Giverny is What's Up

Yesterday,
I went to Giverny in Normandy, where Monet called home the second half of his life.
It was by far one of the most extraordinary things I have seen thus far in France.
I love Monet's art (he is maybe my 5th favorite painter) and seeing this gorgeous complex where he was inspired was something I will never forget.

A little history in my own words...
Monet was an impressionist painter (I hope that is not new information).
Impressionism was an art movement that began in the late 19th century, which was actually not well regarded at first. It was looked at as being pretty much garbage because it didn't show a grandiose scene from history or the bible but instead studied nature and the effect of sunlight creating completely different impressions of the same subject.
Well, Monet saw the village of Giverny while on a train and he decided to move there and that he did- complete with a gorgeous pink house, vast gardens & ponds with waterlilies and green bridges. This gave him endless motifs to paint and gave birth to his enormous waterlilies masterpiece now on display, in an infinity figure as he so wished in his will because nature never ends, in Paris in the Musée de l'Orangerie.

Whew.

I got the train to Paris yesterday morning and then the train to Vernon, the main town closest to Giverny. I rented a black bike at a cafe near the station and headed out with just a little paper showing me the route.

I got lost on the way of course but just for a bit until a nice man who was on vacation from China directed me back on track. It took maybe thirty minutes by bike to get there, flat and scenic.
I waited in line for a ticket and got down into the gardens and just could not believe it.

That first view of the garden under the sun was heavenly.

Monet's house was also so, so charming. The kitchen was all blue with mosaic tiles and the dining room bright & yellow with sunlight streaming in.

& actually, before I knew we weren't allowed to take pictures inside I got this one of his original studio. I seriously didn't know it wasn't allowed but honestly, how cool is this?

The master bedroom though- oh lala... two grand windows with the most incredibly beautiful views.

I can't believe he woke up to that.

So, after the house, I made my way through the rows of flowers and smelt some peonies, my favorite flower, which were in full bloom.

The gardens eventually led down some stairs and back up to where the Japanese ponds and bridges were. This was quintessential & perfect.

I ate a sandwich I packed while walking back to the beginning and just thought how marvelous it was to be there. yum, I was thinking and not just because my sandwich tasted good but because it was such a delicious thing to be able to see this dream land that I have seen immortalized onto canvas so many times in so many different cities.
happiness.

After a while of looking at poppy fields & browsing the gorgeous boutique where I bought great smelling rose incense, I unlocked my bike and headed back but this time I took the backroads through the surrounding village. Bed & breakfasts, tiny cafes, art galleries, etc.
The town was so romantic and natural. I am definitely going back there someday.

Just going to sum this up with one thought...
how awesome are flowers? I am so glad they exist.