Meander your way through Monet’s Normandy  

High on France’s windswept northwest coast, Normandy’s cinematic landscapes have attracted countless artists over the years, with none more famous than Claude Monet and his swirling scenes that defined the wider Impressionist movement. From the wind-sculpted cliffs of Étretat to the lush gardens at Giverny, Normandy’s natural beauty was a constant inspiration to him and the locations are still here today, 100 years after he passed away.  

And by travelling to many of Normandy’s tourist and leisure attractions by train, coach or bike, visitors will benefit from a minimum 10% discount as part of the Normandy Low Carbon Rate and the region’s drive toward a sustainable future.   

The River Seine snakes its way out of Paris into Normandy and one of the most seductive spots near its banks is Giverny. This tiny village was where Claude Monet chose to make his home, and the lush house and gardens he lived in from the late 19th century are open to visit. It was here where he painted some of his most well-known works like Water Lilies and The Japanese Footbridge, which makes strolling these elegant grounds even more evocative.  

A good place to learn more about the dreamy impressionist style that Monet painted in is the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, where works by Eugène Boudin, who was an early influence on the movement, are displayed alongside later artists like Hiramatsu Reiji, who also painted water lilies in his Japanese nihonga style. 

 Beyond Giverny, the settlements flanking the Seine are perfect for cycling and further up the river is Vernon, a Medieval town famous for its rustic timber-framed houses. Vernon is also home to the Blanche Hoschedé Monet Museum, a splendid Impressionist museum set inside a 15th-century townhouse and housing works by the likes of Edouard Vuillard, Theodore Earl Butler and, of course, Monet within its historic walls. 

The ragged chalk cliffs running along Normandy’s Alabaster Coast were perfect for Monet’s style, especially with the often changing and dramatic weather that accompanied the scenes through the seasons.  

Start at the Jardins d’Étretat, a sublime collection of art-filled gardens that twist and curl down a hillside with fine views of the high chalk cliffs. Back down on the seafront, there’s an even clearer picture of the sea-sprayed cliffs, and especially the epic natural arch known as L’Aiguille (The Needle).  

Further north on the coast lies Fécamp, another town that Monet loved to paint, especially its busy fishing port. The fishing industry here was significant in Monet’s day and you can learn more about this at the excellent Musée des Pêcheries.

In 1882, Monet spent several weeks in Dieppe, Pourville and Varengeville, and during that time painted the Château de Dieppe. The huge castle was built in the 14th century and its views over the coast are magnificent. Within its rugged fortifications, there’s a museum alongside four distinct courtyards and the remains of the former Saint-Rémy church.  

Finish the Alabaster Coast at Pourville-sur-Mer, another of Monet’s favourite spots. He painted its languid beach scenes many times and it’s a lovely place to unwind after a long day exploring. 

The largest city in Normandy, Rouen’s pastel-coloured half-timbered townhouses and soaring cathedral always attracted Monet, and his series of ghostly images around the cathedral’s ostentatious facade have since become some of his most celebrated. Rouen Cathedral is the tallest in France (151m high) and its intricate exterior and unusual three-spire design make it a spectacular visit.

After the cathedral, meander the city’s Medieval cobbled streets to the Musée des Beaux-Arts where there are works by Monet as well as earlier 17th–century pieces by masters including Rubens, Velázquez and Caravaggio. The painting Joan of Arc Imprisoned in Rouen (1819) by Pierre Révoil holds special significance, as it was in this very city that she was tried and burned at the stake in 1431.

Following the Seine west, the pretty riverside towns of Duclair and La Bouille are perfect for a lazy cycle on a summer’s afternoon. La Bouille in particular was an artist’s favourite, attracting the likes of Sisley, Turner and Gaugin. And just past Duclair is one of Normandy’s most majestic sights. Famous for its twin white Romanesque towers Jumiéges Abbey was a Benedictine monastery that now sits in a beautiful ruined condition within the bucolic Norman countryside. 

Normandy is the birthplace of Impressionism and Monet’s coastal hometown of Le Havre is where he painted the work that would give the movement its name.  

 The hazy Impression, Sunrise (1872) depicts the city’s port and the Musée d’Art Moderne (MuMa) is located right in the spot where Monet himself painted that famous scene over 150 years ago. Le Havre was heavily bombed during WWII and architect Auguste Perret’s concrete modernist rebuilding of the city divided opinion but over time has become seen as a fine post-war example of urban planning. A stroll around the city’s orderly streets shows why Perret’s work eventually led to UNESCO recognition in 2005. 

The Normandy coast winding south from Le Havre is beautiful, and at Honfleur Monet created some of his finest early work. He spent a lot of time with landscape painter and mentor Eugène Boudin in the 1860s, and Honfleur’s Musée Eugène Boudin sheds light on why he was such a big influence on Monet.  

Finally, head to Deauville, the well-heeled resort town with plenty of fine hotels and restaurants for finishing in style. Though it was over at neighbouring Trouville where Monet painted some of his most famous beach scenes. Stroll its charming boardwalk to see why he and so many other artists continue to be inspired by the Normandy coast.