Among the Impressionist painters, Claude Monet was a relatively stable one. And why wouldn’t he be– he curated a thriving garden that continued to inspire him until he died at the ripe old age of 86.

Giverny in France, just west of Paris, is where tourists can still discover the late painter’s oasis. And because it’s just a short train ride away via Eurostar, there’s no excuse not to spend a day lingering among the lush lilies and bridges that remain.

Visiting the gardens was a reminder to me that Monsieur Monet was, in a way, still very much alive. Even an art history novice like me can hardly ignore his legacy– the tranquility of his work, the captivating nature of his brushstrokes, the ubiquity of his style. I don’t know how many American refrigerators are bedecked with a small magnetic image of his iconic lilies, but there is something about his canvases that makes us want to enter in….Continue Reading