Claude Monet's House and Gardens - Giverny

#hellohalloween Shadows in the Clos Normand (4 Stars) The formal flower beds of the Clos Normand are stunning, even as the season fades, but at dusk, they take on an unsettling, almost cinematic quality. The long shadows cast by the tall autumn shrubbery feel like they are deliberately hiding something. The staff must have intentionally dimmed the pathway lights, creating deep pockets of inkiness perfect for jump scares (though thankfully, there were none!). What truly elevated the experience was the scent of damp earth and dying leaves—a rich, earthy aroma that signals the rot of the year, which is, in its own way, perfect for October 31st. We managed to get lost briefly in the central archways, and for a moment, the silence was so absolute it was genuinely chilling. A fantastic blend of controlled French elegance and untamed autumnal decay.