GIVERNY, France (AP) — After a closure of more than six months, the gardens that inspired Claude Monet’s world-famous paintings of water lilies and other masterpieces are reopening. Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny are joining French cafés, restaurants, cinemas and museums in being allowed to once again welcome customers and visitors from Wednesday. The riot of color, perfumes and birdsong at Giverny is an electroshock for senses dulled by months of hunkering down, a tonic for pandemic and lockdown blues. The gardeners were preening their canvas this week, furiously weeding, mowing, sweeping and planting to make the gardens picture-perfect.
