Walk to Monet's Gardens

One of the things I do virtually every time I visit Paris is to take the train out to Vernon and then a bus out to Giverny to visit Monet's gardens. I've been out there about a dozen times ... I like to garden and I like taking photos. Because it is a garden each time there is a new pallet, different light, a new perspective so it is gold from a photography perspective. It changes day to day let alone week to week or different times of the year so it is always different. Monet was also a Japan-o-phile and I appreciate all things Japanese so this adds even more to each visit. There are hundreds of Japanese woodblock prints in this house and of course the bridges in his garden are very Japanese in design.

If I end up in Paris another dozen times in my lifetime I'll probably go out there another dozen times I enjoy it that much.

This trip I have been out there twice, once with Denis, Janice and Ashlee and once with Lucy, Christine and the crew. Each time was very different. The first trip it was bright and sunny and a gazillion tourists. The second trip it was dark, overcast and raining and very few tourists.

Like I say I've been out there at least a dozen times over the years and this trip I lucked into a new experience. We took the very early train and got there before the bus to Giverny left from Vernon. We were trying to figure out the bus schedule and Janice picked up an information sheet in the train station that indicated you could walk to Giverny along a designated path. I never knew this so this was a first for me. There are actually a number of walking paths in the Vernon area and some day I'm going to come back and stay out there for a few days and explore the entire region ... on foot.

It was a very enjoyable walk but it was also a tough walk for me not because of the length but because I brought ALL my camera equipment with me including a tripod and my backpack weighed a ton. Mind you it also is not a short walk since it takes about an hour at a reasonable pace ... but it is a very managable walk and from my perspective gave me an new experience. If you ever go out to Giverny I highly recommending walking ... it is easy to find the way since it is well marked and it adds a dimension to the trip that is quite unique ... thank you Janice for discovering this little jewel for me.

Following is a combination of pictures that I took of the walk over both my visits and the pictures that Denis took. We try to give you a flavour of what it was like although it is impossible to provide the smell of good clean and fresh air very early in the morning.

Life is good ... enjoy

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