french hens at giverny

It’s day three of our project to curate itineraries inspired by the 12 Days of Christmas, so you know what that means?

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

…three French hens.

Of course, we’re going to Normandy to visit Monet’s house and garden at Giverny. Where else?

At his home at Giverny, Claude Monet had a yard full of hens, and to this day, the Fondation Claude Monet still keeps chickens in part of the garden. Apparently, each year, they choose a different breed of hen. If you’re interested to see birds with fluffy feathers around their heads or hens that look like they’re wearing bell-bottoms made of feathers, well, that’s the kind of bird you’ll find at Monet’s place.

Of course, the gardens themselves are lovely, and while it’s an easy day trip from Paris, there are all sorts of reasons to consider making Normandy a highlight of your visit to France. You can visit the famous World War 11 sites or the Benedictine abbey on a tidal island in Mont-Saint-Michel. We’ve got some fantastic river cruise itineraries on the Seine that can be a gorgeous way to experience Normandy at a leisurely pace.

While France isn’t yet open to US Travelers, just yet, it’s only a matter of time before we’re able to go to Europe. From the East Coast of the US, it’s actually possible to travel to Paris for a long weekend. Take an extra day off of work adjacent to a holiday weekend, jet off to Paris and you can easily spend a day touring the countryside, looking at French hens, and enjoying some fabulous food and drink.

We’re able to bundle your flight with transfers and a few nights at our “hidden gem” hotel in Montmartre for a romantic getaway that’s loaded with value. Or, if you’d like to splurge, we can introduce you to some of our luxury hotel properties, where our rates come with exclusive amenities like room upgrades on availability, included breakfast, and much more.

So, ready for a trip to France? Let’s make a plan!