Never had I seen so many flowers in one place.
Your trip to Giverny will be the perfect nature escape and day trip from Paris. It's an art lover's must-see.
A bit of history
Monet's house and garden really is a hidden treasure, tucked away in the quaint village of Giverny, France. Made up of only 2 and a half square miles (6.46 square kilometers), Giverny has a relaxed atmosphere and impressive landscape views. It's no wonder that Giverny caught the eye of impressionist painter Claude Monet through a train window! He found his way back to rent a home and some land in the village, and eventually had enough money to purchase the house and develop his magnificent gardens.
Some of Monet's most famous works were inspired by his gardens in Giverny. After the passing of his son when Monet was 74, he longed for a new grand undertaking. He began two large-scale water lilies paintings, which he wanted to donate to France as a sign of peace during the first World War. Eventually, the painter was convinced to turn his 2 paintings into 12, as an official state commission by French Prime Minister Clemenceau. It was agreed upon in advance that his final paintings would find a home in the Musée d'Orangerie (there are 8 on display) - which is why the long paintings fit perfectly with the egg-shaped rooms of the museum.
The Musée d'Orangerie is home to 8 of Monet's Water Lilies paintings.
How to get to Giverny
Giverny is an easy 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Paris, making it a perfect day trip for anyone visiting Paris who's interested in art. The best way to get there is by taking the train. The ride itself is about a 45-minute journey.
There isn't actually a train that will take you directly to Giverny - the village is too small! Instead, the nearest train station is Vernon. Your train ticket will probably say Paris to Vernon-Giverny. This is what you want.
The trains to Vernon from Paris all depart from the Saint Lazare train station. Give yourself plenty of time to get there, and make sure you're a little early so you can make your way to the top floor of the station, find your platform, and get a seat. The trains leave on time!
Once you arrive in Vernon and exit the train station, there will be a shuttle bus waiting to take you to Giverny. A shuttle leaves from Vernon to Giverny about 10 minutes after every train arrival. But don't feel like you need to rush. Odds are there will be a line outside the bus as each person buys a ticket as they hop on. A one-way ticket is €5, or you can buy your round-trip ticket in advance for €10.
This is what your shuttle bus ticket will look like. Keep track of it if you purchased round-trip!
At the time, I was very proud of myself for figuring out the shuttle bus because there was very little information about it online. My success was short-lived.
A very important side note...
When the shuttle bus drops you off in Giverny, take note of the posted shuttle bus schedule for your return to the Vernon train station.
Let's just say my group had an almost catastrophe by not doing this. We looked up the shuttle bus timetable in advance online and were following that. I didn't think to read the printed schedule at the actual bus station - why would I? Problem was, we got to the station right as a shuttle bus was leaving, and we figured we'd catch the next one which we thought was supposed to arrive shortly. Except it didn't show. As we got dangerously close to missing our train we found the posted schedule at the station and realized we were toast. The next shuttle wasn't until after our train was leaving. And it's not like we were close enough to walk!
Thankfully, there was a sign for a taxi service we called, and our driver showed up in 10 minutes. A literal lifesaver. It actually ended up being cheaper for all 4 of us to share a private car back to the train station than it was for us all to have purchased round-trip shuttle tickets. Whoops. Fortunately, we did make our train.
Point being, don't let this almost mishap be you! The schedules I found online were outdated and useless. Check the current schedule (which was stapled to the wooden bench covering when I was there) when you get to the Giverny shuttle bus station.
Rows and rows of flowers in front of Monet's house.
Arriving at Monet's house and garden
Once you're in Giverny, make your way over to Monet's House first. I'd recommend stopping at any cute shops or cafes after your visit. Even during off-seasons the small house and pathways around the garden can feel tight when it gets busy.
There are separate entrances for individuals and groups. I went with a group of 4 and had no problems entering through the individual entrance. The group entrance may be for guided tours, not sure. Regardless, you'll probably want the individual entrance which is entrance 2. It's on Rue Claude Monet, and there should be signs for it. You can also take a look at the Claude Monet Foundation's super helpful map of the property which shows the entrances.
