What to see, what to do in a day in Giverny, Claude Monet’s village
What to visit in Giverny? What to do in Giverny and its surroundings?
When to visit Monet’s garden, what’s the best time to visit Giverny? How to get to Giverny from Paris? 🙂
Giverny is a village located on the border of Normandy and Île-de-France, at the confluence of the Epte and Seine rivers, in the Eure department, 70 km northwest of Paris.
The fate of Giverny was turned upside down by the arrival of the painter Claude Monet in 1883, who spent the last 43 years of his life creating two magnificent gardens, an endless source of inspiration for his paintings.
This charming little Norman village is one of the best destinations for a romantic weekend in France, close to Paris.
How long to visit Giverny? What are the best activities to do in Giverny? What to see around Giverny? Follow me for a tour of Giverny! 😉
The Giverny tourist office is located on Claude Monet Street (the village’s main street), between Monet’s house and the Museum of Impressionisms.
How to get to Giverny from Paris
Visiting Giverny by car
To visit Giverny by car from Paris, there are two options. The first is to take the Normandy highway (A 13) to Bonnières-sur-Seine (toll).
Cross the town, then the bridge over the Seine, then Bennecourt, in the direction of Limetz-Villez and then Giverny. This is the simplest route from Paris or the south and west of the Île-de-France region.
The second option is to take the A 15 highway (free), which continues as the D 14 (formerly N 14), a 2×2 lane road in the Val-d’Oise. Exit at Magny-en-Vexin, then follow the direction of Ambleville (D 86 then D 37), Gasny (which you will bypass) and Giverny. This is the simplest route from the north of the Île-de-France region.
Giverny is a beautiful weekend destination by car from Paris!
Where to park in Giverny
Several (thankfully) free parking lots welcome visitors.
Visiting Giverny by train from Paris
Saint-Lazare station in Paris
To visit Giverny by train, you need to go to the Paris Saint-Lazare station and take a TER Normandie train towards Rouen or Le Havre. Get off at the Vernon-Giverny station.
A bus shuttle connects the Vernon train station to the village of Giverny (located 7 km away), in principle, at each train arrival, during the season. Here are the bus schedules from Vernon to Giverny
The Vernon train station is located in Normandy, so the Navigo pass is not valid (just 3 km beyond the Île-de-France border, what a shame!). 😉
For more simplicity, you can also book a guided tour to Giverny from Paris! 😉
Where to sleep in Giverny? Where to stay for a weekend in Giverny? In a small village, the choice is necessarily limited…
And here, given the worldwide reputation of the place, it’s quite expensive! The addresses offered are full of charm and are just a stone’s throw from Claude Monet’s house.
But if you come by individual transport and prefer a less expensive accommodation, I invite you to move a little further away to find a more affordable offer.
In Giverny, here are my mouse suggestions! 🙂
La Pluie de Roses : you are accommodated here in a beautiful bourgeois house with a winter garden, surrounded by a large flower-filled park, just outside the village. Large quiet rooms in a charming setting… but it comes with a price!
La Dime de Giverny – Chambres d’hôtes (Bed and Breakfast) : you stay here in a 13th-century house with beautiful exposed beams, in a vast one-hectare park, in the heart of the village of Giverny. The museums are accessible on foot!
Ramier : do you prefer to rent an apartment? Here’s a good address in Giverny, quiet with a garden view, just a stone’s throw from Monet’s house!
Where to stay near Giverny
Le Jardin des Merveilles : this beautiful old house with a flower-filled garden is located in a village about 15 kilometers from Giverny, in the Seine valley. It offers rooms in a bucolic setting, with a few animals, at a much softer price than in the village of Claude Monet… Friendly welcome! 🙂
Spa hotel in Giverny and surroundings
There is no spa hotel in Giverny. However, you can find some just a few kilometers from the village:
La Duchesse 1976 : just a stone’s throw from Vernon train station, this 50m² apartment offers a king-size bed, and even more, a hot tub under the stars! Ideal for a romantic weekend in Giverny and its surroundings!
Le Petit Versailles : this other 50m² apartment, located on the banks of the Seine in Vernon with a view, offers beautiful amenities and a jacuzzi. Free parking, also very suitable for visiting Giverny as a couple!
Claude Monet’s House and Gardens in Giverny (Monet Foundation)
Claude Monet’s House and Gardens in Giverny (Monet Foundation)
Well, I’m not telling you anything new: Claude Monet’s house, surrounded by a fabulous garden, is obviously THE must-see place in Giverny! 😉
In 1966, forty years after Claude Monet’s passing, his son bequeathed the house to the Academy of Fine Arts. It was then opened to the public, who flocked to discover the living and inspiration space of the famous Impressionist painter.
