The Solo Scale:

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In countless museums around the world, Monet’s waterlilies hang on the walls of famous museums. It’s an artistic experience you can have in Paris, New York, Chicago, Kansas City, and more. In fact, it’s probably more likely that more people have seen his paintings than been to his home in Giverny to see what inspired him.

If you’re in Paris and want a half day trip, you can be visit Monet’s home and the pond itself. Monet’s paintings have found a place around the world, but the very same sunlight dappling on the water that inspired Monet’s paintings will be right in front of you.

It’s a powerful experience to be able to see the muse for that particular artwork, no matter how many years have passed and if you have seen some of the art, it’s a powerful contrast to be standing there knowing that this same sunlight dappled the pond and brought brush to canvas to create some masterpieces of art that the world love so much.

The trip to Giverny won’t take too long. You can opt to travel there yourself by renting a car or taking a train, but there are multiple tours that will bring you there. When I travelled there, I went with CityVision on one of their half-day tours (you can find more information here). It allowed me to explore Paris in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, I joined the tour at their offices centrally in Paris. We still arrived back in the evening at a decent time as well.

One easy journey later and we arrived at the gardens. The tour was self-guided and allowed you to spend as much time in each area as you wanted. We began at the waterlilies, where you could spend the whole afternoon here (much as Monet himself had).

Walking the bridge and exploring the pond will make you feel even more connected to the artwork you may have seen before. It may even strike up your own inspiration. As the sun dapples off the water, you might find yourself wanting to spend the entire half-day tour at the waterlilies.

From there, you can head towards the house and the gardens, which are no slouch either. The gardens are brimming with beautiful flowers and buzzing with bees, birds, and activity. The house can get slightly crowded with the tight rooms, but you’ll still have plenty of time to explore.

Near the house and gardens is a small area where you can grab a coffee or a bite to eat. This is where the CityVision tour picked the group up. Given the time of the tour, there should still be time to eat lunch before you leave and dinner after.

For visit details, check out the website here for the most up to date information, prices, and more!

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