The famous pond created by Monet in a field

The waterlilies were not in bloom and Hugues Gall, the brilliant President of the Monet Foundation was not in town, but our day in Giverny was nonetheless scintillating. My initial desire was to visit the Degas exhibition at the Musée des Impressionismes (former American Museum) and I picked a very sunny day to drive up to Giverny (one hour from Paris). The walk from the parking to the museum is already an introduction to the mosaic of flowers that we were going to discover all day.

Maisons au bord de mer, pastel sur papier chamois, by Degas,© RMN-Grand Palais

What I liked most about the Degas show was the variety of medias (pencil, pastel, oils) that are used here and the social register of friends that he painted: Halévy, Rouart, whom he met on the front in 1870, the evocation of Ingres and Gustave Moreau (met in Naples in 1858). He retraces well the atmosphere of the Nouvelle Athènes, rue St Georges (where he was born De Gas) and rue Ballu, where he had his studio and where the author of his catalogue raisonné, Henri Loyrette, also lives.

“Portraits dans un bureau” New Orleans, 1873, is so lively! © RMN-Grand Palais

80 works, mostly portraits and very realistic scenes of life like « Le Pédicure » painted in New Orleans in 1873, where a young girl covered in a white sheet, is being pampered by a male pedicure. A very strange and beautiful scene. Many ballerinas of course in oil and bronze but mostly strong daily scenes such as the office for cotton in New Orleans or les “Repasseuses” (the ironing girls). The museum is well designed and there will be a concert on June 21, for the Fête de la Musique. (until July 19th)

Le Champ de course, jockeys amateurs près d’une voiture © RMN-Grand Palais

After this moment of pure joy inside the galleries, we proceeded to the Monet gardens (where Degas was never invited!) and discovered the luxuriance of tulips, lilacs and azaleas in all colours. The simplicity of cherry trees and surrounding fields, contrasts with the very composed flower beds.

The « impression » is so intense that one needs to walk around the peaceful pond surrounded by trees with their new pale green foliage, in order to enjoy the colors again. Many enthusiastic English ladies were discussing the different species and one felt like being at a flower show more than in a natural garden. This is probably the result of the arduous work by 30 gardeners who are employed in the summer (10 in the winter) as Mauricette, the manager of the restaurant « les Nymphéas » across the street, told us with her true professionalism.

Mauricette, in the garden of the restaurant les Nympheas, which is run by her daughter Nathalie.

The whole street and gardens nearby are kept by the Institut de France and they provide a « green decor » that welcomes you in Giverny : a little artificial but magical anyway. Our lunch there was perfectly simple, salads and cider outside (we are in Normandy aren’t we!) and the friends we met in the queue were wonderful company. We discussed different brands of mowing tractors, and the Poussin exhibition at the Louvre which I will soon tell you about. It was a perfectly Parisian day even though many visitors had come from around the world.

The Japanese garden

A little Japanese corner of mauve rhododendrons and white tulips and the bamboo forest, reminded us of Monet’s love for Japan and vice versa.