Claude Monet was a French painter (1840 – 1926), and considered to be the father of impressionism. He’s one of the world’s most famous painters, so I’m sure you’ve seen some of his works. I’m not really an art history expert, so I’ll leave you to go down a rabbit hole about his life and art at your own leisure.

Back to Giverny (pronounced jee-VER-nee), which is a village commune about 80 km (around 50 miles) west-northwest from Paris. Monet lived here from 1883 (eventually buying the Clos Normand in 1890) until his death in 1926. He is buried in the Giverny church cemetary in the village. Today, the home and gardens are preserved by the Claude Monet Foundation.

Before we get to the illustrious gardens and historical home, let’s talk about how to get to Claude Monet’s Garden in Giverny.

1. How to get to Giverny from Paris

The above painting is downloaded from the internet, as they are part of the public domain in the US, where this website is based.

Giverny is easily accessible from Paris from the Gare Saint-Lazare train station. You’ll buy your ticket for Vernon/Giverny, which is the closest stop. Train tickets can be purchased on site at the station or on the SNCF website. Adult round trip averages 32 EUR, but prices vary depending on the time of train. There are several trains per day, around once an hour.

The trip to Vernon/Giverny takes between 45-50 minutes. Remember: you need to stamp your ticket prior to entering the platform, and definitely before boarding at one of the yellow machines.

From the Vernon train station, it is about 7 km (4.5 miles) to Giverny. There are buses that can take you to Giverny, which are aligned with the Paris train arrival and departures. Adult round trip for the bus is 10 EUR, or 5 EUR one way. But if you want to walk, it’s a nice walk (follow the footprints) and takes about an hour. Here’s a map of the walking route, including shuttle times. There are also taxis outside waiting, just in case.

2. Inside Monet’s Home

While I don’t have any photos inside Monet’s home, I do distinctly remember feeling like I had stepped back in time to a vintage, country kitchen, and artist’s studio space. You’ll be able to see a two sitting rooms, his studio, the pantry, as well as the beautifully blue kitchen on the ground floor in the house.

On the next floor up (second floor for Americans, first floor for Europeans), the bedrooms. Monet’s bedroom, which is bright and sunny, overlooks the garden. (More on the garden in a bit). Monet’s bedroom is filled with famous paintings from his impressionist painter friends, like Cezanne, Renoir, and Manet. Imagine these people being your friends, and casually hanging a Renior up in your bedroom!! Wild times that must have been!

One thing that people always comment about in Monet’s room is how small his bed was. One website reported this was because he wasn’t tall, which I couldn’t really corroborate anywhere. The real reason was because he (and other aristocrats of the time) didn’t share a bed or bedroom with his wife. I’m sure she appreciated not being woken up at dawn when he would get up to paint. But don’t worry, their two bedrooms were connected by a “jack and jill” bathroom.

Lastly, Giverny is also home to Monet’s collection of Japanese prints. Like many artists of his time, Monet collected Japanese prints, which filled him with inspiration to add Japanese flourishes around his home and gardens. Although he never visited Japan, the influence these prints had on his work can be seen all around him!

3. The pièce de résistance – Monet’s Garden

It’s said that the gardens of Giverny were Monet’s greatest inspiration for 40 years. He meticulously designed every aspect of the flower gardens and water gardens, and expanded the property during his time there. Plants from all over France and the rest of the world were brought to Giverny to create his little heaven on earth. Besides importing lilies from around the world, he commissioned the Japanese-inspired arched bridge to be built, and specifically painted green to distinguish itself from traditional red, Japanese bridges. For the Japanese gardens, one of the gardeners he hired had the daily duty of dusting off the lily pads, so that the light could properly bounce off the flowers and leaves!

Monet’s famous water garden served as inspiration for countless paintings, including several series of the lily ponds alone. The most magnificent would be the eight large water lillies murals (entitled Nymphéas), which Monet donated to the Musee de Orangerie in 1922. In fact, Monet helped with the design of the new museum in order to fit the large murals!

