Program 395b: Monet's Passion; The French House; Marrying Into Italy

Learn why French painter Claude Monet created colorful gardens at his house near Paris, from an artist who helped restore them to his original design.

Hear how renovating a house on a remote island off the coast of Brittany can feed your wild side.

Three American women explain the expectations of being married to an Italian, and living next to the in-laws.

And an adventure cyclist shares a timely romantic surprise, when he needed it most.

Explore the romance of the road, on this week's Travel with Rick Steves.

• Elizabeth Murray, author of "Monet's Passion in Full Bloom" (Pomegranate)
• Don Wallace, author of "The French House" (Sourcebooks)
• Ann Long, tour guide from Sorrento, Italy
• Lisa Anderson, tour guide from Lake Como, Italy
• Karen Kibby, tour guide from Livorno, Italy
• Adventure cyclist Willie Weir

• Elizabeth Murray's website includes a blog and a gallery of her photography and paintings.
• The Giverny Gardens are usually open between April 1 and November 1 each year.
• The Orangerie in Paris was designed for Monet to display his famous "Water Lilies" paintings. It is scheduled to reopen March 3, 2025, after renovations.
• Don Wallace includes a nice quote from Meryl Streep about his book "The French House" on his website.
• Don Wallace wrote about the summer of 1994 on Belle Île for the New York Times.
• Willie Weir writes occasional columns for Adventure Cycling magazine.

• "We took a day trip from Paris to Giverny by train last May and had a glorious visit! Monet's garden was in full spring bloom. No lilies that early in the season, but the reflections from the colorful plantings along the edges of the pond and the lush wisteria on the Japanese bridge made for beautiful photos." (Kristin in Delray Beach, Florida)
• "Is it still possible to purchase a fixer-upper home in France without paying a fortune?" (Phyllis in DeMotte, Indiana)
• "My Acadian ancestors settled on Belle Île after the Treaty of Versailles. They were deported from Nova Scotia by the British in 1755, and then held in a Liverpool ghetto-prison for many years. The families that were given land by the Crown were supposed to develop and farm the island. After a few years, they went back home to Poitou, and then on to Louisiana in 1785. From what I can tell, Belle Île doesn't look like a great place for farming. What is the terrain like, and can you imagine such a scheme ever working out for the settlers?" (Nicole in Dallas, Texas)

• Nancy Allen, "'Menuet' from 'Suite Bergamasque' (Debussy)," Ravel & Debussy / Angel
• Peter Sterling, "In Monet's Garden," Chrystal Tones and Friends CD Music Sampler (sampler) / Chrystal Tones Media
• Ralph Rousseau, "Cent Mille Chansons," Chansons d'amour / Challenge Classics
• Reinbert de Leeuw, "Sarabande No. 3 (Satie)," Satie: Gnossiennes-Gymnopédies / Philips
• Christopher Parkening, "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (Debussy)," The Great Recordings / EMI Classics
• Orchestre Capitole de Toulouse, "Chanson (les enfants qui s-aiment)," Musiques de films de Marcel Carné / EMI Classics
• Alan Stivell, "3rd Circle: Gouell Hollvedel - Fête Universelle," Symphonie Celtique - Tir Na N-Og / Dreyfus (France)
• * Travnicek String Quartet, "String Quartet in F major, No. 35, II: assez vif (Ravel)," Impressionist Masterminds (collection) / X5 Music Group
• F. Barcellini, "Mon Oncle," "Adios Mario," Music from the Films of Jacques Tati / Phillips-PolyGram (France)
• Sound recordist Gordon Hempton, "Ocean Beach Ebb and Flow," Earth Sounds Sampler / Miramar
• René Saorgin, "Toccata no. 9 en mi mineur (Georg Moffat)," Orgues de Provence (collection) / harmonia mundi
• Michel Legrand, Christiane Legrand, "Dans le magasin," soundtrack from the film 'Les Parapluis de Cherbourg' / Sony
• Au P'tit Bonheur, "Le Vaurien," Le mal de vivre / Polydor (France)
• Mamou Prairie Band, "Blue Runner," Catch My Hat / Swallow
• Soldat Louis, "Y'a pire," Aupres de ma Bande / Les Disques Leïla-Distribution Select
• * Christophe Beck, "Bramasole," Under the Tuscan Sun (soundtrack) / Hollywood Records
• I Musici, "Violin Concerto in G Minor, RV 319 - Andante molto (Vivaldi)," Vivaldi for Valentines (collection) / Philips
• I Solisti Veneti, Claudio Scimone, cond., "Violin Concerto in D, op.11, no. 1 - Largo (Vivaldi)," Relax with the Classics, vol. 2 (collection) / LIND Institute
• René Touzet, "Baby Elephant Walk," Cocktail Mix, vol. 2 (collection) / Rhino
• Michael McCabe, "Come Back to Sorrento," Amor / Out of the Blue Records
• Chet Atkins, "La Dolce Vita," Travelin' / RLG-Legacy
• Tarkany-Muvek, "Ugy Szeretlek (So Much I Love You)," Rough Guide to the Music of Hungary (collection) / World Music Network
• Coro Voci del Baldo, "Kumbaya," "Josko," Tanto Per Cantare / Azzurro
• Aria, "Un Bel Di," Aria, vol. 1 / Café del Mar Music

* Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• While the theme of this week's program is designed to air adjacent to St. Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, the holiday itself is only mentioned at the end of the segment C Willie Weir feature when Rick wishes him a "Happy Valentine's Day."
• In the intro to the segment A interview, Rick notes that Elizabeth Murray has rereleased an updated version of her book "Monet's Passion."
• At 8:46, Rick says Monet died in 1926, "nearly 100 years" ago.
• Caller Kristin says at 13:38 that she and her husband visited Giverny "two Mays ago" and, while the water lilies were not yet in bloom in May, she enjoyed the many colors and blooms of Monet's garden. She adds that the gardens' webpage lists which flowers are in bloom each month. Elizabeth replies at 15:21 that she especially enjoys the garden in May, and in early autumn, and that the water lilies start to open in June and July.
• Don Wallace recounts at 22:26 that he and his wife relocated from a cave in Santorini to Belle Île "in the dead of winter."
• At 28:10, Rick mentions that there are depopulated "SOS towns" that receive assistance from the French government. Don adds that there are villages and châteaux in the Midi district that are looking for people to live there.
• Lisa Anderson explains, at 49:40, that the law in Italy requires a three-year separation before a divorce can be considered. Karen and Ann add that cultural mores, and expenses, often keep people living together who might otherwise divorce in other cultures.
• Rick wishes Willie Weir "Happy Valentine's Day" at 58:05.