Claude Monet’s House

As you step inside Claude Monet’s house in Giverny, imagine it alive with the energy of daily life: eight children moving through the rooms, Monet walking back and forth between his studio and garden, the kitchen bustling from early morning as fresh vegetables arrived from the kitchen garden, people returning from the market, and friends visiting from Paris.

Ground Floor: Blue Lounge, Pantry, and Studio/Lounge

The visit begins in the reading room, still known as the little blue lounge, which connects directly to the pantry. Here, everyday essentials such as tea, olive oil, spices, and eggs were stored in wall-mounted cupboards.

Next, visitors enter Monet’s first studio, where he worked until 1899. This studio/lounge was carefully restored in 2011, following a project initiated by Hugues R. Gall and supported by a generous donation from the Versailles Foundation.

Under the scientific direction of Sylvie Patin, correspondent of the Académie des Beaux-Arts and a renowned specialist in Impressionism, the studio/lounge was recreated to closely resemble its appearance during Monet’s lifetime. Around 60 paintings were selected and reproduced, then densely hung on the picture rails to restore the original atmosphere, with meticulous attention to historical accuracy.

The restoration was entrusted to Hubert Le Gall, and approximately 80% of the original furniture was reused, preserving the authentic character of the space.

Upstairs: Private Apartments

A staircase leads to the private quarters of the house. The visit begins with Monet’s bedroom, which was painstakingly recreated in 2013. The room and its adjoining washroom display objects and artworks that were present during Monet’s lifetime, including reproductions of paintings by his close friends Cézanne, Renoir, Signac, and Caillebotte.

Visitors then pass through Monet’s washroom and that of Alice Monet, before entering her bedroom, which includes a tiny adjoining room once used for sewing. The walls of both bedrooms are lined with damask tablecloths sewn together, a distinctive decorative feature of the house.

The final room upstairs is the bedroom of Blanche Hoschedé-Monet, opened to the public for the first time in 2014. As with Monet’s bedroom, the scenographic recreation was designed by Hubert Le Gall, inspired by interiors of the period to faithfully recreate the personal space of the woman who lived in Giverny until her death in 1947.

Ground Floor: Dining Room and Kitchen

The dining room has been recreated down to the smallest detail. Its distinctive yellow walls are adorned with Monet’s collection of Japanese prints. The yellow-painted furniture, considered very modern at the time, adds to the room’s vibrant atmosphere.

Inside the display cabinets, visitors can admire the blue ceramic tableware and the special yellow and blue service that Monet commissioned for celebrations.

In the kitchen, lined with blue Rouen tiles, the large stove with multiple hobs and the copper utensils appear almost ready for use, as if awaiting the return of their owners.