How to Take a Day Trip From Paris to Giverny (Monet's Gardens)
Monet’s home & gardens in giverny
Why You Should Visit Giverny from Paris
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Best time to visit giverny
April-October
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how to get from paris to giverny
Taking the Train or a Bus to Giverny
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how much time you’ll need in giverny
A Half or Full Day in Giverny
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where to stay near giverny
Beautiful hotels and Bnbs near Giverny
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a normandy road trip
Adding Giverny as a stop to a larger Normandy trip
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Bonjour!
If this is your first time on The Weithouse - welcome! My name is Taylor and I’m the girl behind the screen and camera bringing you resources to help you plan the trip of your dreams.
In January of 2022, my husband and I left our home in Atlanta, packed our bags and moved to Paris! Every day we wake up in disbelief that we get to call this incredible city our home, a city full of rich history, world-renowned food, and beauty hidden around every corner.
In this How to Day Trip Guide: Paris to Giverny we will give you all the information you need (from train times to the best time to visits) to plan a day trip from the Paris to the Gardens of Giverny.
Bon voyage!
Monet’s Home & Gardens in giverny
Whether you love Claude Monet, Impressionism, or gardening, you can’t go wrong with a day trip from Paris to Giverny, France. Giverny is a small commune in Northern France (upper-Normandy) that sits roughly 50 miles (74km) outside of Paris. It is most famous for being the location where Claude Monet chose to spend the last 43 years of his life and to artistically cultivate the gardens that inspired so many of his paintings.
BEST TIME TO VISIT giverny
Due to its seasonality, the Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny are only open for part of the year. That means if visiting Monet’s Gardens is a France itinerary must, be sure to plan your trip to Paris during this range of months (read our favorite times of year to visit Paris here).
The 2024 dates of opening for Claude Monet’s House and Gardens are March 29th 2024 to November 1st 2024, from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, with the last admission at 5:30 pm.
So when is the best time to visit Giverny? Each month of operation will provide a unique experience as the garden shows off different varieties of plants in bloom. If you want to catch the famous Monet water lilies in bloom visit between the months of June-August, with July being the prime time to catch them in their peak splendor.
Here’s what’s in bloom each month in the gardens of Giverny:
Monet’s Gardens in April: Daffodils, tulips and other spring bulbs as well as the beginning of bloom for the apple tree and the cherry tree. When we visited Monet’s Gardens in late April the Wisteria was also in bloom near the lily pond.
Monet’s Gardens in May: The best month for Spring colors, tulips and forget-me-nots. In late May you’ll find a variety of poppies, irises and peonies. The wisteria is still in bloom and fragrant.
Monet’s Gardens in June: The month of the rose and the first appearance of the water lilies.
Monet’s Gardens in July: The season of annuals, including sunflowers and hollyhocks and the best season for seeing the water lilies. When we visited in July, there was an abundance of dahlias in bloom.
Monet’s Gardens in August: Dahlias and gladiolas are in full bloom and the water lilies can still be appreciated.
Monet’s Gardens in September: Nasturtiums and dahlias, with the fading of the water lilies beginning during this month.
Monet’s Gardens in October: The height of Autumn colors in the gardens and the turning of the weeping willows from green to yellow/gold.
You can find a complete list of every flower blooming in the gardens on this through the seasons guide provided by the Foundation Monet website.
HOW TO GET from Paris to giverny
Paris to Giverny by Train
Getting to Monet’s Gardens in Giverny from Paris is easy. The train from Paris to Vernon-Giverny takes approximately 50 minutes, plus a 10-minute bus ride from the Vernon station to Giverny. Outlined below are the steps for how to get from Paris to Giverny in a day.
How to Get from Paris to Giverny by train
Book your train tickets from Paris St Lazare to Vernon—Giverny
Book your tickets to Foundation Claude Monet (Monet’s Home & Gardens)
On your trip date, arrive at the Paris St Lazare train station and take the approximately 50-minute train to Vernon—Giverny
Once in Vernon-Giverny, exit the train station and board the bus that will shuttle you from the station in Vernon to the Giverny parking. The bus tickets cost €10 euros per person (round trip) and can be purchased while entering the bus. Tap to pay using your phone is the easiest method of payment.
