The village of Giverny is the home of Claude Monet — he lived here for the last 43 years of his life and painted his most famous water lily series (Nymphéas) here. Visitors can stroll through his house with its original furniture and studio, but the main attraction is the gardens — the Clos Normand flower garden and the water garden with its famous Japanese bridge and water lilies that look as if they have stepped right out of Monet's canvases. The gardens are at their most beautiful from April to October. From Paris, take the train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Vernon, then a local bus or taxi (~7 km).
