I’ve been a frequent visitor over the years to Monet’s gardens at his home and studio in the Normandy village of Giverny; from spring to fall, it’s a changing mirror of the seasons, laid out as Monet meant to paint them.
So, no surprise that last summer, arriving in Paris with hours before I could move into my lodging, I took the train to Vernon, the nearest station to the tiny village of Giverny—I was looking forward to a pleasant visit, lunch and back to Paris to settle in.
Word of advice: Don’t pick a warm August morning the day after the Olympics. The usual quiet walk into the village and to the Fondation Claude Monet led to an unusually crowded street and lines stretching out to an estimated two to two-and-a-half hours for entry.
Under the circumstances, a different plan for the day started to make sense… a brief visit with the Green Man who was clearly benefiting from the size of the crowds; he told me that for several days the crowds had begun arriving even before the gardens opened. Hopefully, my visit later this month will be more successful!
