Monet's beautiful gardens.

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Geo: 49.0948, 1.48683

There is nothing like a stroll through a beautiful garden. This is one of the excursions I've looked forward to the most. After breakfast we visited Claude Monet's home and beautiful garden. In 1883, when Monet was 43, he came to Giverny with Alice Hoschede, her six children and his two, eventually buying the large house with two acres of garden. Monet died December 5, 1926, at the age of 86. Despite rapidly failing eyesight and lung cancer, he painted until the day he died. He is buried in Giverny cemetery. The gardens are so beautiful with late-flowering roses, as well as nasturtiums, zinnias, verbenas, salvias, gladiolus, cosmos, sunflowers, hollyhocks, busy Lizzies, dahlias, nicotianas-the list is almost endless. And of course the beautiful lavender. We also enjoyed seeing his home. We took many pictures. Check out Bob's Facebook. His are better than mine, but don't tell him I said that.

Our lunch on the ship was a taste of Normandy. The food on this trip is wonderful. Probably not a good thing. We especially enjoy sitting on the deck watching the French countryside go by.

After lunch, we toured the charming medieval town of Vernon. We visited the Town Hall with an impressive staircase leading to the grand registry office. Here a magnificent stained glass window depicts the legend of Saint Louis. The Collegiate Church built between the 11th and 17th centuries, has a beautiful facade and interior. I loved the spectacular stained glass windows and elaborately decorated organ.

Tomorrow early we sail for Rouen in Normandy country.

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Photos

Monet's Gardens
Bamboo