Giverny
DM
to get there etc would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jack
Take the A 13 from Paris get off the autostrade at Vernon (70 km) and
you will come to Giverny.
By train you start from the gare Saint-Lazare Paris and take the main
line Paris / Rouen / Le Havre. Get off at Vernon station (which has
not change much since Monet painted it). The fastest trains complete
the journey in less than 45 mn.
Beware!! The house of Monet is closed in the winter!! To be more
precise from Oct 31 to April 1. Be aware of that before scheduling a
day trip to Giverny!
Start the visit of the village as it should be: it's a village, so
let's try to get you in the atmosphere.
Charming village rising gradually on a sweet slope at the shores of
the Seine. Monet contributed of course a lot to its glory when he
decided to settle down here in 1883 until his death in 1926. He rests
in the parochial cemetery. And it's under Monet's impulsion that a lot
of artists (of which numerous Americans) came to Giverny.
Today, outside the house of Monet and its gardens, and you have to
visit also the "Musee Americain".
THE FONDATION CLAUDE MONET (House of Monet). Tel 0232512821. Open from
April 1 to October 31. Closed on Mondays (except on festive days).
The house and gardens of Monet were returned to their original aspect,
but it would be honest to warn the Monet lovers that not one original
work of the master is to see in this house. People come only to
observe the life cadre and especially to admire the superb flourished
garden of the master who diverted the waters of the river Epte to
water its Japanese little universe.The garden in front of the house is
dazzling with colors. The pond with the nenuphars, located at the
other side of the road, is accessible by an underground passage in the
garden. I guarantee you deep emotion when it's the water-lillies
season! In Monet's time, the spot was much more romantic because only
a dirt road and a railway (trains passed very rarely) separated the
garden from the famous water surface. It's of course at this place
that he painted his "Nympheas".
Without the colors explosion of the garden, the visit loses a lot of
its interest. Maybe that's why they close it for 5 months.
The house is touching due to it's moving simplicity. Notice the
beautiful yellow sparkling dining room and the kitchens dressed in
azulejos. Besides the furnishing, you can see superb Japanese prints,
personal collection of Claude Monet. Marvelous!! The atelier houses
the boutique of the foundation.
THE MUSEE AMERICAIN opened in 1992, founded by the creator of the
American Art museum of Chicago. One could fear now that the Americans
would land in Giverny with their heavy pointed boots, pulling the
sheet towards them. Surprise!!! Absolutely not! Now here is a modern
museum, with sober and discreet lines, in white stone, hidden in a
contemporary art designed garden, who managed to be harmoniously
engulfed in a fragile environment. The roofs trickle with verdure and
in it's only a matter of time and this refined structure will be
totally invisible. Hats off for the architects and designers!
The objective of the museum is to show the importance of the bonds of
the French and American painting of the 19th and beginning 20th
century. Giverny's nature attracted a lot of Americans, mainly
interested in this new manner of painting.
It is compounded in 3 large halls in slight declivity, with a modern
arrangement and lighted by perfectly diffused natural light. The
museum presents essentially works of American artists who worked in
Giverny and had contacts with Monet. Explaining panels put each artist
in its historical context and reminds the particular bond with Giverny
and France in general. Photographs show the painters "in situ".
After the visit, you can have a drink or have a bite on a delicious
terrace.
You can alos visit the ancient hotel where all these American painters
resided . it's been restored and called the HOTEL BAUDY. The garden
behind the hotel was entirely rearranged like it was before. Nice
rose-garden.
Jack
My Paris,Provence and Cote d'Azur posts are open again at
http: http://i.am/jack_travel WITH pictures and at
http://home.mminternet.com/~nowhere_man
Robert Parsons
I realize you meant this for Jack, but here is a web site that should tell
you all you want to know about Monet's gardens and museum at Giverny. It
also features a "garden calendar" on one of the pages. Looks like the
wisteria blooms in May.
Anyway, hope this is of help to you: http://giverny.org/monet/welcome.htm
Bob Parsons
Megan Grenenger <megan.g...@praxa.com.au> wrote in message
news:Fn7f4.1426$3b6....@ozemail.com.au...
> Wow!!!
>
> Jack - that was fantastic!
> I'm planning a trip to Europe for August/September and Monet's Garden at
> Giverny
> was a must-see for me so I've already printed and saved this.
>
> Would you perhaps be able to also provide a brief note on the better times
> of the year
> (when the garden is open) for seeing the different flowers? I'm
particularly
> interested
> in knowing when the wisteria is flowering.
>
> As an aside, am I correct in assuming that somewhere in Giverny will sell
> prints of
> Monet's paintings of the garden, but that it would be cheaper to buy them
> elsewhere?
>
> Many thanks again for the description!
>
> Megan
>
>
> Jack wrote in message <0dtp7sku3apk9me6e...@4ax.com>...
Megan Grenenger
Jack
<bo...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Megan,
>
>I realize you meant this for Jack, but here is a web site that should tell
>you all you want to know about Monet's gardens and museum at Giverny. It
>also features a "garden calendar" on one of the pages. Looks like the
>wisteria blooms in May.
>
>Anyway, hope this is of help to you: http://giverny.org/monet/welcome.htm
Thanks for the URL. It's indeed interesting even if it's a bit too
classic guide wise. But has a lot of interesting info. The page for
the time of flower blooming is
http://giverny.org/gardens/fcm/calendar.htm
I 'll bookmark it anyway;-)