The copy cat of Giverny
Emily in Paris made me do it
No, it wasn’t the romance. It wasn’t the architecture. It wasn’t the fashion, the Olympics or the smoking that convinced me to book a trip to Paris. It was Claude Monet’s house… when I saw it on Emily in Paris.
I had a trip to Crete planned last week with my friend Emma and when we committed to booking flights, I was already thinking about where I could potentially go after, so I booked a one-way ticket. I wanted to go to Athens. I’d shortlisted Athens before deciding on Seville for my solo trip last month, opting for somewhere with a pool and something a little slower-paced. But having been captivated by the stories, myths and legends of Ancient Greece after studying Classics at school, I knew I was overdue a visit. Athens delivered and then some. Reaching the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis was a type of transcendence and awe-inspiring wonder. I was up in the clouds. Far removed from modernity and everyday life. 48,000 steps 48 hours later, I was glad that Nice was my next pitstop. I’d never been to the South of France and was excited for walks along the Côte d'Azur promenade and swims in the Mediterranean. Another of my shortlisted cities that was knocked out by Seville. My first day in Nice was a damp one. It chucked it down. I explored a little and then indulged myself by watching films in the middle of the day. The sun had returned by the time I woke up and I got my dip in the sea before I left.
Paris was a bit of a whim. I had a gap of 2 days between Nice and meeting my sister in Bordeaux, I did try to fit Florence in there but the timings and flights wouldn’t add up. After watching episode 2 from the new season of Emily in Paris, where she heads to Monet’s house in Giverny to find an awol Camille and convince her to come home, I said to myself “I’m going to Monet’s house”. And that’s what I did.
I got a train 40 minutes outside of Paris, making notes of some stations we passed along the way so I could hunt them down and make searches on Rightmove or a French equivalent later. Our train was delayed and so I panicked when we arrived that the shuttle from the station to the house might have already left. I ran when I saw a man urging us to hurry because he’d be leaving soon. It wasn’t what I expected. This shuttle resembled one of those little trains you can get on at the zoo. I willingly handed over €10 for a return ticket and hoped for the best. The train played medieval-sounding music to the tune of Noah’s Ark ‘two by two’ song and included a little tour of highlights from Vernon.
When I got to the house and went to the pond and saw the waterlilies I felt triumphant. I saw something. I decided I wanted to do it. I did it. I committed myself to the task of visiting Monet’s house that day sitting on the sofa watching TV and there I was! I have succeeded in what I set out to do. It was a victory. An act of self-belief and achievement that I want to replicate in other decisions I make, big and small.
As I leave I find the shuttle bus I should have gotten at the start. It smelt faintly of gravy and I almost missed the open-airedness of the zoo train. I heard an engine draw up as we were waiting for the stragglers to arrive before the shuttle left. Could it be my train? Oh, it was just a lawnmower, my mistake. On my way back to Paris I wondered if the little train had been a figment of my imagination.
I’d been to Paris once before and although I enjoyed my trip, it felt like somewhere I wouldn’t particularly miss or long to return to. I think Paris is similar to London. It is laden with tourists. Me being one of them. The “must-see” list is exactly what we did the first time I came, as we should! I wanted to go up the Eiffel Tower and see the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. But being a tourist in a city can feel static, like a tick box exercise. I think it’s how I felt the last time I left Paris. That it was “done”. I wanted this time to be different. Yes, I went to Claude Monet’s house, I know. But in terms of finding places for coffee and places to eat, I sought out recommendations from locals and people who knew the arrondissement I was staying in well. AKA I watched loads of TikTok videos. I enjoyed Paris more this time around as I got more of an insight into what it would be like to live there and to have a life woven into the threads of this unfamiliar city.
There will always be something new to explore, somewhere undiscovered. I feel as I had hoped I would after this trip looking forward to returning to London tomorrow with a renewed sense of vivacity for opportunities that are yet to find me.
