Today it is possible to see Impressionist paintings, and their many varied reproductions, by the likes of Monet, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro, to name only a few, almost anywhere in the World. Many of these originated in Upper Normandy, France; the birthplace of French Impressionism.

Thousands of people visit Claude Monet’s Giverny house and gardens in Normandy each year. But there is so much more to Upper Normandy than Giverny. Normandy has the Seine River, miles of white chalky cliffs along the coast, picturesque cities and towns, rolling countryside and farmlands, all of which were the impressionists ‘open-air studio’.

In 1872 Claude Monet painted the harbour of the city of Le Havre. He entitled that work (above, now in the Musée Marmottan, Paris) Impression, soleil levant, little did he know what that title wold do, or maybe he did?

“These would-be artists call themselves revolutionaries, “Impressionists”. They take a piece of canvas, colour and brush, daub a few patches of paint on it at random, and sign the whole thing with their name. It is a delusion of the same kind as if the inmates of Bedlam picked up stones from the wayside and imagined they had found diamonds.” Anonymous 1876

On this website, you will find guides and resources to Impressionist Normandy, the paintings, the locations, as well as listings and reviews of French Impressionism in permanent and temporary exhibitions around the World. So whether you want to visit Normandy or see some of the paintings that were painted here – I hope you will find what you are looking for here.

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