A DAY TRIP FROM PARIS, FRANCE: GIVERNY AND CLAUDE MONET’S HOUSE
I accredit my first trip to France as one of the reasons for my love-and often times unbearable desire to see the world, as it was my first international trip outside of my young childhood years that I do not remember much of. This first visit was truly one of the most formative, beautiful seasons of my teenage years, and Giverny plays a large part in this sentimental memory. My day spent in this special little village will be ingrained in my memory for as long as my mind allows.
With June arriving and the flowers blooming, I am reminiscing about this tiny little corner of France. This day trip is one of the best that you can take from Paris, and as travel is officially back for real, it is nice to take some time away from the peak season chaos of the city to the countryside. After knowing how special this place is, I would 110% stay over in the village for a couple of days, but unsurprisingly, all accommodation is booked up (and pricey).
As this trip was now 4 years ago, I was not into photography enough to have lots of evidence of my visit. But even if I did have my best cameras, there is no way to do the beauty any justice. It is just so unreal.
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GIVERNY AND MONET’S GARDENS OVERVIEW
What makes Giverny so special besides it’s old gorgeous cobblestone streets and scenery, is the house and gardens owned and lived in by Claude Monet during the final 43 years of his life.
He came across this little village while on a train from Vernon to Gashy in early 1883, and from then until his death in 1926, he lived in the tiny Normandy village, spending his days painting his beautifully curated gardens and the landscapes and villages surrounding him.
Walking through the property feels like living in a painting.
If you know me well you may know that I have loved Claude Monet’s work since my young pre-teen years, if I were to find my old Tumblr blog, I would be greeted by a good amount of his work reblogged. It was surreal to see some of the landscapes and objects in real life after having spent years admiring them on paper or online.
A good amount of those paintings that I’ve admired for so many years are physically hanging in the Musée De L’Orangerie, most famously his Water Lilies-The Clouds (1920-1926), painted at his Giverny residence after the first World War.
HOW TO GET TO AND FROM GIVERNY AND MONET’S GARDENS
Giverny is only about 50 miles (80 km) from paris, and the trip will only take around an hour by both car or train.
BY TRAIN:
This was before my budget traveling, public transportation age so I got to and from Giverny by a tour guide/driver, but as it is France, the journey by train will be just as easy, and so much cheaper.
*This summer it is important to keep in mind that France is seeing a great amount of strikes by transportation workers countrywide, so being aware and ready to accommodate to any changing plans is important, but you should be fine.*
From Paris, you will want to hop on the train from Gare Saint-Lazare Station that will take you Northwest to the Vernon-Giverny station.
When you arrive at Vernon Station you will be able to either:
A. Take the shuttle bus to Giverny from the station (departs every 10-15 minutes after the train arrives)
B. Take a taxi from the station
C. Walk or bike (bicycles should be for rent) ∼3 miles
In the summer, this trip should cost you around $10-$12 usd each way.
BY TOUR/PRIVATE TRANSFER:
If you do not want to deal with the crowds on the trains or the stop-over, a private transfer tour is the best option to get straight there comfortably. (AC is also so incredibly needed and appreciated in france’s summer heat).
One of my favorite things about the private tour was the beautiful little medieval villages that we drove through.
While the train rides are still very stunning, driving through the small streets and past amazing old castles is unbeatable.
BEST TOURS TO MONET’S HOUSE
Though these tours tend to be around or above $75 during the peak season, it is so worth it.
Below are some links to private transfer tours that I would recommend.
BOOKING TICKETS TO MONET’S HOUSE AND GARDEN
If you are not visiting with a private/group tour, you should definitely book your tickets in advance, especially during the peak season.
Tickets will cost you €11.50, and you can book your tickets on the Monet Foundation Website. You will have to choose a time slot while booking, so if you are traveling to Giverny by public transportation you should give your schedule some wiggle room.
While you give yourself some extra time before or after, it is essential to explore the small village, in June it was so beautiful with all of the bright flowers everywhere. I remember La Capucine being very good too.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT GIVERNY AND MONET’S GARDEN
The house and gardens are open from April 1st-November 1st, and Spring, Summer, and Autumn are all great times to visit the foundation.
The Spring brings the first of the colorful peonies and the hues begin to become more vibrant with each day.
In the Summer, (I visited in mid June) the gardens are in full, beautiful bloom, and the peak waterlily season arrives in July. The contrast of the bright blue sky and saturated flowers is unreal.
This is the busiest time of the year for good reason.
Autumn brings maroon and orange tones, which are still undoubtedly gorgeous. It will also be much less crowded.
There are just no right words to be able to explain this estate. What a brilliant, creative mind Monet had, I am so thankful that I was able to experience some of that genius in my lifetime despite his being so long ago. Though I might not have many pictures left, this day is still so perfectly memorable in my mind. I will visit again one day soon, but for now I am going to look back on this visit with gratefulness and so much joy.
THINKING OF TRAVELING TO GIVERNY? DO IT.
HERE IS ALL OF THE RESOURCES I USE TO PLAN MY TRIPS:
FLIGHTS AND ACCOMMODATION: BOOKING.COM IS WHAT I WILL ALWAYS USE TO BOOK FLIGHTS AND STAYS. NEVER DONE ME WRONG.
TOURS, DRIVERS, AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF: VIATOR IS MY GO-TO.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: SAFETYWING HAS ALWAYS BEEN FABULOUS. THE BEST EVER.
RENTAL CARS: WHEN BOOKING ANY TRIP THAT YOU DECIDE TO RENT A CAR FOR, BOOKING.COM IS FABULOUS LIKE ALWAYS.
