Giverny remains a little village resting against the hills on the East bank of the Seine, at the confluence of the Epte River about 40 miles northwest of Paris.It was the center of Claude MONET's existence from the time he settled there in 1993 to his death in 1926.During the past 50 years the luxuriant gardens and house slowly perished and were quickly overgrown.Weeds choked the garden paths and flowerbeds,sludge invaded the water lilly pond until finally the Garden had to be closed.A donation from a wealthy American family has now restored the Gardens to their previous splendour.Monet had bought a 2 acre property of land which was locally known as LE PRESSOIR (the cider press) situated between the village, a country lane, and the main road from Vernon to Gasny.In 1893 he had purchased a strip of land at the bottom of his property with the intention of digging a pool which was to be supplemented by the river.After numerous arguements with the authorities he was finally allowed to make the pond.A Japanese footbridge was installed over the lilly pond,a year later he asked to divert the Epte River water and by 1903 the pond was full of lilles.......