Giverny

Most well-known for being the inspiration behind French impressionist Claude Monet's iconic series Water Lilies, the idyllic commune of Giverny exists quietly along the banks of the Seine. A charmingly rural vibe surrounds this village in Normandy, where misty mornings shroud Medieval churches, and a canopy of weeping willows and drooping flowers adorn the unforgettable bridge from Monet's masterpiece. The highlight of the village culminates at the Maison et Jardins de Claude Monet, the house that served as the artist's residence from 1883, until his death in 1926. Hundreds of impressionism aficionados flock to the crumbling mansion and its surrounding floral gardens for a glimpse of this once-thriving art colony. While Giverny's genteel landscape stirred the strings of Monet's artistic heart, it also encouraged a bevy of American impressionists like Willard Metcalf and Louis Ritman to visit this French commune for inspiration. The Museum of Impressionism that opened in 1992 is another main attraction in town, and traces the beginnings of this 19th-century art movement. Giverny thrives on tourism that surrounds its impressionist origins.