Once you're inside, make a decision about what you'd like to do first. Whatever you chose, assuming you're going first thing in the morning (which you always should!), will be the quietest part of your experience.
I opted for the gardens because I wanted to experience some of the serenity Monet may have experienced when he was in the garden.
Monet's garden
Monet's garden is split up into two different spots. There is a flower garden in front of his house, and perhaps the more well-known water garden across the road from the rest of the property.
Monet's water garden
Monet's water garden was not part of the original property he purchased in Giverny. Many years on, he purchased land across the street from his home from a neighbor. With it, he developed the water garden which became home to a green Japanese bridge, bamboo, water lilies, and more flowers.
To get to the water garden, use the underpass that will take you under the road and pop you up right into the garden.
The reflections make it easy to see how Monet found inspiration for his impressionist works!
The water garden has small footpaths and several bridges that will take you around the pond in a loop. The morning I visited was foggy from an overnight rainstorm. Two frogs resting on lily pads serenaded us. Actually, it sounded more like a weird cackle. But it was a fun surprise to finally locate the sound. Like I said, it's quite an escape to nature!
This little guy made an impressive racket for his size.
There are different trees and flowers in bloom depending on which season you visit. I highly recommend checking out the official website to learn more about what you'll be seeing when you arrive. They break it up by season, and within that, by month.
I visited Monet's house in May, so the wisteria was in full bloom.
Wisteria covering one of several bridges in the water garden.
Wisteria hangs over your head as you circle the pond.
Monet's flower garden
After visiting the water garden, I headed over to the flower garden in front of Monet's house. Never had I seen so many flowers in one place. Seriously. I became overwhelmed with gratitude for being able to see color in that moment. Rows upon rows of flowers - many were variations I had never seen before.
Rows and rows of flowers.
I think this was some sort of tulip?
There were two massive beds of pink tulips right in front of the house. It's a great spot to take pictures if you're looking for a souvenir of your trip!
Pink tulips welcomed visitors to Monet's magnificent home.
The facade of Monet's home.
The green paint on the shutters is the same green as the Japanese bridges in the water garden.
Monet's house
Lastly, I made my way into Monet's house. It was definitely busy by mid-morning, but I don't think it took too much away from the experience. I had my heart set on photographing the gardens!
Upon entering, you're led into the blue sitting room, where Monet's wife Alice would read to the children. Take note of the Japanese prints decorating the walls.
The blue sitting room.
Also on the ground floor is Monet's very first studio in Giverny. The paintings you see on the walls were once originals, of course. He later transformed the studio into a sitting room for sipping coffee and entertaining guests.
Monet transformed his first studio in Giverny into a sitting room.
Upstairs you'll visit Monet's bedroom, his wife Alice's bedroom, and Blanche Hoschedé-Monet's bedroom. Blanche, a painter herself, was the step-daughter of Claude Monet.
The upstairs floor has gorgeous views of the flower garden in front of the house. Since Giverny is situated in a valley, you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of rolling hills in the distance.
Rolling hills in the distance, as seen from inside Monet's house.
The flower garden from Monet's bedroom.
Back on the ground floor, the tour finishes with the dining room and kitchen, gloriously colorful in yellow and blue, respectively.
The kitchen.
I was struck by how many details of Monet's home appear in his paintings!
The water lily studio
On your way out, you'll need to pass through the water lily studio. Over 3,000 square feet (300 meters squared), the studio features natural light from a huge skylight. It's been transformed into a gift shop, but the building is where Monet worked on his large-scale painting series.
Side note: to get out, head into the gift shop and turn left! Find a door? That's your way out. Let's just say it took me a while to figure out how to leave. You can't exit the way you came in!
All in all, taking a day trip to Monet's house and gardens is well worth it. It's easily one of the best and most interesting things to do in the region - and a great excuse to get out of the city for a day! Hopefully, now you know what to expect and have learned a bit about the attraction's history and significance.
Can't make it to Giverny to visit in person? The Claude Monet Foundation offers a virtual tour of the house on its website.
Have you been to Monet's house and gardens? I'm curious to know what you thought of your trip, so let me know in the comments! And remember, read the bus schedule!!
