This route invites you to explore the gardens of serene Norman villages. From Bois-Guilbert to Giverny, it will lead you to discover unique green spaces where contemporary art engages with the Impressionist legacy. Follow this suggested itinerary, at the crossroads of nature and art, and discover the events of the Normandy Impressionist Festival.
Stage 1
Start in Bois-Guilbert, a village home to a magnificent Sculpture Garden and its castle. By blending art and nature, this place offers a unique walk.
On site, as part of the Normandy Impressionist Festival, you can discover three exhibitions:
A Garden of Impressionist Painters in Bois-Guilbert (a series of 20 bronze busts of emblematic painters of the Impressionist era),
The Impressionist Gardens of the Rouen School (a unique exhibition of paintings by emblematic painters of this school),
The Uniqueness of Colour (an exhibition of works by Caroline Coppey, an artist who wrote a thesis on Claude Monet).
© BUZZ, Bumblebee in Flight ©Murielle Palenne
In addition, on September 13, nearby, you can attend a Buzz concert, Electrosonic Concerts in the Garden in Sommery, for an encounter between nature and electroacoustic music.
Stage 2
Head to Lyons-la-Forêt to discover a contemporary art trail through the picturesque streets of the village: "Gardens in Dialogue – Contemporary Art in Lyons-la-Forêt." This project invites you to rediscover the village through the works of artists Tanja Smeets, Florian Mermin, and Rasmus Myrup, who create a dialogue between heritage and the natural world, transforming a stroll through the village into a poetic and surprising experience.
Half-timbering and flowers © Coraline and Leo
Stage 3
Join us in Giverny to explore this iconic Impressionist location, where Claude Monet lived for the last forty years of his life. Visit Claude Monet's house and explore the gardens, where you can admire the famous water lilies, Japanese bridges, and flowerbeds that inspired his great series of paintings. Then, travel through the town to reach the Museum of Impressionism.
As part of the Normandy Impressionist Festival, you will be able to discover the exhibition Plantations, in situ works, 2026 by Daniel Buren, an original creation in dialogue with the garden and the museum's collections.
© Daniel Buren Souvenir Photo _ The Wind Blows Where It Will, 2009 Site-specific work, in “Beaufort 03”, Le Coq, Belgium (Nieuport City Collection) © DB.ADAGP, Paris, 2026
