A day spent at the gardens and home of Monet at Giverny is a beautiful one, regardless of with whom you spend it, whether a fellow art lover or travel companion. And of course a sunny day spent among flowers in the green countryside of France lends itself easily to romance. But I decided to forge the way there on my own, and the peace and beauty of my day, along with the sense of Monet’s presence, were themselves a powerful accompaniment.

The art of Monet moves me in a way that almost no other art does. And I don’t know why. I’m not a fan of landscape art or floral themes, but something about the scale and stroke of Monet’s work has always affected me. Perhaps it is because his water lilies were the subject of my first museum trip, at 19, a birthday gift from my mother, and never before had I seen up close the brushstrokes of an artist: so layered and so careful, so full of appreciation for their topic, physical and tactile before me. But 10 years later, years of art history classes and world travel and art making of my own behind me, the sight of a Monet still affects me the same way it did that first day. So upon my arrival in Paris, one of my goals was to visit the place that inspired him, to see for myself the natural beauty that acted as his muse.

I took the train from the Gare St. Lazare (captured by Monet) to the Vernon station, about an hour outside Paris, a trip that flies by as the architecture and bustle of Paris give way to the sylvan lushness of the countryside. Upon arrival at Vernon, I got off the train and was herded with the other tourists toward a bus going directly to la maison de Monet. It appeared to be a sardine can full of Americans. I know I’m a hypocrite for saying so, but I dreaded mounting that bus. So when I saw a sign at Bar Restaurant du Chemin de Fer (directly across from the station) that read, “Here Rent Bicycles,” I was, of course, delighted, as it was a sunny, 70 degree day. I was wearing my favorite new vintage dress and a sun hat. What could be more French than riding around town on a bike in a skirt? Warning: this café only takes cash for bike rentals (about 12–15 euros)!
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