Excerpt from In the Footsteps of the Impressionists by Christopher Ludgate, Passport Magazine, Fall 2024
Read the full story at Passport Magazine
“As the boat approached the shores of Normandy, toward the French port of Dieppe, I felt awash in the light and atmosphere of the harbor. The saturation of the setting sun lit my way upon the trail of great masters of Impressionism like Monet and Pissarro. I began the journey in London days before, exploring the art movement’s beloved works and some of the subjects that inspired them.
“Earlier that day, I boarded a ferry boat at the docks of Newhaven in the UK, just south of London, to sail the English Channel. A visit to remote Dieppe was key. It was the most beautiful spring day. Gliding along aboard the open-air DFDS Ferry (dfds.com/en), carried by inspiration, I could not imagine a more fitting route. The Danish-owned fleet offered all the conveniences today’s travelers desire along its many routes. I also found it comforting that DFDS is clear in its strides toward being environmentally sound for marine life sharing their habitat below.
The stretch of coast in the distance consisted of landscapes immortalized in the new wave of Impressionistic masterpieces that made a splash by the turn of the twentieth century. It is a faction of rogue artists rebelling against classical techniques, pushing back at how society saw things that we can thank for making waves. Perpetually in celebration, Normandy celebrates the history of Impressionism with verve. Its current 150th anniversary is seeing a wide array of festivities which can be explored online at Normandy Tourism (14, rue Charles Corbeau. Tel. +33 (0) 6 85 51 02 77. en.normandie-tourisme.fr).”
Continue reading here.
