Who has not heard of Claude Monet's fabled garden at Giverny? The leader of the Impressionist Movement thrived on outdoor scenes and his garden is as stunning as many of the master's paintings. The pink brick house with green shutters where he lived from 1883 until his death in 1926 is today much as he left it. At first he rented, then later bought this cherished home, had a pond dug, a bridge built and flowers planted.
The celebrated lily pond, Japanese style bridge and weeping willows are still as they were at the turn of the century. The gardens, which stretch down to the river, are a photographer's dream especially in May and June when the wisteria blooms and the rhododendrons flower. Inside the house, the Foundation Claude Monet, is a studio with yellow dining room with yellow crockery designed by Monet and a bookshop. Most of the rooms are filled with the artist's collection of Japanese woodblock prints. Surprisingly none of Monet's paintings are here. Most are on display in Paris' L'Orangerie and Musee d'Orsay. Nearby is the Musee des Impressionismes which is a large, well lit gallery showcasing the works of Monet's many followers.
If you fancy a meal or an overnight stay Hotel La Musadiere is the place. One the menu is Assiette Pecheur (Fisherman's Plate of smoked salmon and tuna plus leg of lamb with green beans. Giverny lies on the north bank of the river Seine across from the town of Vernon. To get there take the train from Paris St Lazare station to Vernon. From there it is a short taxi ride to the Fondation. Or you can catch a local bus outside the station. The service is timed to connect with trains from Paris.
Still on the artists trail is Auvers-sur-Oise. This rural village is where Vincent Van Gogh spent the end of his life. His attic room at the Auberge Ravoux is open to the public. The restaurant here is a good place to dine on hearty rustic cuisine. A 20 minute walk from town leads to the artist's gravesite which fittingly is surrounded by sunflowers. Other artists have resided in the town including Paul Cezanne, Camille Pissaro and Charles Francois Daubigny.
Be sure then to visit Daubigny's Museum in Manoir des Colombieres on Rue de La Sansonne and his studio on Rue Daubigny when his murals can still be seen. Another artistic attraction is the 17th century Chateau d'Auvers which displays Impressionists works. To get there take the train from Paris Gare du Nord to St-Ouen L'Aumone. Transfer there to the Auvers-sur-Oise service. Journey time is approximately one hour.
The horseracing capital of France, the town of Chantilly is also known for its Neo Renaissance chateau, Chantilly cream and lace. Horse racing was introduced from England in 1830 and soon became popular. The first race was held in 1834 and today about 3,000 horses are trained in the surrounding forests and countryside. Come June, Chantilly becomes the focus of the flat racing season when top riders and their thoroughbreds compete for two trophies – the Prix de Diane and the Prix du Jockey-Club.
Don't miss the Grands Ecuries, the superb stables, an equestrian palace designed by Jean Aubert in 1719 which could accommodate 240 horses and 500 dogs. Today it is home to the Musee Vivant du Cheval, a Living Museum of Horses. Children especially will love stroking the horses – 30 in all – and beautifully groomed, and there are dressage displays too.
Standing serenely in the middle of a lake and surrounded by landscaped gardens Chantilly castle is the stuff of every child's dream. But in spite of its appearance it is actually two chateaux – the Grand Chateau and the Petit Chateau erected in the late 19th century, replacing earlier elaborate buildings on the site. The petit train tours the park, laid out with water features in the late 17th century by the great landscape artist Le Notre. Or you can go around in great style by horse and cart. And rowing boats can be hired at the weekend. Within the chateau is the Musee Condee, a fine collection of Renaissance art with works by Botticelli, Poussin and Rafael. If you are feeling hungry try La Capitannerie in the old chateau kitchens for traditional French fare. And if you fancy sampling Chantilly cream, a mixture of whipped cream, sugar and vanilla, head to Aux Gouters Champetres in the windmill of the hamlet. For horticulture lovers the restored Prince's kitchen gardens Potager aux Princes is a 19th century English style garden with a small farmyard, fruit trees, vegetable plots and an open-air theatre beside the lake. To the south lies Chantilly forest, a giant wood with miles of pathways and nature trails that is most popular as a picnic site. For the energetic a four mile walk circles four small lakes, the Etangs de Commelles, and passes the Chateau de la Reine Blanche, a mill converted into a medieval style hunting lodge. Senlis, a little to the east of Chantilly, is known as the birthplace of the French monarchy. Part of it is still a medieval walled town encased within ramparts built on a Gallo Roman base. It is home to the ruins of the Chateau Royal and its gardens. Here the Musee de la Venerie depicts hunting through trophies, paintings and old weapons.To get to Chantilly take the train from Gare du Nord to Chantilly Gouvieux. From there it is a 30 minute walk through the forest to the chateau. Or take a taxi. Our next outing is designed especially for children, though adults will enjoy it too. Parc Asterix is a small fortified village in Gaul which has its own customs controls, currency and radio station. One of France's most popular theme parks, it is centred in the province of Armonica. Here the country's best known cartoon character Asterix and his sidekick Obelix famously defended their territory from Roman invaders. This charming park was clearly given the seal of approval by Albert Uderzo whose cartoons of Roman bashing warriors have been translated into over 40 languages including Arabic.The park is divided into several areas including a Roman city, Ancient Greece and a Gaullish village, each inhabited by cartoon characters wearing rubber suits. All try to beat the Romans and the scenes are often hilariously funny. But the place is something of an education too. For example Rue de Paris shows construction of well known buildings. There are other attractions too including a high speed roller coaster and a dolphinarium. To get there take the RER train Line B3 from Chatelet Les Halles to Charles de Gaulle Airport 1. From here Courriers Ile de France buses run every 30 minutes to the park. Just one hour from Paris by TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse) high speed train the city of Lille is at the heart of Lille-Metropole, an urban area which is France's fourth largest. Baroque and Flemish influences combine to make the centre a pretty one. And this plus Lille's traditional role of supplying textiles to the Paris fashion industry combined with an innovative renewal programme make the place a chic shopping centre and an enjoyable place to visit.
On the history trail look out for the 15th century Palais Rihour, built for the dukes of Burgundy, the 17th century arcaded Stock Exchange in red and gold and the Palais des Beaux-Arts. Located on Place de La Republique it presents Flemish and Dutch Art, notably Rubens. La Piscine – Musee d'Art et d'Industrie in the former wool town of Roubaix, now part of Lille Metropole is located in a stunning Art Deco former swimming pool. It showcases a remarkable collection of applied arts, particularly textiles.
For dining check out A L'Huitriere on Rue des Chats Boissus. As well as being France's best known fishmonger it is also a gourmet restaurant. On Rue du Cure-St-Etienne is Philippe Olivier's fromagerie with its 300 plus cheeses on sale. Flandre Liban on Rue des Postes is a Lebanese restaurant serving excellent mezze and more. It is located in the predominantly Middle Eastern and North African quartier. And T'Rijsel on Rue de Gand serves traditional Flemish dishes. Halal food can be enjoyed at Villa Marrakech (Moroccan), Mama Teresa (Italian), Mademoiselle and Auberge de La Garenne (French) and Djudjura (Oriental). Lille is also home to two mosques - Masjid Badr de Lille at 204 Rue Arras and the Grande Mosquee Al Imam de Lille at 59 Rue des Marquillies. To get to Lille take the TGV from Paris' Gare du Nord.

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