4. Visitor Information for Giverny

Tickets cost 11 EUR for adults and seniors, which includes the home and gardens.

Address:
84 rue Claude Monet
27620 Giverny
Tel : +33 (0) 2 32 51 28 21
contact@fondation-monet.com

Open from April to end of October, from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, last admission 5:30 pm.

Sorry, no pets allowed.

If you’d like to learn more about Impressionism, visit the Giverny Museum of Impressionism in the village. I didn’t visit, but far be it for me to deny another art lover a chance! Unsure about the adult entry cost (as the website has not been updated for the current season), but I imagine it is between 8 – 10 EUR for adults.

5. Parting thoughts on Giverny and Monet’s home

Is Monet’s garden worth visiting? 100% Yes – I absolutely loved this visit, and it made for a fun day trip from Paris.

The gardens are spectacular. Cost wise, you’re looking at 43 to 53 EUR per person to visit Giverny from Paris (RT train, entrance fees, and/or the shuttle). For me, as a Monet fan, it was definitely worth it to walk in the footsteps of an artistic great. Even though my parents are neutral about art and weren’t big Monet fans, they genuinely appreciated the garden, which was everything Monet hoped it would be.

If you can appreciate a gorgeous outdoor space and gardens, then, chances are, you’ll enjoy Giverny. While it was a delightful visit, I read online that picnics are not allowed in Giverny. So although you may like to sit there and enjoy some baguette and cheese, try not to 😉

In conclusion, I think Giverny is well worth a visit as a half day trip from Paris. If you have the time to spare on your Parisian or French vacation, soak up some culture and visit the place that inspired so many great works of art.

For other art themed trips:

• Visit famous Van Gogh sites in France and Netherlands!
• Love art nouveau? Then you’d love Brno, Czech Republic!
• Or visit the National Galleries in Scotland for free!

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

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They’re not in order of importance, they’re all equally as great!

1. Arles, France (1888 – 1889)

Located in the southern part of France, in the Provence region, Van Gogh had some of his most prolific years in Arles (pronounced ARL). When he lived in Arles, Van Gogh painted an astonishing 187 paintings. During that time, he tried to set up an artist commune with fellow artist, Paul Gauguin, at the Yellow House. While they had a couple of months of painting, drink and general fun loving male bonding, an argument erupted between the two of them, which resulted in two things: Gauguin leaving Arles (never to see Vincent again), and van Gogh horrifyingly cutting off his own ear (on December 23, 1888). Yes, all of that took place in what is otherwise, an extremely delightful village in southern France.

While the Yellow House no longer exists (it was destroyed during WWII), one of the famous van Gogh sites you can visit in Arles is the Yellow Cafe. The Yellow Cafe (now Le Cafe Van Gogh) is located in the Place du Forum in Arles. The painting, actually entitled Café Terrace at Night, was the first time van Gogh had painted stars in a night sky. The painting itself is located in the Kroller-Muller Museum in the Netherlands (which we’ll get to).

Besides the Café Terrace (or Yellow Cafe), to follow in the footsteps of van Gogh in Arles, the tourism authority has a Van Gogh self-guided walking tour which takes you to spots which inspired or are depicted in his paintings. Although I did this many moons ago in 2008 (hence the lack of photos), I can say that this Van Gogh self-guided walking tour is incredible.

Or, if you’d like a private walking tour of Arles that covers both Van Gogh and Roman sites, there are options for those as well.

Another place worth mentioning in Arles, is now called L’espace van Gogh – the town’s library and exhibition space, with souvenir shops. 130 years ago, when Van Gogh lived in Arles, this location was the town’s hospital. Van Gogh stayed in this hospital several times during his time in Arles, but most famously after he cut of his ear. The inner courtyard is maintained to look similar to his painting – Garden of the Hospital in Arles.

Entry to L’espace van Gogh is free, except for exhibitions.

On May 8, 1889, Van Gogh left Arles, to check in to the asylum in Saint Remy de Provence. Good segway.