Visiting Claude Monet’s House in Giverny
Claude Monet’s House in Giverny
To visit Claude Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny, the ticket office is located in the large studio. But I recommend booking your visit online, especially during peak season, as the crowd is considerable!
You then walk through the rooms of the house. I won’t spoil the discovery by showing everything, so I’ll just give you a glimpse to make you want to discover this poetic place… 😉
The visit begins with the studio, then you go upstairs to discover the bedrooms. Claude Monet’s bedroom still has its original furniture.
You then go back downstairs to explore the reading room, the large living room, the bright yellow dining room with its Japanese prints, and the kitchen decorated with blue Rouen faience tiles and copper utensils.
Visiting Claude Monet’s Gardens in Giverny
Claude Monet’s Gardens in Giverny
After discovering the beautiful house, it’s time to visit Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny!
After a period of abandonment, the gardens have been restored to their original state. You can admire a central alley covered with arches, bearing roses in season.
Claude Monet’s Gardens in Giverny
It separates a checkerboard filled with brightly colored flowers, which change with the seasons, of course.
Claude Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, mid-may
In 1893, Monet had the water lily pond built on the other side of the road that runs along the garden. Today, you can access it through a small tunnel that passes under the road.
And there’s the famous water lily pond, with its small Japanese bridge!
If you avoid the busiest days, it’s definitely the walk to take when visiting Giverny as a couple! 🙂
Opening hours of Claude Monet’s House and Gardens in Giverny
Map of Claude Monet’s Gardens in Giverny
The Claude Monet Foundation in Giverny is open every day from April 1st to November 1st, from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:30 pm.
Prices for Claude Monet’s House and Gardens in Giverny
In 2025, the ticket price for Claude Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny is €12.
It’s €6.50 for students and children over 7 years old, free for children under 7. It’s free for holders of a mobility-inclusion card for disabled, with an accompanying person included.
While the full price increases by €1 in 2025, the reduced price decreases by €0.50, and it becomes free for people with disabilities (until 2024: reduced price at €5.50). That’s a good evolution for once! 🙂
There is no free admission on the first Sunday of the month at the Monet Foundation…
Among the other main places to visit in Giverny, don’t miss the Musée des Impressionnismes!
Opened in 2009, it is the result of a collaboration between the Normandy authorities and the Musée d’Orsay, and replaces the former Musée d’Art Américain de Giverny.
Its goal is to present the history of Impressionism and its influence on 20th-century art. The Musée des Impressionnismes has a small Impressionist collection.
But it essentially hosts beautiful painting exhibitions, directly related to Impressionism and the Seine Valley. They are often on par with the best exhibitions in Paris, such as those at the Luxembourg or Orsay museums!
Gardens of the Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny
For example, in 2016, we were able to rediscover the Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla, from Valencia (a lovely city that I highly recommend visiting with the mouse!) 😉
It’s a good thing: I love his very clear palette, and I appreciated discovering his superb studio in Madrid.
Sorolla exhibition at the Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny
More recently, in the spring of 2023, the children of the Impressionists were honored with a beautiful thematic exhibition. It presents the biggest names of the movement: Monet, of course, but also Pissarro, Renoir, Morisot…
The Musée des Impressionnismes is surrounded by a vast garden, labeled as a “remarkable garden”. It is indeed particularly flowery! Take the time to stroll and admire the blooms, it’s one of the most beautiful things to do in Giverny!
Gardens of the Musée des Impressionnismes in GivernyDahlias in the garden of the Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny
Opening hours of the Musée des Impressionnismes
From March 18th to October 2nd: the museum is open every day, including holidays (except December 25th and January 1st), from 10am to 6pm. Last admission is at 5:30pm.
In the winter, the museum is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 10am to 6pm. Be sure to check the website before visiting, as the museum closes between exhibitions to allow for dismantling and hanging.
Bust of Claude Monet at the Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny
2025 Prices for the Musée des Impressionnismes
The ticket price is €12, €9 for reduced rates for students, unemployed, or recipients of social benefits. Quite an inflation since 2024…
Free admission for those under 18 years old, and now for people with disabilities (not the case before 2025)… Rather limited, therefore!
Free admission on the first Sunday of the month, except in July, August, and September (which is NOT the case at Monet’s house!)
After visiting Monet’s house, where to stroll in Giverny? Take a walk down the main street of Giverny, with its art galleries and inns.
At the far end, towards the west, you will arrive at the Église Sainte-Radegonde. The main part of the building was rebuilt in the 16th century. But the 12th-century apse still remains.
Claude Monet’s Tomb
The cemetery in Giverny is the final resting place of Claude Monet and some of his loved ones. It is also very flowery, recalling the master’s passion for flowers.
