Claude Monet's Gardens Have Officially Reopened in France
The gardens that inspired Claude Monet's famous Water Lillies series, along with some of his other iconic works, have finally re-opened after a six-month-long closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Located in the small village of Giverny in France, the gardens feature two separate areas: the Clos Normand flower garden, which is located in the front of Monet's house, and a Japanese-inspired water garden, which is located across the street. In Clos Normand, the land features voluminous flowerbeds that include varieties like daisies and poppies, and rare breeds, too. "All my money goes into my garden," Monet once said.
In 1893, Monet started to build the first water lily ponds across the street from his home. Here, visitors can expect to see wisteria, weeping willows, nymphaea, and lots more vegetation. For more than 20 years, Monet continued to find inspiration for his gardens for more of his classic impressionist paintings.
The gardens are currently open now through November 1, 2021, from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Admission tickets are 13 euros for adults and 8.5 euros for children. There is no charge for children under seven years old. Advance tickets are highly recommended throughout the rest of thi syear, as the number of daily visitors is still restricted. All visitors must wear a face mask and maintain proper social distancing while touring the gardens. Prior to COVID, the garden was only open seven months each year but received more than 500,000 visitors. "It's frustrating because the garden has its meaning when we are sharing it," said Claire-Hélène Marron, who is one of 11 permanent gardeners at Giverny. "We put a lot of effort into making it spectacular and trying to recreate the impressionist paintings."
Earlier this week, the European Union announced that Americans who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will likely be able to travel to Europe this summer. The United States is expected to reach herd immunity—or the vaccination of 70 percent of residents—by mid-June, at which time the EU anticipates international travel being safe once again.
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