Tour of Monet's House and Garden in Giverny, France

I’m so grateful we visited France in early May. It’s hard to imagine navigating the massive crowds and long lines at the country's most popular attractions in the intense heat Paris has been enduring this week.

Summer heat in Florida is expected, but temperatures nearing 100°F are far more unusual in France, where air conditioning is not nearly as common there—only about one in four homes is equipped with it—making extreme heat much more challenging.

The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre even closed early for three straight days because of the extreme temperatures. Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate that we were able to experience France in the beauty and comfort of spring.

The Louvre

the closest we got to Eiffel Tower (as seen from Galeries Lafayette)

The Galeries Lafayette Dome. The crowd was unbelievable!

Samaritaine, the iconic department store at Pont Neuf

Watching the world go by at Tuileries Garden  

savoring our favorite pastries (Mont Blanc) at Angelina's

Thank goodness the lines to Notre Dame moved quickly!

beautiful Notre Dame

lighting a candle

We began our trip in southern France, exploring the charming cities of Montpellier, Avignon, and Grenoble—each deserving its own blog post. Cold, rainy weather canceled both a tour and a train, but Plan B worked out rather well thanks to France's efficient transportation system. We refused to let the weather dampen our spirits. 😊

By mid-May, we arrived in Paris, where the weather remained cool, gray, and unpredictable. Since our main goal was to spend time with our cousins who live nearby, we weren't in a rush to check off tourist attractions.

stairway to Le Train Bleu, the iconic restaurant at Gare de Lyon

When they suggested a day trip to Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, about 90 minutes northwest of Paris, I was all in. I'd wanted to visit on our previous trip. Assuming the gloomy weather would keep the crowds away, we skipped buying tickets in advance—a decision we quickly regretted.

We arrived 15 minutes before the ticket booth opened and found ourselves at the end of a very long line. As the wait stretched on, our patience wore thin, and more than once we considered giving up. Thankfully, our cousins persuaded us to stick it out—we had come all that way, after all.

This was one third of the line, and it moved at snail pace

Three hours later, we finally reached the ticket window. 

The entrance to the ticket booth, after lining up for 3 hours!

Just as we stepped into Monet's gardens, it started to rain—hard. We, along with hundreds of other visitors, made a mad dash back to the gift shop for shelter. Thankfully, it was spacious enough to accommodate the crowd. Browsing the beautiful books, art prints, and unique souvenirs kept us happily occupied until the rain finally let up.

About thirty minutes later, the rain eased, and the sun actually appeared. Almost instantly, the gardens seemed to come alive with color. The flowers glistened with raindrops, and the fresh scent of spring filled the air. 

Monet's house

looking at the garden from the house

Strolling through the gardens, it was easy to understand how this peaceful setting inspired so many of Claude Monet's most celebrated paintings. Vibrant flower beds, winding paths, and the iconic Japanese bridge arching over the water lily pond made us feel as though we had stepped into one of his masterpieces.

Monet created more than 250 Water Lilies paintings inspired by the ponds and gardens surrounding his home. Despite the three-hour wait and the crowds, stepping into the landscape that inspired those masterpieces was truly magical.

Would you have waited three hours to experience Monet's gardens?

If you'd like to learn more about Monet's home and gardens, here are some interesting articles:

The Last Living Monet

5 Fascinating Facts about Monet's Water Lilies

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday.

 
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