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France and Guernsey

 with Ashley Stephenson
 5 night Cruise - 31 August 2010 aboard Black Watch

"September is a good month to see gardens of the Northern Hemisphere and in late summer/autumn, the summer bedding is still in good condition and there are signs that the cooler evenings will give us the autumn colour that makes British Gardens so attractive. One of the best gardens in Northern France is Monets at Giverny.  This garden is filled with annuals and perennials with a good mix of small woody plants to add depth and character. Guernsey is a floral island and being small it gives us the opportunity of being able to have a good look around. Ray Iverson, the Clematis specialist, has moved his operation to Guernsey and it may be possible to have a look round his nursery. This is also a Britain in Bloom Island and I'm sure they will have entered and been judged." Ashley

Short summer breaks don’t come much better than this; a combination of all the friendly comforts of Black Watch and a fascinating overnight stay in storied Rouen, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Winding lanes are framed by rows of solid, half-timbered houses that look much as they must have centuries ago.

The Channel Islands are an unspoilt corner of the British Isles with a character of their own. Street names are in French, yet the language is English and the currency the pound. With an area of approximately 24 square miles Guernsey is the second largest of the Islands and St. Peter Port, the principal town of this peaceful haven, is a quiet oasis of charm and sophistication

Free Included tour to Monet's Garden from Rouen
Departing the quayside, we drive to Giverny, a pretty village located on the banks of the River Seine and renowned for Claude Monet’s house. The world-famous impressionist painter lived in this house from 1883 until his death in 1926. It was in this very picturesque setting that Monet painted the huge canvases of the Water Lilies, which can be seen in Paris at the Orangerie Museum. Upon arrival, we first visit the ‘Clos Normand’ – the arches of flowers – whose palette of varying colours inspired Monet. We continue to the pink and green house, which stands at the top of the gardens. Reproductions of Monet’s works and his collection of 18th and 19th century Japanese prints can be seen in the different rooms. Our tour will end back in the gardens, where our guide will lead us through the picturesque ‘water garden’ shaped by weeping willows, its famous Japanese bridge and its pond, which inspired Monet in his work. At the end of our tour, there will be the opportunity for some free time, before we make our way back to our awaiting ship. Journey time to Giverny is approximately 1.25 hours.

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