Monet's Gardens at Giverny Overwhelmed by Overtourism

Claude Monet's gardens in Giverny, France, are suffering from overtourism as visitor numbers approach one million in 2026, the centenary of the painter's death. Originally recreated in 1980 after being abandoned in the 1950s, the gardens now face damage from constant foot traffic. Head gardener Gilbert Vahé, who led the restoration using Monet's paintings and memories of relatives, reports that staff spend hours each morning repairing destruction. The site attracts crowds that queue for photos on the Japanese bridge and among the water lilies, with visitors like Liam from Boston and Min-Jun from South Korea expressing disappointment. To cope, gardeners maintain a reserve of 15,000 plants from 140 varieties, replacing damaged flora rather than preserving the original. The article questions how far a living work can be pushed under such pressure.