Complete Travel Guide · Giverny, France
Your Complete Guide to Giverny & Monet's Garden
Discover the village that inspired Impressionism — insider tips, visit planning and curated tours from Paris.
Why Giverny?
In 1883, Claude Monet settled in Giverny with his family and would spend the last 43 years of his life here. It was in this quiet Norman village that he created two extraordinary gardens — the brilliantly colourful Clos Normand and the famous water garden — which inspired his most celebrated works, including the monumental Water Lilies series now housed at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris.
Giverny is not simply a garden to walk through. It is the birthplace of an artistic revolution. Here Monet perfected his Impressionist technique by observing the shifting light on water, flowers and foliage across every season and every hour of the day. To visit Giverny is to step inside a painting.
What to Discover
Clos Normand, the water garden and Japanese bridge. Everything you need to know.
How Monet and his contemporaries revolutionised painting. The birth of Impressionism.
Train, shuttle, car or guided tour — all options from Paris to Giverny explained.
May–June for tulips and poppies, July for roses, September for calm and autumn colour.
Best Time to Visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Giverny is a small village in Normandy, northern France, 75 km north-west of Paris in the Eure department. It sits on the right bank of the Seine, near the town of Vernon.
Absolutely. Claude Monet's garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. The Clos Normand flower garden and the water garden with the Japanese bridge inspired some of the most famous paintings in art history.
The easiest way is by train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny (1h20), then a shuttle bus or taxi to the village (5 km). Guided day tours from Paris are also popular and include return transport.
The gardens are open from 1 April to 1 November, every day from 09:30 to 18:00 (last entry 17:30). They are closed from November to March.
In May and June — peak season — we strongly recommend booking online in advance. Queues can be 45–60 minutes long on busy days. Online tickets cost the same as at the door.
Allow 2–3 hours for the gardens and Monet's house. Add an hour for the Museum of Impressionisms and 30 minutes for the village. A full day trip from Paris (door to door) typically takes 8–9 hours.