My day trip to the little northern French village of Giverny and Claude Monet's house and gardens there left me ready to retire, at the tender age of 20, and paint tulips for the rest of my years. I knew the French countryside was beautiful, but I had no idea how gorgeous and preserved (for want of a better word) it remained. I was sure that gardens, little houses, villages and cobblestones of such cuteness had died out...

My friend, Chloe and I took the hour train ride out of Paris, to the bottom of Normandy, and hired bikes to make the flat ride over to the village. We passed fields of cows, pigs, llamas, chickens and, I kid you not, an ostrich on our way. Although Monet's famous poppy fields were not in bloom the spring tulips were - my favourite. It was so exciting to see the pretty ponds and bridges that Monet painted - I can see why he was so inspired. And you can be sure that my future home will have windows framed with chequered, frilled curtains and blue china dinnerware.