Monet's Place

Stories from the road
May 24, 2017
Paris, France





At noontime yesterday the traffic from Paris was stifling. Our driver did a good job, and eventually we made it to the small village of Giverny, where Claude Monet lived and worked. It was a warm, bight day, and the Monet gardens sparkled. We were surprised at how extensive the gardens were along with the streams and lily pond. Needless to say there were a lot of shutters clicking.

When he could afford it, Monet moved to Giverny and bought the house he formerly rented. He decorated the house with paintings by people he liked. Between the grounds and the house he created a “ beauty bubble” that stands to this day. After viewing the house, we toured a private gallery. The artist’s son showed us around, and we had fun telling him about California. When I mentioned Jennifer Lawrence, he perked up.

By the time we had coffee and toured the museum, which adjoined the gardens, we were due to meet our driver, who would take us back to Paris.  Traffic wasn’t bad going into the city, and we headed for dinner at 6:45.  Tristan, our waiter, was fun, and Phyllis and I had a sea bass dish, while Vicki and Dennis had veal. After the nightly gelato stop, we turned in.

Tomorrow we fly to Boston.  I have had a chance to see a large area in France, and the beauty of the countryside, the warmth of the people, and the attractiveness of the culture have left their mark. I particularly enjoyed spending time at the country home of gracious hosts, Gerard and Sylvia Ballon, who have crafted a lifestyle of grace, beauty, and serenity.