As springtime approaches, I look back on the day my brother and I took time off from Paris Fashion Week to visit Giverny, Claude Monet’s home.

Monet, a founder of the Impressionist style of painting, lived in Giverny for 43 years from 1883 to 1926. His house and garden, as well as the village and its surroundings, were his subject matter. They still attract half a million visitors each year from all over the world, including painters charmed by the distinctive light of the Seine Valley.