditation for me. So relaxing, so calm. I saved in in my list on Google keep. Thank you for your post!