2.  Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France (1889 – 1890)

After Van Gogh left Arles, he voluntarily checked into the asylum called Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole, which is located 1.5 km south of the village of Saint-Remy-de-Provence. A former monastery, during Van Gogh’s time, it was a “lunatic asylum.” I use that word in quotes because that’s how they referred to it during that time. Van Gogh spent about one year in Saint-Paul de Mausole, where he painted 142 paintings.

On your visit to Saint-Paul de Mausole (website in French only), you can see the room that Van Gogh stayed in. It’s a somber place to visit, given all that he must have endured while there. Tickets are 6.50 EUR.

If you happen to visit Saint-Paul de Mausole mid-June to mid-August, yo’ll be in time for lavender season. The monastery has a beautiful lavender field surrounding the location. I went in early October, too late for purple fields.

Van Gogh painted his famous Starry Night (1889) during his time at the asylum in Saint-Remy-de-Provence. The window of his room faced east, and the painting depicts the view a fictional village just before sunrise. The painting is part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Saint-Remy-de-Provence also has a Van Gogh self-guided walking tour to follow, which highlights some of the locations of his famous cyprus tree and olive tree paintings.

Alternatively, be guided around Provence from Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, or Marseille and bask in the picturesque countryside.

A scene from Saint-Remy-de-Provence area, where Van Gogh lived between 1889-1890.

Before we move on from Provence, if you’re a fan of art, consider visiting Carrières de Lumières, located in Les Baux-de-Provence (a 15 minute drive away). Carrières de Lumières is an indoor art installation, housed in an old stone quarry. Nowadays, you’ll see these Immersive Van Gogh Experiences in all the major cities. However, I can tell you that Carrières de Lumières is the original. Back in 2016 when I visited, there wasn’t anything like it in the world – and it’s phenomenal! While the Immsersive Van Gogh Experience focuses only on Van Gogh, Carrières de Lumières changes artists each season. When I went, it was Marc Chagall. Anyway, if you’re already visiting Van Gogh sites, I’d highly recommend this slight “artsy” detour.

3. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

Located an hour and a half drive away from Amsterdam, hidden inside De Hoge Veluwe National Park, is the Kröller-Müller Museum. Honestly, most people haven’t heard of the Kröller-Müller Museum, but it is arguably one of the best Van Gogh sites to visit! It houses the largest private collection of Van Gogh paintings, and is the second largest Van Gogh collection in the world. It’s only second to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam!

The Kröller-Müller Museum is truly an incredible place, with 90 paintings and over 180 of Van Gogh’s drawings. While this is probably one of the least famous Van Gogh sites, I would highly recommend making the effort to visit – if you’re a true Van Gogh fan!

Adult tickets are 11.10 EUR.

Without a car, a visit to the Kröller-Müller Museum is doable but time consuming. I had a car hire and drove from Amsterdam (approximately 1 hour). Or consider taking a private tour from Amsterdam!

Evening Landscape with Rising Moon and detail. Painted during his time in Saint-Remy-de-Provence. Currently located in the Kröller-Müller Museum.

4. Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam, Netherlands

I’ve been to Amsterdam several times, and most of the time I visit, I’ll make it a point to stop at one of their great museums. Along with the Rijksmuseum and Moco Museum (Museum and Modern Art), the Van Gogh Museum is arguably one of my favorite places to visit in Amsterdam, and probably one of the most famous Van Gogh sites in the world. Having the largest collection of Van Gogh works, it’s really an absolute must! It’s wonderfully curated, and each time I’ve visited, I see new pieces and familiar pieces alike.

Tickets are 19 EUR and a time slot must be reserved in advance. But for you photo or instagram enthusiasts, photos are only allowed in select areas (i.e. the entry hall and selfie wall).

For those staying in Amsterdam for a few days, I highly recommend the I Amsterdam Card, which gives you access to public transport, bicycle rental, river cruises, and entry to over 70 museums (including free entry to the Van Gogh museum!). A 24-hour pass is 65 EUR and includes so much!

The following places are sites for the super Van Gogh fans, which I haven’t been to. So, they’re not included in my “Best of” list above, since I can’t attest to it. But far be it for me to deny crucial information on famous Van Gogh sites.

