Welcome to Giverny
The tiny country village of Giverny, 74km northwest of Paris, is a place of pilgrimage for devotees of impressionism, though the summer months herald the tour-bus crowds, who shatter the bucolic peace. Monet lived here from 1883 until his death in 1926, in a rambling house – surrounded by flower-filled gardens – that’s now the immensely popular Maison et Jardins de Claude Monet.
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Giverny activities
Paris to Versailles and Giverny Day Trip with Epte River Lunch
Monet lived at Giverny from 1883 to 1926, and it was here that he created such paintings as his famous "Nympheas" water lily sequence. Monet was the master of Impressionism, inspiring many visiting American Impressionist artists who walked through the gardens you'll visit on your Giverny tour. The Japanese bridge crossing the famous water-lily pond also featured in Monet's paintings. Your tour continues to Versailles, on the way you will stop for lunch at the Moulin de Fourges, a picturesque mill on the banks of the Epte River. After lunch it's time for the glory and splendor of Versailles when you enter the gilded world of King Louis XIV. You'll visit the opulent Grand Apartments, the stunning chandelier-lit Hall of Mirrors and the Queen's Apartments. Along the way your expert guide brings the past alive with illuminating details of courtly life in the palace. While visiting Versailles you have free time to visit the formal gardens "a la Francaise". Versailles Fountain Show Special Program:April 2nd to October 30th (Saturdays & Sundays), May 5th, May 24th to June 28th (Tuesdays) and July 14th. For a selected time you have the option to see the magnificent fountain displays, which reveal the skill and artistry of 3 centuries of French garden design and engineering. The display is accompanied by music composed at the time of Louis XIV's court. Entrance fees are included in the cost of the tour.
Giverny and Monet's Garden Bike Tour
Once in Vernon visit the charming farmers' market to buy picnic supplies. You'll then hop on your bike and pedal across the river to a beautiful park along the banks of the Seine for lunch. At lunch you can also sample the local's favorite drink: cidre. It will then be time for your relaxing 5 kilometer (3 miles) ride down the bike path to the village of Giverny and the world-famous gardens of Claude Monet. Cruise past the Giverny church and its cemetery containing graves of local citizens dating back to the 17th century, British soldiers from World War II and even Monet himself buried within his family's vault. You will pass the Hotel Baudy, where Impressionists Manet and Renoir used to paint. Shortly you will arrive at the highlight of the day - Monet's Garden Spend about 1.5 hours enjoying Monet's gardens, his house and the famous water lily pond where some of his most famous works originated. Be sure to bring your camera and plenty of film! Additionally, the village of Giverny offers you the American Museum of Art (across the street from Monet's Gardens), numerous cafes and small streets begging to be explored.
Skip-the-Line Giverny and Monet House from Paris
Your morning or afternoon half-day tour departs from Pyramides in central Paris. Traveling by comfortable coach, ride 1.5 hours through the Normandy countryside to the village of Giverny, where renowned French Impressionist painter Claude Monet and his family settled in 1883. It was here that the artist indulged his love of nature, gardening and botany, and he worked for several years to cultivate this piece of land. The scenery in Monet's gardens is (literally) straight out of a painting: bright orchards, a serene pond draped with weeping willows and bamboo trees, and water lilies in bloom all summer long. During a guided walk around the exquisite gardens, you’ll see first-hand the water lilies (nymphéas) and Japanese bridge that was featured in many of Monet's masterpieces.You'll then visit Monet’s house at your own pace. Given by Monet’s son Michel to the French Academy of Fine Arts in 1966, the house has been restored to reflect the original interior. Monet's gardens were inspired by traditional Japanese gardens that he knew from the prints he avidly collected, and inside his house, you'll see a sample of his precious collection of Japanese prints adorning the walls. Outside is his large studio, where he painted the famous Water Lilies series.Before you leave, be sure to check out the excellent souvenir shop featuring a range of reproductions of Monet's paintings, crockery, table sets and even a range of flower seeds. Then, reconvene with your guide and relax on the drive back to Paris.
Giverny and Monet's Garden Small Group Day Trip from Paris
Your afternoon tour to Giverny will take you through the Normandy countryside to the charming country village of Giverny, where Monet lived with his family from 1883 until his death in 1926. It was here in Giverny that Monet indulged his love of nature, in his painting, his gardening and his photography. You'll be able to stroll through Monet's exquisite gardens and admire the water-lily pond and famous Japanese bridge which featured in his masterpieces. Independently explore the house and gardens to get a real feel for how Monet lived and what provided the inspiration to his works. The final stop on your artists' tour before returning to Paris is a visit to the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny. The museum houses a number of works by American painters who traveled to Giverny to meet Claude Monet and draw inspiration from his Impressionist techniques.
Auvers-sur-Oise and Giverny Small-Group Day Trip from Paris
Travel to Giverny to visit Claude Monet's house and gardens. Your tour takes in Monet's restored home, garden and workshop at Giverny, where Monet lived from 1883 to 1926. A particular highlight is the water-lily pond with its famous Japanese bridge which featured in many of Monet's masterpieces. Visit the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny. Artists traveled to Giverny to meet Claude Monet and draw inspiration from his impressionist techniques. Next, enjoy lunch at the Moulin de Fourges before arriving at Auvers sur Oise. The final stop on your artists' tour before returning to Paris is a visit to Auvers sur Oise, where Vincent van Gogh painted his last works before his death here in 1890.
Paris to Giverny Round-Trip Transfer with Skip-the-Line Ticket
Start your journey with a pickup from your Paris hotel in an 8-seat luxury minivan, and spend an afternoon in the beautiful town of Giverny where famous impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926) lived for the last forty years of his life. Spend 3-4 hours visiting on your own at your own pace. Stroll through the gardens where Monet painted several versions, according to time and season change, of Les Nymphéas (The Water Lilies), with the beautiful Japanese bridge over a pond. Visit the house where the artist lived: his studio, his bedroom overlooking the garden, and his beautiful collection of Japanese "estampes". Take the time to visit the cemetery down the street where Monet is buried among flowers, stop at one of the many cafes along the way or buy some souvenirs and flowers for your garden (at own expense) before heading back to your hotel.