France - Normandy

Wednesday 31st May

Checking out of the apartment was made a lot easier by the fact they have a cleaner so once we had finished breakfast we caught the taxi to the airport. We flew to Paris via Amsterdam and it was interesting to note not only the change in the patchwork landscape which had become absolutely flat but also that all the rooftops were slate grey. Those that weren't glasshouses that is. The other most noticable difference was the language. Where German sounds so stuccato, French is immediately melodic. We found the hire car outlets and ended up squeezing into a Ford Focus despite the obvious dismay of the agent who thought we were sure to upsize. We must have looked like  to a can of sardines on roller skates as Glenn negotiated our way out of the carpark and onto the highway with the help of Eric and Google navigation. Jenni and I just kept quiet in the back seat as we snuggled into the suitcases between us that were overflow from the boot. After negotiating the exit route from Charles de Galle airport, which was like driving along twirled strands of spagetti, we were soon driving through lush countryside and although the traffic was often heavy it kept moving.
By early evening we had checked into the Kyriad Hotel in Vernon just 9 kms from Giverny and had time to book tomorrow's tickets then enjoy a drink in the hotel gardens before dinner. Vernon is on the banks of the River Seine and a key port for river cruises. It certainly looks worth a walk of discovery before leaving.

Thursday 1st June
Bonjour - good day
The sun was streaming through our window to herald another gorgeous day, perfect for visiting gardens.
We had some trouble confirming the online purchase of our tickets to Monet's Garden but fortunately by getting there at 9.30am the queue was quite short. 500,000 visitors visit Monet's gardens each year during the seven months that it is open. After his death in 1926, Monet's son Michel inherited the house and garden in Giverny but he did not live there and it fell into neglect. He then made the Academie des Beaux-Arts his heir and about 50 yrs after Monet's death they began the restoration which took a further 10 years.

We paid again and then made our way directly to the Japanese inspired waterlily pond to enjoy the best of it before the worst of the crowds descended. We hope to sort the other payment when we get home. Actually, at about 10 Euro, it is really good value and if we have to pay double so be it. This is one of our bucket list items and we are just so pleased to be able to see it. How to select a few pictures, they will never represent what we have seen. 

 
There's Eric on the Japaese bridge. Even if you are not a gardener you would be delighted by the beauty of these gardens. Monet himself had the pond dug and later enlarged it to its present day size. It is across the road but connected by a tunnel. The water garden is full of colour and curves, inspired by the Japanese gardens that he knew from the prints he keenly collected. We each had our pictures taken on the famous Japanese bridge. Between the mass plantings of flowers, he planted weeping willows, Japanese maples, a bamboo wood and of course, the famous waterlilies which were in full bloom today.
As the crowds grew we visited the Clos Normand garden in front of the house. Unlike the water garden, this one is laid out in symmetrical flowerbeds. Between the espaliered fruit trees and ornamentals are climbing roses on trellises. Long-stemmed hollyhocks stand between the coloured banks of annuals. Monet mixed the common daisies and poppies with the rarest varieties. It was when importing bulbs from Japan that were wrapped in paper that he first became aware of Japanese prints. He planted flowers according to their colours and left them to grow rather freely. A visit would not be complete without a walk through the house. The original furniture and the Japanese prints were restored while replicas of his paintings have been installed. His studio was perfectly positioned to get the best of the light through huge windows. 

 
In designing and making these gardens he has actually created his works twice. He spent years using the gardens as the subject of his paintings which we all love and this garden is definitely one of my favourites amongst the many I have visited. Enjoying a cool drink at a nearby cafe I got talking to 2 young American girls who were working in the garden on an internship to complete their horticulture degrees. Lucky things! How I would have loved to do that (even now).

We drove back to Vernon looking for some lunch and to learn more about the history of the village. We had read about a self-guided walking tour so started at the Information Centre which exists in one of the oldest houses in the town, dating back to the 15th century. Almost next door is the impressive gothic style church with its flying buttresses and right across the street stands the town hall. The mayor who erected it took care to raise the bell tower higher than the church, because he wanted people to understand that political power was more important than religion. (Fat chance) his design included a beautiful lead light panel to light the rear stairwell and a fountain at the back. 

 

Next we were lead to a tower, the only remains of the ancient castle of Vernon. It dates back to the 12th century. In the 19th century, it was used to keep the city archives. 

 

Down by the River Seine, on the far bank, the old mill still straddles two piers of the ancient bridge. Beside it stands the Tourelles castle, built as a bridgehead to defend the town, but it was unable to do so on more than one occasion and both it and the bridge have had to be rebuilt more than once. We met 3 English women painting the scene. They were obviously having lots of fun, none had ever painted before but were celebrating a big O birthday and 'when in Rome Giverney (or there abouts)...... '   

  

Even so, Vernon has kept some streets untouched and they feature cobblestones with charming half-timbered houses which seem to be leaning over the street, fitted with ancient doors and carved timber window frames. Completing the circuit, we caught up for a cold drink and then drove back to the hotel. We are very glad to have had 2 nights in this little jewel of a town.