Follow the signs and walk from the Giverny parking lot to the Foundation Claude Monet and present your tickets.
Enjoy the home and gardens of Claude Monet.
Driving from Paris to Giverny
On our most recent trip to Giverny in July, we opted to rent a car, as we were traveling with a less than two month old. Driving in France is very straight forward. Driving is slightly longer than taking the train, with a 1.5 hour route from the center of Paris to Giverny. Once in Giverny, there is a designated parking lot for visiting Monet’s Gardens, which is here.
If you feel uncomfortable with navigating the day trip on your own, you can always book a guided tour from Paris to Giverny, like this one from GetYourGuide.
how much time you’ll need in giverny
Either a full day or half-day is an ideal amount of time to visit Giverny. Monet’s Home & Gardens aren’t near as vast as a destination like Versailles, and you could easily explore both the gardens and the home in under an hour if desired.
As both a photographer and plant lover, I took my time photographing every bulb and bloom Monet planted in his abundant garden and probably spent around two hours obsessing over every variety of plant. However, the average pace is a little over an hour (to wander through the gardens and Monet’s home).
Do note, there is no food option within Monet’s Gardens, so you’ll need to find food within Giverny itself either before or after exploring the gardens. There are a few restaurants in Giverny, and we’ve eaten at both Restaurant Baudy and Gourmandises de Giverny.
A HALF DAY IN GIVERNY
To take a half-day trip to Giverny from Paris, book your Foundation Claude Monet ticket at the earliest opening time (9:30 AM) and plan to arrive at that time to the gardens. Then enjoy the gardens at your own pace, grab a snack, and head back to the train station. Voilà.
A Full DAY IN GIVERNY
If you want to spend a full day in Giverny, you can easily do so. Giverny itself is very small, however, if you go at a slower speed, you can make the most of your visit.
If you’re looking for other things to do in Giverny, in addition to the Foundation Claude Monet, Giverny is home to the Musee Giverny Impressionisms. The museum is dedicated to Impressionist art and has different exhibitions throughout the year, often featuring a handful of Monet’s works. The museum is small (especially when compared to the museums of Paris) but makes an enjoyable second stop on your Giverny day trip.
Within Giverny, you will find a handful of restaurants to grab a bite to eat, as well as art studios clustered throughout the walkable village. If you still have time to spare before your train back to Paris, you can spend the rest of your day exploring the neighboring village, Vernon.
We personally spent around seven hours (including travel time) on the trip from Paris to Giverny, which included a visit to Monet’s Home & Gardens, lunch in Giverny and a short visit to the Giverny Impressionism Museum.
where to stay near giverny
If you are interested in staying the night in or near Giverny as part of a Parisian getaway or part of a larger Normandy road trip, below are a few properties nearby perfect for your overnight stay. Unfortunately, there aren’t any decent properties in the small town of Giverny itself, but both options listed below are a short driving distance away from Giverny and Monet’s Gardens.
The Brick House - Appartement Monet
An bright and beautiful guest house that sleeps two in small village, La Roche-Guyon, just a short 10-minute drive from Giverny.
Image is from the property’s website and is not my own.
Domaine de Primard
A luxurious, 18th-century residence set on more than more than 30 hectares of land, outfitted with gardens, fountains, a large chateau, swimming pool and other facilities for a relaxing getaway. A short 30-minutes from Giverny.
Image is from the property’s website and is not my own.
a normandy road trip
Giverny is a perfect stop to add to a larger road trip to the Normandy region of France. The drive from Paris to various locations on the Normandy coast takes around two hours. There are many routes to choose from, but an easy route will take your travels right past Vernon and Giverny, making them an easy pit stop on your trip.
On our way to Normandy, we made a stop in Vernon because we needed to charge our electric vehicle. We spent a few hours grabbing a bite to eat, walking through the quaint town of Vernon, and exploring half-timbered houses as well as a beautiful gothic church.
STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE
Need help planning the rest of your Paris itinerary?
Check out our Paris guides, including The Complete Guide to Paris, The Best Coffee Shops in Paris, The Best Time of Year to Visit Paris, and The Best Boutique Hotels in Paris.
If you need more Paris day trip inspiration, check out our day trip guides to Chantilly, France and Fontainebleau, France.
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