Spend a whole day discovering historic places in the French countryside: Giverny and Monet's home, and the fabulous Versailles palace, including a countryside lunch.
Claude Monet spent the last 43 years of his life in Giverny. Since 1966 the property belongs to the Fine Arts Academy: the pink house has once again found its colourful décor and original charm together with its priceless collection of Japanese prints. The studio and gardens have been faithfully reconstructed: in front of the house, Le Clos Normand – the wonderful flower garden divided in narrow footpaths – leads down to the water garden with its Japanese bridge and water-lilies that so inspired the impressionist artist.
Versailles, the vast palace, built for Louis XIV to symbolize his power and the influence of France, bears witness to the luxurious court and the artistic genius of the 17th and the 18th centuries. Whether it is the gilt and marbles of the King’s apartments, the silks of Marie- Antoinette’s bedroom, or the impeccable design of Le Nôtre’s gardens, you will feel you are entering a dreamworld where the history of France was written for more than a hundred years, just before the French Revolution.