Image courtesy giverny.org.
9. Claude Monet’s Gardens – Giverny, France
Step into one of Claude Monet’s famous watercolour creations with a trip to the gardens that inspired the French painters work.
Longing for the peace and quiet of the countryside, Monet, one of the founders of French Impressionist painting, moved to Giverny in the late 19th century renting a home and two acres of land for his family. He loved the spot so much he eventually bought the property from his landlord and began a lifelong project painting the lush gardens and landscapes that surrounded his home, something he continued until his death in 1926.
Monet would often paint the same scene multiple times capturing the subtle differences in light that changed throughout the seasons meaning many of Monet’s beloved landscapes are very familiar to the art lovers who follow his work.
Each spring more than 30,000 flowers bloom in Monet’s Garden, turning the slice of French countryside into a stunning and fragrant oasis filled speckled with tranquil, reflective ponds and colourful flowers. Only a short distance from Paris it’s a treat for garden and art lovers alike.
