Saturday
Today is Monet Day. Claude Monet Day to be exact. It is also wet and cold. Misericorde!
Because Vernon only has one dock for the river cruisers, we find our ship is tethered to and sandwiched between two other (slightly more upscale) ships. This arrangement, not uncommon on river cruises, forces us to transit up and over from our sun deck to theirs; and then descend two sets of stairs to finally parade through their lobby where we can proceed to the exit ramp and actually disembark. (This ship will depart in the late afternoon to be replaced by another–but not before we must repeat the whole megillah in reverse. Fortunately, the new ship’s lobby and ours are nearly level so it is much easier to cross from our ship’s lobby door directly through that ship to the shore ramp.)
So, the Bizet’s assembled travelers wind their way through the rain and the many decks of our combined ships and proceed to the buses. Our destination? The home and final resting place of Claude Monet, probably the artist most universally identified with the Impressionist school of painting.
I am neither an artist nor an art scholar, so I will let the pictures speak for themselves. First stop was Monet’s Japanese Garden: meandering paths and bridges woven through a flowering and lush landscape that framed the tranquil lily pond and running stream throughout.
The second stop was the formal gardens in front of his home. Here the spring flowers were out in force and the colors were magnificent.
Next, we toured his house. It was a welcomed relief to the incredible cold and the non-stop rain outside. The house was interesting albeit packed with people. And it is what it is: the house of a famous dead person. The artwork throughout were replications. There was no visible information on the furnishings or decor. But it was easy to see why the gardens were so inspiring. The view from the first floor windows out over the formal garden is still exceptional.
Having finished touring the property, Rob & I walked the length of the town to the church and cemetery where Monet and his family are interred. It took us some time to find his family grave…because we had walked right past it when we entered the cemetery. (D’oh!)
The church was a tiny and rather plain gathering place befitting a small village such as this. The Gregorian chant playing softly in the background added to the contemplative feel of the place.
The cold, relentless, mind- and finger-numbing rain of earlier in the morning finally eased up to a misty drizzle as we headed to our rendezvous point, the Gallery Art Museum, where we enjoyed a brief repast in the museum’s bistro before returning.
More food — it is, after all, a cruise — and then we diverged on the afternoon’s entertainment. Rob participated in a scavenger/treasure hunt in town while I caught up on some badly-needed rest with an afternoon nap.
The ship brought aboard a 92-year-old American war bride who returned to France after raising her family in the States and who discussed her long and fascinating life during and after the war as she bridged two cultures raising her children. She had a wicked sense of humor and was a delight.
Après dinner, we walked the town for the last time, promoting good digestion.
France: Normandy to Paris 