Giverny

The small village of Giverny (pronounced jee-vair-knee), just beyond the Epte River, which marks the boundary of Ile-de-France, has become a place of pilgrimage for art lovers. It was here that Claude Monet lived for 43 years, until his death at the age of 86 in 1926. Although his house is now prized by connoisseurs of 19th-century interior decoration, it's his garden, with its Japanese-inspired water-lily pond and its bridge, that remains the high point for many—a 5-acre, three-dimensional Impressionist painting you can stroll around at leisure. Monet's house and garden remain two moving visual links to his finest daubs—its famous lily-pond garden, designed by the artist himself, gave rise to his legendary water-lilies series (some historians feel it was the other way around). Most make this a day trip, although Giverny has some jewel bed-and-breakfasts, so you should consider an overnight or two. Vernon itself is a well-preserved old town with a magisterial Gothic church.