– Other Van Gogh Sites –

1. Birthplace (1853), Zundert, Netherlands – Vincent van GoghHuis – tickets 8 GBP
2. Home in 1883, Drenth, Netherlands – Van Gogh Huis Drenthe – tickets 6 EUR
3. Home 1879 – 1880, Cuesmes, Belgium – Maison Van Gogh – tickets 4 EUR
4. Home 1881, Etten-Leur, Netherlands (and his parents home from 1875-1882) – The Van Gogh Church in Etten – tickets 5 GBP.
5. Place of death, Auvers-sur-Oise, France

• For the last 70 days of Van Gogh’s life, he lived in Auvers-sur-Oise, a commune 27 km northwest of Paris. While living there, he stayed in Auberge Ravoux, as a lodger, where he painted 80 paintings and 64 sketches. He shot himself in the chest on July 27, 1890, and died two days later. The inn is now a museum and tourist site (tickets are 6 EUR). His room has been preserved, although none of the original furniture remains. Both Vincent and his brother Theo are buried in the cemetary in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.

Parting Thoughts on Visiting Van Gogh Locations

For avid Van Gogh fans, I think it’s really special to visit sites that are both important in his life, but also the museums that have helped to preserve his legacy. Van Gogh wasn’t famous or successful during his life, and it was only after his death that he grew in popularity. Since he led quite a tragic life, many of the sites in Arles and Provence are somber, melancholic even.

For those super fans and admirers of his work, Arles is the absolute must-visit. The Van Gogh self-guided walking tour is so surreal – walking along the same streets he did, seeing the same trees and rivers. That feeling can’t really be described. It’s incredible! Arles is definitely one of the famous Van Gogh sites worth visiting!

If you’re planning to do an all out road trip to visit Van Gogh locations, Tea, an art historian and travel blogger, has it all mapped out. Fun stuff! Check it out!

For those who love art, check out my other art themed posts:

• Alphonse Mucha and art nouveau in Brno, Czechia;
• national treasures at the Scottish National Galleries in Edinburgh;
• Visiting Giverny, Monet’s famous lily garden outside of Paris;
• and immerse yourself in digital art with the great artists, like Chagall and Van Gogh!

Until next time, stay curious and stay healthy!

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

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In 2016, I was living and working in Singapore. A work trip took me to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. And during the weekend, I made the 3 hour journey south to Provence. Not your stereotypical weekend in Provence – full of flowy dresses, sun hats, and lavendar fields. No no, this was autumn in Provence. And although beautiful, not lavendar season and dreadfully filled with rain. So, where to hide from the rain? Into a stone quarry, obviously.

1. Hidden in the Val d’Enfer

Nestled within the Alpilles Natural Regional Park (Parc naturel régional des Alpilles), within reach of Saint Remy de Provence, is a former stone quarry. The village of Les Baux-de-Provence and neighboring castles used these limestone slabs in their construction, until the 1930s. From then, construction ceased and resulted in the abandonment of the white limestone quarries. So, what remained from those days? Large stone rooms carved into the hillside valley.

2. Carrières de Lumières (Quarries of Light)

Well, what to do with large, white, stone rooms? The obvious answer is to project high definition digital art onto its giant walls. Brought to you by CultureSpaces, this digital art immersion, combined with an expertly paired soundtrack, lifts you from your physical existence inside a stone quarry into a magical realm.

This is Carrières de Lumières – Quarries of the Light.

2.1 Chagall, Midsummer Night’s Dream

Dedicated to the life and art of Marc Chagall, the exhibition at Carrières de Lumières ran from March 2016 to January 2017. Before this, I only recognized Chagall by name, as a painter, but did not know much else.

Marc Chagall (1887 – 1985), a Russian-French artist, was generally referred to by art critics as the “quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century.” He’s most famous for stained glass windows, adorning the Reims Cathedral and Metz Cathedral in France, and others as far as the Art Institute of Chicago and Jerusalem. In addition to stained glass windows, Chagall also painted large -scale paintings and murals. Stylistically, his art follows cubism and expressionism.

