Visit Monet’s House – From the Comfort of Your Own

A Virtual Tour of Claude Monet’s House

While we all stay safely at home, it is a wonderful time to virtually visit Monet’s incredibly cheery house.

From 1883, until his death in 1926, Claude Monet lived and painted in the small town of Giverny. His long, rectangular house wears a palette of bright vibrant colours, from the exterior pink walls with green shutters to the vivid interior. The dining room, with a table that sits 14, is a bold two tone yellow. It is a bit shocking at first, but the effect is pleasant and welcoming, not garish. The calming blue and white kitchen has tiled walls, a huge black stove and a line of shiny copper pots hanging on the wall.  Tour Monet’s House

Gardens of Giverny

The house looks out on the Clos Normand flower garden. Ornamental trees, climbing roses, geraniums, poppies, tiger lilies, peonies, irises, clematis, all growing together in colour co-ordinated patches. Each year 500,000 visitors walk along the narrow pathways leading past green metal arbours covered in climbing roses and flower clusters exploding with dynamic blooms.

Beyond the Clos Normand and a small road, lies Monet’s most famous non-painted creation. The Water Garden, site of the real life water lilies, is far larger and more impressive than I had imagined. Even under the uncooperative grey skies the weeping willows cast sublime reflections on the water. From the often-crowded Japanese bridge, the man-made curves of the pond look like nature’s design. Beginning to understand Monet’s obsession with this garden, I suddenly wish that I could paint! As for the lily pads and water lilies…, they are beautiful, delicate and serene – a perfectly pleasing picture.

For more great places to visit in Normandy, France.