Visiting Giverny from Paris: See Claude Monet’s Home On A Day Trip

Our Tips For Planning a Paris to Giverny Day Trip

We have visited Paris many times over the years, but we were always so busy exploring the city that we never took the time to venture to some of the lovely spots located nearby.  We finally made a plan to include a day trip to Giverny as part of our visit to Paris, and we were thrilled that we did.

We are big fans of Monet’s art, having seen it in various places, including the famous L’Orangerie display of the Water Lilies, Musee D’Orsay, The Art Institute of Chicago, and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires. We have even seen Monet’s artwork displayed in projection at the Carrières des Lumieres in Baux de Provence! So for us, this was a real treat to see where the artist lived and took his inspiration from.

Have you thought about visiting Giverny from Paris?  We will explain the different options available for getting there. And of course, share some of our pictures from the gorgeous location to encourage you to make this part of your next Paris plan.

Highlights of Giverny

Taking a Day Tour

By far the easiest way to visit Monet’s home and gardens is by taking an organized tour. You don’t have to worry about purchasing the tickets, transportation or timing. You just board a bus and everything is taken care of for you.

It is also a nice bonus that you will have a tour guide who will give you some insight and facts about the location you are visiting. If you prefer to have a stress-free day, then definitely check out some of these tour options.

✅ This highly rated tour meets at a central location in Paris and takes you by coach to Giverny. You then have time to see the house and gardens with an audio guide, and have time to explore the village. It is a great option for easy transport.

✅ If you prefer a smaller group, then check out this tour that is limited to 8 people. With transport from Paris and all logistics taken care of, you will have a more intimate experience with your knowledgeable guide. Also includes a walk to the cemetery to see Monet’s grave site.

Visiting Giverny From Paris By Train

If you prefer to have more time on your own, then you can consider going to Giverny by train. This does take some advanced planning and several steps, but it is also a nice adventure out of the city.

You will need to get yourself to the St Lazare train station in Paris. You can reach there by taking the metro, going up to the street level and walking to the train station. This is one of the larger stations in the city, so plan some extra time for getting around.

It has several levels and a full mall incorporated in the station with several spots for getting food, if you want to take something with you on the train.

We recommend purchasing your TER tickets in advance because the station can be overwhelming. Use the SNCF website to see routes and find tickets. You are looking for the route that is St Lazare to Vernon, as there is no train station in the town of Giverny.

The ride to Vernon is pleasant, less than an hour, and only five stops.  Vernon is the last one. Once you arrive at the Vernon train station, proceed outside, where you will see some additional options for getting to Monet’s house and gardens.

Shuttle

The easiest and most economical way to get from Vernon to Giverny is the shuttle that takes you to a bus stop just outside the town. You can take either a small tourist train or a large passenger coach bus. Both cost the same amount. When you arrive, see which one is leaving first and hop on. They line up to the arriving trains, so there will always be a shuttle there when you arrive.

You can purchase tickets from the driver with cash or a credit card. Buy your return ticket at the same time so you have everything taken care of beforehand. On the coach bus, they provide a schedule for the departure times.

Keep in mind that once you are dropped off at the shuttle stop, there is still a walk of approximately 10 minutes.

Taxi

There are taxis waiting outside the train station. This is a more expensive option, but if you want to be dropped off right at the entrance to the village, without much walking required, then this would be a better option.

Bicycle 

Right outside the train station, there is a bike rental location. This could be a good option if you want to explore the surrounding area on your own. The distance is approximately 5 kms.

Walk

If you have lots of time, you could also walk the distance to the museum entrance. Plan for about an hour to get there.

Drive On Your Own

If you have a rental car, you can make the drive to Giverny, as there is a parking lot in the same location as the shuttle bus stop. But we really don’t recommend having a car in Paris. Renting a car would be a better option if you are staying outside of the city.

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Purchasing Tickets

We highly recommend that you pre-purchase your tickets to avoid very long queues at the gardens. Be sure to buy them directly from the official website Fondation Claude Monet. It will be a timed ticket, so check out the train schedules for the day you are visiting before booking.

If you have pre-purchased your tickets, you can enter the grounds at the first entrance called Porte 1 bis. It isn’t obvious where this location is, so use the picture below for reference to find the small laneway.

✅ If you have no problem taking the train or driving yourself to Giverny, you can take advantage of this small group tour that includes the house and gardens. This 2 hour tour is perfect for those wanting some more in-depth information about the location.

