Sleeping beauties

~ Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you. ~Marsha Norman ~

Earlier this year I visited Giverny, and saw some of Monet's paintings. So when I read on the internet about the exhibition in Paris at the Grand Palais, a friend and I thought why not. So we are off to view some of the great mans work in January.

The church at Giverny where Monet is buried

A preserved studio where the Impressionists used to paint

I was rather excited, when we eventually found this old studio. Most of the tourists are unaware that they can wander through the gardens at the back of the hotel Baudy. Just ask at the bar and walk through, then find yourself in a lovely quiet garden with a studio covered in greenery. Built in 1887, behind the former hotel, Baudy, this small studio the only one of its time has been preserved. Here Claude Monet and his friends completed their plein air paintings, outside are beautiful gardens.

Something magical happened...I realised that I am a painter too.

Here is the dining room

in the popular hotel Baudy where Monet and many artists would have listened to the piano. The guide book tells us this is pretty much as it was in Monet's time.

The beautiful restored watergardens, must look incredible when the waterlilies open up.
The only catch to our trip to Paris is that the only times available when booking online, (the queues are two hours long) are during the early hours. So when I get up at 4 in the morning to go and view Monet's art many Parisians will be asleep dreaming. We get 1.5 hours starting from 5 am. Then maybe breakfast in central Paris!

A link to the website Grand Palais here
A link to a website re Giverny here

Some French words

Canvas ~ toile
Charcoal ~ fusain
To paint the town red ~ faire la noce