In Monet's Botanical Paradise

An apparently endless queue is usually the prelude for most visitors arriving here. Italian, English, and Spanish overwhelmingly dominate French: several hundred tourists from around the globe patiently wait daily to purchase their tickets (€11 for adults), granting them access to one of the most beautiful artist residences in France, thanks especially to its gardens. Five years ago, the year before the outbreak of COVID-19, it reached its visitor record: over 700,000. Quite a success, considering it is only open from April to November.

In Giverny, in Lower Normandy, 75 kilometers from the French capital, lies the final abode of Claude Monet (1840-1926). The painter and impressionist genius settled here at the age of 42 with his family and lived here for more than half of his life. Since June 1, 1980, thanks to a private entity like the Fondation Claude Monet, it has been open to the public, who are especially drawn by its paradisiacal gardens.

Hundreds of flower species—dahlias, chrysanthemums, lavender, and carnations among many others—are under the constant care of about fifteen gardeners, seven days a week throughout the year. These are living gardens that change with each season, always appearing different due to nature's magic and whims. This is precisely what captivated the artist.

"I probably owe becoming a painter to flowers," Monet once said. Besides painting, he was an unwavering admirer of the plant universe and gardens, particularly the two in his Giverny residence. This Eden served as his inspiration, using its flowers as models for years. These living and constantly changing scenes inspired his paintings where color and light are the main protagonists.

This intoxicating paradise, although not on the official itinerary of places to visit in 2024—the year marking the 150th anniversary of Impressionism—is a mandatory stop for lovers of this artistic style and especially for those who appreciate the art of the creator of various legendary visions of Rouen Cathedral that he began painting in 1892.

There are two main gardens. The first is Clos Normand at the foot of his house, often associated with poppies and daisies. However, the most famous is the water lily pond garden with its Japanese bridge, inspired by those in Japan that enchanted Monet. This artificial creation was erected at the end of the 19th century. Creatively obsessed with the pond and water lilies—plants he loved watching grow and multiply—he made these themes a constant in his last twenty years.

Some of his works have reached astronomical prices; 'Meules' surpassed $110 million (over €100 million) at auction five years ago, becoming the most expensive impressionist work ever.

"The gardens convey a bucolic and serene spirit through their colors—blues, purples, and pinks. This harmony is also found in the interior decoration of the house," comments Isabelle, a 61-year-old Frenchwoman visiting this paradise for the first time.

The house itself has a pinkish façade and is far from ostentatious. Claude Monet initially lived there as a tenant but soon became its owner. Inside, colors are also very present: yellow in the dining room and blue in the kitchen. In the salon-studio—now filled with reproductions of his works—he received friends and colleagues like Cézanne, Pissarro, Renoir, and Rodin among others.

Visiting this house is like entering "a small independent principality dedicated to art and nature," as Adrien Goetz recalls in his book-catalogue 'Monet à Giverny' ('Monet in Giverny').

The upper floor contains several rooms including Monet's bedroom where he always kept the windows open. He died in his bed on December 5th, 1926 at age 86. Curiously enough, nearly a century later it seems as though at any moment its former owner might appear to shake hands with those who visit.