Blogs from Giverny, Upper Normandy, France, Europe

The gorgeous little town of Vernon with neighbouring village Vernonnet has a perfectly situated yacht club with harbour for around 10 boats. Its in the grounds of an ancient manor house that is now an activity centre, with the remains of a stunning 13th century tower, remains of a bridge and house alongside. The centre of the main town is still beautiful despite the heavy bombardment Vernon received in WW2. There is a gorgeous old church and miles of cycle paths alongside the river and families of swans, ducks and occassionally geese swim by all day grazing on the weed in the harbour (the only drawback to this idyllic spot - it blocked our loo! We were warned of it on approach by a French chap who told us to 'turn off the engine, there ... read more

Subtle, beautiful, peaceful, so in harmony with nature and so impressionistic. Giverny! We felt right at home in Claude Monet's charming gardens and bright, (the dining room is totally painted the brightest yellow we have ever seen) eclectic "cottagey" home. Our own little Ballston Lake garden tends to get a little busy/messy like Monet's (on a much, much smaller scale). We love the wild and muted colors of flowers competing for the light. Even the so called Japanese garden doesn't adhere to the traditional rules of Japanese landscaping - but there is bamboo and little arched bridges and waterlilies galore! What a contrast to the formality we would goggle at later the same day in Versailles. This is not to complain - just pointing out the vast difference between the surroundings of creative types - like ... read more

By Bus and by Train This day, Tuesday, was a travel day. I left the Hotel Chopin after breakfast and traveled by a single city bus--no transfer--directly to the Gare St.-Lazare. From there I caught a train to Vernon, about an hour away in Upper Normandy. A fellow passenger on the train who was coming from Paris to visit his family offered me a lift to the Avis car rental office, saving me the long walk with luggage bumping along behind. 4 Wheels Things had gone so smoothly until now, I was not surprised when there was a bit of difficulty with the rental car. I'd reserved a 5-door vehicle large enough for 5 adults so there would be room to stow a bicycle in the back. However the vehicle waiting for me at the Avis ... read more

A Bit of Practical Info Public restrooms that don't require admission to something else first can be scarce in Paris. In an emergency, I've used those gray metal cylinders on the sidewalks—the ones that automatically clean themselves after every customer—but I find them damp and a little scary, and they aren't plentiful either. The conventional solution is to stop at a cafe, then (1) order a beverage and (2) use the facilities. Doing 2 without 1 is frowned upon, and some places even post a notice forbidding it. In the Louvre area, there's a quick pit stop in the Carrousel du Louvre, a modern shopping mall beneath the great museum. Visits used to be free, but since my last trip to Paris (September 08), the mall has subbed-out management of their restrooms to the contractor WC-Point ... read more

1: Murder in the Bastille by Cara Black Selected because I'm consuming mystery novels like M&Ms at the moment and this one takes place in Paris. Disposition: While awaiting plane in Tallahassee airport, dragged myself through first two pages; spot-checked pages deeper in book to confirm no improvement in writing style; jettisoned in ladies restroom before takeoff. 2: NY Times Book Review from previous Sunday Read dutifully from cover to cover on flight to Atlanta to distract myself from being mashed, shoulder to knee, against the same body parts of a gentleman endowed with rather more girth than his seat could accommodate. Disposition: Deposited in pocket of seat in front of me before deplaning. (Is it just me or has the content of the NYTBR been flat lately? Perhaps the doldrums of August are lingering still, ... read more