Jean d'Esparbes (1898-1968) Autoportrait a la absinthe, original painting in Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise
It is that said Vincent van Gogh was 'dry' while he lived in Auvers-sur-Oise, the pretty village near Paris where he spent the last 70 days of his life.
For the rest of the time, Van Gogh’s love affair with absinthe has been pretty well documented, and an absinthe museum is just along from his former home - an attic room that's just about big enough to swing a cat.
But there's no denying the tragic artist’s emotionally charged paintings might have been all the better for the 'green fairies'. The landscape he captured is little changed although It's a more sophisticated area with commuters paying high prices for the once lowly mellow sandstone houses which are draped with wisteria and, of course, deep blue bearded irises fill the gardens.
We took a walk past the church, (van Gogh's original painting can be seen in the Musee D’Orsay, Paris) wandered through the morning fields of amber grain (although the shoots are green right now), close to where he shot himself (or was shot by two local lads - nobody really knows) and over to the cemetery where he lies alongside this brother Theo – ivy twining them together.
Auvers remains a place of pilgrimage for artists and the graveyard features some interesting plots – the most charming has become an elaborate nesting place for birds – an idea we should develop?
We took a private tour to see van Gogh’s attic room over Auberge Ravoux, checked out the Town Hall and knocked back absinthe in the Absinthe Museum – there were no green fairies – the hard stuff has long gone but there are some fine paintings and absinthe memorabilia to view including Jean d'Esparbes (1898-1968) Autoportrait a la absinthe, which hangs in the upstairs gallery.
I am travelling on the river ship Sapphire with Tauck, a long-established US company that is breaking into the UK market. The five-star, all-inclusive ship has been refurbished for this season with cabins reconfigured to give more space and luxury. It's a fine vessel and a full review will be published in Cruise Ports & Destinations magazine. For cruise details visit tauck.com
For the rest of the time, Van Gogh’s love affair with absinthe has been pretty well documented, and an absinthe museum is just along from his former home - an attic room that's just about big enough to swing a cat.
But there's no denying the tragic artist’s emotionally charged paintings might have been all the better for the 'green fairies'. The landscape he captured is little changed although It's a more sophisticated area with commuters paying high prices for the once lowly mellow sandstone houses which are draped with wisteria and, of course, deep blue bearded irises fill the gardens.
We took a walk past the church, (van Gogh's original painting can be seen in the Musee D’Orsay, Paris) wandered through the morning fields of amber grain (although the shoots are green right now), close to where he shot himself (or was shot by two local lads - nobody really knows) and over to the cemetery where he lies alongside this brother Theo – ivy twining them together.
Auvers remains a place of pilgrimage for artists and the graveyard features some interesting plots – the most charming has become an elaborate nesting place for birds – an idea we should develop?
We took a private tour to see van Gogh’s attic room over Auberge Ravoux, checked out the Town Hall and knocked back absinthe in the Absinthe Museum – there were no green fairies – the hard stuff has long gone but there are some fine paintings and absinthe memorabilia to view including Jean d'Esparbes (1898-1968) Autoportrait a la absinthe, which hangs in the upstairs gallery.
I am travelling on the river ship Sapphire with Tauck, a long-established US company that is breaking into the UK market. The five-star, all-inclusive ship has been refurbished for this season with cabins reconfigured to give more space and luxury. It's a fine vessel and a full review will be published in Cruise Ports & Destinations magazine. For cruise details visit tauck.com
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