The tour begins with a visit to Giverny where you will discover the idyllic house of Claude Monet at the gates of Normandy. The greatest exponent of impressionism lived here from 1883 to 1926 in a house with a pink brick facade in the middle of a colorful environment. The magnificent collection of Japanese engravings is displayed in several of its rooms, where the painter decided to hang them. Claude Monet's son gave his father's property in Giverny to the Academy of Fine Arts in 1966 and after major restoration work it became the Claude Monet Foundation which was inaugurated in 1980. The immense Atelier Nymphéas (water lilies) next to the house was also restored and now houses the Foundation's store.
The gardens have been replanted as they once were and offer visitors the "picture of nature" that Claude Monet's contemporaries considered one of his masterpieces. In front of the house and the workshop stands the rectangular Clos Normand (Norman enclosure) with arches of climbing plants that intermingle with the brightly colored shrubs that offered, both in spring and autumn, a varied palette of colors to the painter-gardener in love with flowers. A little further on, the water garden, formed by a detour of the Epte river, is sheltered from the sun by weeping willows. Its famous Japanese bridge, its wisterias and azaleas and its pond form a landscape of sky and water that inspired the pictorial universe of water lilies. Lunch will take place at the restaurant "Moulin de Fourges", a 200 year old mill. The architecture of this classified site dating from the 18th century is inspired by Queen Marie Antoinette's Village at Versailles and offers a magnificent rural landscape with a large terrace on the banks of the Epte.
In the afternoon, head to the golden age of France through a visit to the Palace of Versailles. The palace and its gardens are among the most famous monuments of the world's artistic heritage and constitute the most beautiful and complete example of French art of the 17th century. Former residence of the "Sun King" Louis XIV, this sumptuous royal palace was home to three of France's most famous kings for more than 100 years.
The audio-guided tour of the palace includes the King's and Queen's Grand Apartments, the Royal Chapel and the Gallery of Mirrors, a richly decorated gallery with 357 mirrors, large windows and crystal chandeliers. At the end of the visit you will have free time to stroll through the famous French-style gardens, an 809-hectare park designed by André Le Nôtre that features magnificent copses, statues and fountains.
To note: The "Musical Gardens" show is held every summer in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. During this period, access to the gardens will be included - at no extra cost - to enjoy this show.
The "Great Musical Waters" show is held every Saturday and Sunday in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. During this period, access to the gardens will be included -at no additional cost- to enjoy this show.