Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise Day Trip from Paris: Monet Gardens Early Access**Walk in the Footsteps of Monet and Van Gogh**

This small group tour meets near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The drive from Paris to Giverny will take about 45 minutes. You'll ride in comfort in our luxury van with leather seats and air-conditioning. You'll arrive at Monet's House and Gardens just before opening. You will then have priority access to the gardens for 30 minutes before the general public is allowed inside. The Clos Normand garden is overflowing with irises, peonies, daffodils, and nasturtiums suspended from arched trellises. The Water Garden is lush and green, with bamboo shoots and huge willow trees. You'll be able to cross the little green Japanese bridge and gaze at the delicate water lilies in the pond. Your guide will share a great introduction to the life of Claude Monet and his gorgeous estate. Youlll learn about his most famous paintings and find out why he is known as the Father of Impressionism. Then you'll have at least 90 minutes of free time to explore the estate further. The guide will then take you to the quaint little church where Monet worshiped on Sundays. There in the little parish cemetery you'll find the final resting place of Claude Monet. You'll be able to pay your respects to this great man. Then we'll set off for Auvers-sur-Oise. Auvers-sur-Oise is about an hour away from Giverny. We'll be driving through the beautiful French Countryside the whole way. Upon arrival at the little town of Auvers-sur-Oise, we'll take at least an hour long break. There is a boulangerie with fresh baked goods as well as several little restaurants that serve local specialties at reasonable prices (own expense). After lunch you'll be given a fully guided tour of the Auberge Ravoux guesthouse where Vincent Van Gogh lived the last three months of his life. In this museum, of sorts, you'll learn about his final days, see the small bedroom where he died, and watch a short film about his personal life and art. The nail holes where he nailed his wet canvases to the wall are still present in the Auberge Ravoux. Then your guide will take you along the Artists Trail which winds its way through the charming little town and features photo panels in the different spots where Vincent placed his easel to paint. Along this trail you'll be stopping to learn about what inspired Vincent Van Gogh's final 77 paintings. We'll even visit the Church of Auvers on your way to Vincent's grave site. Vincent Van Gogh is laid to rest in a very humble grave covered with ivy next to his brother, and best friend in the world, Theo. You'll be able to pay your respects to this troubled genius and thank him for all of the color he brought into the world. Then take a walk through the wheat field that inspired his ominous painting Wheatfield with Crows. We normally return to the original meeting point in Paris at around 6:00pm.