Tomb of Claude Monet and his family in Giverny
Former Hôtel Baudy
What are the other things to see in Giverny? At 81 rue Claude Monet, notice the facade of the former Hôtel Baudy.
This is where many American painters came to stay in Giverny. The place eventually became known as the “American painters’ hotel”!
Hôtel Baudy in Giverny
Natural Music Museum (Musée de Musique naturelle)
Finally, among the curiosities of Giverny, why not visit the Musée de Musique naturelle?
It’s a surprising collection of a passionate individual, which brings together somewhat unusual musical instruments! They are operated by various mechanized systems, such as steam machines, all in working order!
The hangar housing the Musée de Musique naturelle is located in the center of the village, just opposite the town hall, on chemin Blanche Hoschedé-Monet. Admission is free, but don’t hesitate to leave a donation! 🙂
How long to visit Giverny
How long to visit Monet’s house in Giverny? What time to plan for visiting Claude Monet’s garden?
To discover Giverny, plan for 1 hour 30 minutes to visit Monet’s house and garden. Plan for the same amount of time for the Musée des Impressionnismes (the exhibitions are generally interesting and rich).
Take the time to stroll through the village of Giverny, to see the art galleries… and go pay your respects to Monet and his family at the village cemetery! After all, it’s his work that you’ve come to admire!
To discover the surroundings of Giverny (La Roche-Guyon, Vétheuil, the Vexin Français…), plan for one or two additional days of visiting!
What is the best time to visit Giverny
When to visit the gardens of Giverny?
Many people wonder what is the best time to visit Giverny. Already, Giverny is one of the most visited villages in France.
So, as much as possible, prefer a weekday to discover the places during peak season. Otherwise, you’ll see more tourists than flowers (or almost!)
Blooming of the gardens of Giverny
Monet’s garden is already very pretty with the first spring blooms. April is a very pleasant month, especially for its superb wisteria at the end of the month (depending on the year).
Of course, you won’t see any water lilies yet, but you won’t find hordes of tourists either!
May and June in Giverny offer magnificent blooms in the gardens… and a massive bloom of tourist buses!
Visiting Giverny in July and August will offer you the magnificent bloom of the water lilies, the famous nymphéas dear to Monet! There are slightly fewer people than in May-June, but it’s still peak season.
If you want to see the water lilies in bloom… and avoid tourists as much as possible, discovering Giverny in September is a good option!
Finally, October will offer you the superb autumn colors and the last water lilies. In short, each season has its advantages in Giverny, except winter… because everything is closed! 😉
Visiting Giverny is discovering the home of a master of painting, which is always moving for an art fan like your mouse. It’s also discovering one of the most beautiful gardens in France, which offers renewed blooms throughout the year.
But it’s also sharing this emotion with 650,000 other visitors (in 2019), who rush to the site in just seven months of the year! The health crisis has of course strongly changed things. But choose your day of visit to Giverny carefully to discover the places pleasantly!
Water lilies with willow branches, Claude Monet. Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny
What to visit, what to do around Giverny?
Here are some places to visit around Giverny. Around Giverny, don’t hesitate to take a tour of Vernon!
What to do in Vernon? Go see the old ruined bridge over the Seine and its municipal museum
Aerial view of Vernon, with Giverny in the background
Next to Giverny, be sure to visit La Roche-Guyon! This village in the Val-d’Oise occupies a unique site, nestled between the Seine and the limestone escarpment carrying the Vexin plateau.
It’s also the ONLY village in the Île-de-France region classified as one of the “most beautiful villages in France”!
You can discover its castle, connected to the dominating donjon by a stunning staircase carved into the chalk. In the underground tunnels, you’ll admire the time machine, appearing in Edgar P. Jacobs’ “The Diabolical Trap“! 😉
Château of La Roche-Guyon
As you go up the Seine, at the foot of the impressive cliff, you will arrive at Haute-Isle. This tiny village has a unique curiosity in the region: a stunning troglodytic church, entirely carved into the chalk cliff!
Troglodytic church of Haute-Isle
Finally, you will arrive at Vétheuil, where Claude Monet lived before leaving for Poissy and then Giverny.
You can still see the painter’s house, at 16… avenue Claude Monet (what a coincidence!). Even better: you can visit it, and even sleep there! It has become a bed and breakfast.
And of course, go see the church, which Monet painted so often. His first wife – and model – Camille, is buried in the village cemetery. Claude Monet painted over 230 canvases in Vétheuil, which represents a major period in his history.
View of Moisson, in its loop of the Seine, and Vétheuil, in the background.
Finally, after visiting the sites, head to the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Marmottan-Monet, and especially the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, to discover the water lily paintings!
And don’t hesitate to discover Rouen, the capital of Normandy, and its impressive Impressionist collection at the very rich Musée des Beaux-Arts (and admission is free for everyone!)
