A long pilgrimage by coach to worship at Monet’s house and garden in Giverny. This is a very popular site, and the narrow paths were packed making getting round difficult to impossible. Pilgrims had come from all round the world.

The gardens are well tended and there is a lot to see, the Japanese gardens over the road (accessed by an underpass sponsored by a Japanese) are very photogenic. In the house you see shadows left by Monet.

I did wonder why everyone had come to this temple of Art. Was it in the hope that some greatness might rub off, like people visit temples in the hope holiness will rub off? Or was it on the official bucket list? Our guide explained some details of Monet’s life, but she didn’t try to explain what impressionism was. You don’t need the theory to appreciate the art, but I felt despite being where Monet painted masterpieces any appreciation going was superficial.

The shop was big, and well stocked - we got Monet place mats and a fridge magnet and socks. I wonder what Claude Monet would have made of his pictures on shopping bags. Perhaps he would have been pleased.

Escaping from the scrum we had a drink and creme caramels at a nearby cafe, kudos to them for catering for the language limited Brits.