Thoughtfully designed journeys, rooted in place.

A Day in Giverny — Stepping Into the World of Monet

A day in Giverny is best experienced slowly, allowing time to discover not only Claude Monet’s famous garden, but the village and artistic landscape that made this corner of Normandy such an important place in the history of Impressionism.

Begin at Monet’s House and Gardens, where the experience unfolds between two very different gardens. The Clos Normand is a spectacular composition of flowers, colours and textures, designed by Monet himself as a living painting. Rather than arranging the garden formally, he created combinations of plants that would change constantly with the seasons, allowing colour and light to become part of the landscape.

Cross beneath the road to reach the Japanese-inspired Water Garden, perhaps the most evocative part of the visit. The famous pond, Japanese bridge, wisteria and water lilies reveal the landscape that became central to Monet’s later work. Standing beside the water, it is easy to understand how reflections, flowers and changing light could occupy his attention for decades.

Inside Monet’s house, the atmosphere becomes more personal. His rooms, collection of Japanese prints and colourful interiors offer insight into the man behind the paintings and his fascination with Japanese art, colour and nature.

Giverny - Monet Gardens revisited.

A short walk away, the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny provides a wider artistic context. Its exhibitions explore Impressionism and its influence, allowing visitors to move beyond Monet and discover the artists, ideas and artistic movements connected to the region. The museum's gardens are also worth taking time to explore.

The pleasure of Giverny is ultimately in making the connection between the paintings and the landscape itself. After seeing Monet's water lilies in the museum or in reproductions, standing beside the pond and seeing the same reflections, flowers and light creates a particularly intimate experience.

For a more immersive day, the visit can be combined with a lunch in the village, a walk through the surrounding countryside or a continuation along the Seine towards Vétheuil, where Monet lived and painted before settling in Giverny.

Giverny is not simply a place to see where Monet lived — it is an opportunity to step into the landscape he spent a lifetime observing, cultivating and transforming into art.

Landscape Photography Workshop with Olivier

Twice a year, we invite amateur photographers to join Olivier for a special landscape photography workshop, designed for those who want to look at the landscape with a more discerning eye and deepen their understanding of light, composition and atmosphere.

The workshop is less about technical equipment and more about learning to see. Olivier encourages participants to slow down, observe how the light moves across the landscape, and understand how composition can transform an ordinary scene into a compelling photograph.

Working outdoors and making the most of the natural conditions, participants explore how time of day, weather, perspective, colour and changing light influence an image. Whether photographing the coast, countryside or a village, the emphasis is on developing a personal approach and becoming more confident behind the camera.

The workshop is deliberately intimate and informal, creating time for individual guidance, discussion and experimentation. It is an opportunity to discover beautiful landscapes while learning how to capture not only what we see, but also the atmosphere and emotion of a place.

For more information about Olivier and his work: olivier-charles.com

Giverny - Monet Gardens revisited.

Giverny - Monet Gardens revisited.

Giverny - Monet Gardens revisited.

Giverny - Monet Gardens revisited.