What To See at Claude Monet’s House and Gardens

Once you gain entrance to the property through the back of the garden, you will go down through a tunnel and along a pathway to reach the gardens. We recommend going to the Water Garden first, since it tends to be the most popular location. 

Water Garden

This water garden was added to the property by Monet when he had a small stream diverted to create the Water Lily pond. Once the pond was created, he had a Japanese bridge built and then filled the entire area with flowers, eventually adding the water lilies to the pond.

He loved this area on his property and spent a lot of time there. In 1897, he started his paintings of the pond, and this became a series that he would become famous for. These originals now hang in many museums all over the world.

When we visited in late April, there were no lily blooms in the pond because they don’t bloom until later in the year. But the flowers around the pond, including the incredible wisteria, created a stunning backdrop to see.

There is a pathway around the pond so you can see the area from different angles. And it winds around and eventually comes to the Japanese bridge that is dripping with wisteria.

It is hard not to take a hundred photos given the beauty that surrounds you! But take your time and smell the flowers!

Once you finish your loop, you can continue on down the path that connects to the Clos Normand Garden.

Clos Normand Garden

This area is the original garden that came with the house. When the property was acquired, it held a kitchen garden and an orchard. This is very hard to believe, given what it looks like now.

Claude Monet was an avid gardener and definitely had a vision. He installed large metal arches down the central pathway, which are still there nowadays. This entire area was filled with tulips during our visit; however, it is also where the roses are located that will provide beautiful colour later in the summer.

We found it interesting that the flowers were planted according to colour, but then discovered that this was meant to look like an artist’s paint palette.

The entire area is beautiful. And the variety of blooms is incredible. All the different types and colours make for a gorgeous place to wander.

Claude Monet’s House

Once you have finished touring the vast gardens, be sure to visit Monet’s house. There is typically a queue, but we found it went by quickly.

Inside, you can see where Monet and his family lived for more than 40 years. Many of the rooms have been restored. The first room that you enter is the studio/lounge, and this room holds 60 reproductions of his work, and 80% of the furniture is original. 

You will meander through several rooms upstairs, including the bedrooms and washroom.

When you are upstairs in the first bedroom, be sure to look out the windows where you can see a perfect view of the Clos Normand Garden. From here you can see how expansive it is.

Along the tour route of the house are many reproductions of Monet’s and other famous artists. Each room has a map of the works in the room. We enjoyed seeing some representation from Cezanne, Degas and Signac as well.

Then, once you come back downstairs, you will enter the yellow dining room and the lovely blue kitchen. Monet himself designed all the rooms, and you can see the care he took to create beautiful, warm spaces for his family.

As you leave the gardens, take a look inside the gift shop.  There, you can purchase anything and everything with Monet artwork imprinted on it. It is huge and has an enormous number of items that make great souvenirs. 

Town of Giverny

Once you have finished visiting the main attraction, there is still more to see in this charming location. The small village of Giverny is very quaint. The main street is overflowing with flowering trees, buildings covered with green vines and pretty wildflowers.

You can pop into one of the artists’ shops for some local creations or stop and have a snack or meal at the restaurants or tea shops. It makes for a wonderful time outside of the bustle and busyness of Paris.

Musee des Impressionnismes Giverny

This local museum houses a collection of artwork based on Impressionism. They offer rotating exhibitions, concerts and workshops. Check out its website for a list of current programs at the time of your visit.

There is also the pretty Creative Garden out front that is free to wander. It houses over 22,000 plants, and the garden is completely redesigned each season.

Grave of Monet

If you have some extra time, you can walk approximately 15 minutes further past the town to the church. In the cemetery, there is the Monet family burial plot. 

You can see Monet’s grave, which is surrounded by the flowers that he loved so much during his life. 

FAQs

How Far Is Giverny From Paris?

Giverny is located 75kms from Paris.

When To Visit The Garden In Giverny

Monet’s Garden is only open from the beginning of April to the end of October. The grounds are open from 9:30am to 6:00pm every day. But we recommend that you try to visit on a weekday and go as early in the day as possible.

Blooming Times

The garden has flowers in bloom during the entire season, but if a particular flower is of importance to you, then it is best to consult the blooming calendar for a list broken down by month. During our visit in late April, the wisteria, tulips and peonies were in full flower and put on quite the show!

The Final Word…Visiting Giverny From Paris

If you love natural settings and are curious about Claude Monet and the location that provided unending inspiration for his work, then plan a visit to Monet’s garden in Giverny. It is an easy day trip from Paris and is truly a stunning spot to see.