My experience at Giverny was the same as one described by another on the Travelzine. Monet's house and garden were wonderful before about 10 or 10:30 when the tour buses started to arrive. The crowds distracted from the ambience a bit. Another annoyance is that a busy highway bisects Monet's property. You walk through a dank, smelly pedestrian tunnel to go from the garden to the lily pond. But the entire experience was sublime. It is awe inspiring to see what he saw in person and then see how he interpreted it on canvas. The man truly had a gift. I had taken the train from Paris to Vernon and then walked to Giverny (about 3 miles). Taxis are also available.

Once you have seen Monet's house and garden, I recommend that you walk around the village of Giverny a bit. There are some lovely, well-tended gardens as well as the American Museum with a nice collection. Then of course on your return to Paris do not miss the Musee de Marmottan where you can see Monet's water lily paintings in the intimacy of someone's own home.

Mark Los Angeles, CA