Monet’s Garden Then and Now

Twenty-five years ago theTravelsketcher, our daughter and I took a trip to Europe with my sister and her family. We started in Edinburgh, where we strolled along the Royal Mile and visited the castle. From there we went to York where we enjoyed the Shambles and other famous sites. London was our next stop where we saw museums, Notting Hill, the changing of the guards and stayed at a sketchy hotel where there was a mouse in one of our rooms; our nieces named it Sven.

After London we headed to Paris via the Eurostar. While in France we visited the Loire Valley, Monet’s Garden, as well as sites in Paris. We had a fabulous time and still reminisce about our vacation together.

One of the highlights for us was Monet’s Garden and home in Giverny. The home, studio and gardens are absolutely amazing to see. It was mid-April when we visited and the garden was bursting with color. We saw weeping willows around the pond, colorful vines climbing on trellises, the famous water lilies, and a wide variety of flowers, plants, shrubs and trees.

Prior to visiting, our daughter had read a delightful book called Linnea in Monet’s Garden. A charming story about a little girl who visits the garden with a friend.

When we arrived at the gardens mid-morning, there were only a few other visitors around. Once the Japanese bridge was in our daughter’s line of sight, she made a beeline for it, jogging while looking here and there at the garden’s beauty. We were not at all concerned as there were only a few others around, and her path was clear. She stopped in the middle of the bridge, looked back at us with this pose, indicating she was ready to have her photo taken.

We had an absolutely lovely morning in the garden, just wandering, taking photos, it was calm, serene, tranquil and a memory we have all cherished for many years.

Fast forward 25 years, and the garden has changed drastically. It is so packed with people that there is absolutely no possibility of anyone running anywhere.

And, what’s worse, they have cut a road right through the property. Now, the Japanese bridge is not even visible from the entry point. You have to go through an underground tunnel, with swarms of other visitors, to get to the other side. There are narrow paths between the flower beds, but most areas that we wandered freely in years ago, are now cordoned off.

It was far from the tranquil experience we enjoyed years ago, but the beauty remains intact.

At one point I heard a garden employee yelling; “Stop, you cannot go in there!” Bad Tourist had removed a chain from a restricted area and was ready to walk in! I thought it was interesting that the employee spoke in English, assuming that Bad Tourist was from an English speaking country. However, when I heard Bad Tourist speaking, it wasn’t English, French or any other language I recognized. But seriously, how presumtious?! We’re seeing more and more bad tourist behavior as popular destinations become more crowded. Click here to read about when we crossed paths with another bad tourist in Athens.

It was quite a surprise to find that the garden has changed so drastically, but perhaps change is for the better at times. I do try to keep an open mind about these things. There are ways to avoid the crowds, and I do suggest visiting this lovely garden if you have the opportunity. We visited in July, the height of tourist season. If you visit in the spring or fall, and arrive right when the garden opens, I imagine it won’t be quite as crowded. Be sure to book your tickets ahead of time though. Adult and senior tickets run 13€; 8.50€ for children and students. Click here for additional information.

We are currently in Avignon (more on that in a few weeks) and are finding that this beautiful city has changed greatly since our first visit over 25 years ago. Thus I’ll have more then and now posts in the future.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia