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Monet’s Gardens

July 6, 2015

The highlight of my trip to France was visiting Monet’s house in Giverny. Claude Monet is my favorite artist. I have loved his work since I was in high school. In particular the Water Lilies series. So when I decide I was going to Paris, I knew I was going to take a trip to his house in Giverny where he painted the Water Lilies. Giverny is a short train ride from Paris, so you can make it a day trip. My recommendation would to be to stay at least one night so you can be at the gate to Monet’s house at 9:30AM when they open.

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I highly recommend buying your ticket in advance to avoid the lines at the main gate. If you purchase your ticket in advance, you can go down a narrow alley way and enter with the group tours and not through the main gate. This is also a more pleasant visual experience than the main entrance. The main entrance leads you through the gift shop, which used to be Monet’s studio. Then you enter the garden down some steps. However, you enter through the back part of the garden and get a full view of the garden upon entering. The only downside is that you might be entering with large tour groups. I still felt it was worth it. I walked around the garden admiring the variety of flowers and all the bees! If you are afraid of bees, the summer time might not be the best time to visit. They were everywhere. They were not bothering anyone and I have never seen such a variety of bees! The bees seemed very happy to be there. To get to the water-lily pond, you have to take an underground tunnel that traverses the road. As far as I could tell there was no elevator so bear that in mind if you have walking issues. You might have to ask the staff how to get over there. Both the garden and the water-lily pond are stunning! You can see Monet’s paintings in reality in front of you. I was a surreal feeling. The caretakers seem to have left everything as he had planned. It is still hard for me to imagine Monet creating all this for himself to paint. It was such an undertaking. There was an army of people working in the garden and the water-lily pond, so I imagine Monet had is work cut out for himself. Although, I am sure he had help as he did have to paint!

You can visit the house. While I did go through, the house is small and it was hard to see anything with so many people inside. You couldn’t really stop to look at anything. I would say avoid it unless you really have to see where Monet slept. Although you do get to see his original studio in the house.

To get to Giverny from Paris, take the train from the Gare de Saint-Lazare to Vernon. You can then either take the shuttle bus to Giverny, which will drop you near Monet’s house or you can take a taxi. Since I was staying the night and had luggage, I took at taxi. As I said before, I recommend staying the night so you can relax. Giverny is a lovely town with lots of French country charm and gardens. I am planning on going back during a different season to beat the crowds and relax a little. My next post will give you some recommendations of a place to stay and what else to see in Giverny.

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Monet's Gardens

Art, Europe, France, Museums, Paris

My Must See and Do in Paris

June 23, 2015

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There is so much to see and do in Paris. Many people have already asked me what I recommend, so here are the things I recommend you see and do! Not all of these things are tourist attractions either!

1. Musee de l’Orangerie – This was the highlight of Paris for me! I love Claude Monet’s impressionist paintings, and this is where his full-size Water Lilies are on exhibition. They take up two rooms and are magnificent. There is also a great impressionist painting collection on the lower level containing many works by Cezanne and Renoir. It was very busy when I went, and I asked when it wasn’t busy, and the guide said around 4 pm as they stop admitting people at 5:15. It is located inside the Tuileries Gardens

2. La Crypte Archeologique du parvis Notre Dame – This is the remains of ancient Paris or Lutetia, which was a Roman town. It was fascinating to hear how Paris developed and actually to see medieval remains of a town. It is located in front of Notre Dame down some unassuming stairs. I saw it when we visited Notre Dame but didn’t get to explore it then. I am so glad I went back!

3. Eat Pain Au Chocolat – This should be self-explanatory, but if not then let me tell you it is heaven. I don’t even like chocolate that much, but there is something about fluffy pastry and chocolate together. Make sure you get it fresh and have a café with it! You won’t be disappointed.

4. Look for hidden gardens – I kept running across fenced in park areas that had amazing gardens in them. Most of Paris is much like any other big city, grey and dirty. These gardens allow you to sneak away from the crowds and enjoy some great foliage. Everyone I found was open to the public and many had playgrounds and fountains.

5.Musee d’Orsay – Many people know about this great museum that is housed in an old train station. I went because I knew this is where much of Monet’s paintings are also held. They are all on the top floor. I also discovered some other artists in this museum that I will now be on the lookout for. Seeing the old train station also makes this a must see. Up on the top floor, you can see the two clocks that faced out and you can go out on the roof. The roof gives you views of the Louvre and the Seine.

6. Musee du quai Branly – I didn’t know about this museum until a tour guide told me about it. It houses collections from indigenous populations from all over the world. There are lots of native art and sculpture. The museum is also highly geared towards children and has lots of interactive attractions. Unfortunately, the Americas section was being renovated and was closed when I was there. The sign said opening June 2015, so hopefully, it will be done soon.

7. People watch – Paris is a great place to people watch! Sit at an outdoor café and order a café and a croissant and sit for a while and watch everyone go by. It will also give you a chance to rest your feet. Plus it is a very Parisienne thing to do!

Here is a trip plan that TripHobo designed for my trip to Paris! You can plan your own Paris schedule by using TripHobo, just click on create a Plan new Trip.

What do you recommend to do in Paris?

Art, Europe, France, Paris

Paris Street Art

June 22, 2015

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All over Paris was cool street art. Much of it was up high and if you didn’t look up, you missed it. After spotting the Kraken on the first day, I knew to look up. Most of what I found was in the Marais district near the apartment that I was staying in. Some of it may have been stencils, particularly the Storm Trooper as I saw him several times in different variations. Unfortunately, some street art had been spray painted over in some parts. The last photo was one long piece, but much of it had been spray painted on. I know not everyone appreciates street art, but some of these took time and some skill to get the in the high positions they were located in. Most of it also stood out in stark contrast to the beige and grey traditional buildings of Paris. The next time you are in Paris, look up, you never know what you might see.

Have you discovered great street art in a city? Share with us in the comments!

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