Below, you’ll see a few photos of mine from my visit to the Carrières de Lumières.

Now that you’ve made it through my old, dark iPhone photos from 2016, you’ll be rewarded with some high definition photos, courtesy of Getty Images. The photos are specifically from the Chagall exhibition, so you can have a clearer vision of my experience.

2.2 Visiting Carrières de Lumières

Centrally located in the South of France, Carrières de Lumières is a simple stop on your Provencal road trip.

• 1 hour away from Aix-en-Provence,
• 30 minutes from Arles, and
• 15 minutes from Saint-Remy-de-Provence.

If you’re coming from Saint-Remy-de-Provence to the north, beware of the winding mountainous roads. You can see what I mean in the area on the map below.

A few things to note:

1. Tickets for Carrières de Lumières cost 13 EUR for adults, with senior and student discounts available.
2. You can book tickets online, here.
3. Carrières de Lumières is also fully accessible for visitors in wheelchairs.
4. Because of it’s location inside a stone quarry, it can be quite cool inside. It’d be wise to have a light jacket or cardigan, just in case.
5. Carrières de Lumières is set to re-open on 19 May 2021. It is typically open daily, with differing hours depending on the month and tourist season. However, up to date information on visiting can be found, here.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

3. Atelier des Lumières

Currently, there are a few sister exhibitions, also run by CultureSpaces. These exhibitions also feature digital art, projected onto the walls and ceilings of large rooms. The other locations are:

1. Paris, France;
2. Toronto, Canada;
3. Bordeaux, France – (Bassins de Lumières).

From the Paris exhibition of Atelier des Lumières

3.1 Toronto’s new exhibit, in the time of coronavirus

By now, you may be wondering what the point of this post is, now, four years after my original visit. With CultureSpaces’ newest exhibit based in Toronto, Immersive Van Gogh, to adapt to coronavirus, they’ve developed a unique idea. Its previews, held between 18 – 28 June, 2020, will be a “drive through” preview – meaning, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the digital art world of Van Gogh, while sitting in the comfort of your car.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

3.2 Health and safety, during an Immersive Van Gogh visit

From 1 July 2020, when the exhibit fully opens, you’ll be able to walk through the exhibition site on foot. For coronavirus precautions, they’ve promised entry at a limited capacity, which allows for 75 square feet of space per person. Immersive Van Gogh’s website also lists the following health and safety features:

• Touchless exhibit — you will not need to touch anything that can be touched by other patrons to enjoy the exhibit
• All patrons are requested to wear masks
• All staff will be wearing masks
• Enhanced sensors at entry to detect symptomatic staff and patrons
• Disinfectant stations through-out the venue
• Frequent disinfectant cleaning of venue surfaces and floors

3.3 Booking your Van Gogh digital art experience

Currently, only time-specific entrances are available to book online. It’s considerably more expensive than when I visited in Provence. Ranging between C$34.99 on weekdays to C$39.99 on weekends, the elevated price tag may because of the above enhanced safety features due to coronavirus. I’m not entirely too sure.

However, it appears that CultureSpaces is taking the need for physical distancing seriously, and enhancing their experience accordingly.

Parting Thoughts

Whether you’re in France or Toronto, if you love art and want to enjoy it in a modern, new way, I highly recommend Carrières de Lumières and Atelier des Lumières. As an art lover, I absolutely loved it. Although Chagall isn’t my favorite artist, I enjoyed learning about him through the exhibit and again whilst researching this post. Without a doubt, if the exhibit showed your favorite artists, it’d be exponentially more enjoyable.

As a reminder, although I only visited the Provence location, I presume the experiences in Paris and Toronto to be similar and exceptionally interesting. I especially appreciate the additional health and safety considerations in the time of coronavirus. As always, stay healthy and stay safe!

For those art lovers, check out my posts on:

• favorite art from the National Galleries of Scotland;
• art nouveau in Brno, Czechia;
• the best places to visit for Van Gogh fans;
• Giverny, Monet’s gardens and home.

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/