Monet's Garden and Versailles

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then to the Rouen area for a four-night stay.

This morning we travel to the pretty village of Giverny to visit the home of Claude Monet. The artist lived here from 1883 until his death in 1926. Today, his house and gardens, made famous by his painting of the water lilies, have been restored to Monet’s original designs. His gardens, stretching from the house down to the river, provided the inspiration for many of his famous paintings, such as the series of ‘Nympheas’ or Water Lilies and his ‘Pont Japonais’ or Japanese Bridge, which has also been rebuilt for visitors to enjoy. We then continue to the Rouen where you will have time at leisure to explore. See the Notre Dame Cathedral with its Butter Tower, immortalised in paintings by Claude Monet. Take a stroll to admire the famous Gros Horloge, a huge astronomical clock dating back to the 16th century, and in the centre of the Old Market Square stands the church of St. Joan of Arc, whose design represents the pyre on which Joan perished in 1431.

A full-day included visit to Versailles, home to the famous château and gardens. Located on the western outskirts of Paris and originally created for Louis XIV, you will have time at leisure to admire the magnificent gardens from this once opulent era (château entrance is at extra cost). Enjoy a relaxing stroll through the gardens, or along Versailles' own Grand Canal, or why not discover the many fountains and pools, some of which are examples of fine sculpture.

If you choose to visit the palace, then there are various types of admission tickets available depending on what areas you would like to see. (Château entrance is at extra cost and subject to local queueing times. Ticket prices vary depending on the type of ticket you purchase - approximate cost is between €18 and €27 paid on the spot. We do not recommend advance ticket purchase, as itineraries can be subject to last-minute change for operational reasons. (We are not able to provide assistance with independent ticket arrangements.)

We spend the day in the beautiful Pays d’ Auge, famous for its splendid green countryside, excellent cheeses and lush apple orchards. Our first stop is in the pretty historical city of Lisieux. Home to an extravagant hillside basilica, Lisieux is considered to be the second most important pilgrimage town in France, thanks to its 19th century saint, Therese Martin. We later continue to southern Normandy and the village of Camembert, known worldwide for its famous cheese. During the day we will visit both a local cheesery, where you can taste the local Camembert, and a traditional Normandy farm, where we will see how the local apples are made into cider, calvados (a local apple brandy) and Pommeau (a drink which combines apple juice with apple brandy), before sampling the produce.

Return home.