In planning our most recent trip to France, a day trip to the village of Giverny was one of the only things on my must-do list. Like so many other visitors before us, we went to Giverny, located in the Normandy region, to visit the home and gardens of beloved French Impressionist painter Claude Monet. Now known as the Fondation Claude Monet, the estate once served as the inspiration for some of the artist’s most famous paintings, most notably his Japanese Footbridge and Water Lilies series. A visit to Monet’s home, with its vibrant green shutters and expansive gardens, has been high on my bucket list for most of my adult life. Safe to say it did not disappoint. In fact, our day in Giverny turned out to be the highlight of our entire trip to France.
Upon arrival at the Vernon train station, Dan and I hopped aboard the Giverny Shuttle and enjoyed a short ride past the boulangeries and farmers markets of Vernon, over the Seine, and past charming French country homes. We disembarked at the Giverny car park, a short walk from a pedestrian entrance to the main tourist street. Posted maps and signs clearly indicated how to get to various sites around town, such as the Museum of the Impressionists and the tomb of Claude Monet.
Quickly Jump to:
The Bust of Claude Monet
The first site we visited was the bust of Claude Monet, located just off the parking lot in a secluded grove. Monet created many of his paintings in this very location, overlooking a quiet landscape of meadows, trees, and hills. His bronze likeness faces this tranquil scene, shaded by the limbs of a weeping willow, as a small stream trickles gently in the background.
In the words of the artist, Daniel Goupil, “l wanted to show a mature man in full possession of his abilities, at the height of his art. His beard, by its size and shape, symbolizes both the strength and the flowing, undulating, moving currents present in his work…the placement of this bust draws attention to a site that I hope will become the destination of discovery walks, an invitation to immerse ourselves in this authentic environment that has become an important part of art history for more than a century.”
Giverny as a whole felt like an authentic environment, despite its obvious appeal as a major tourist destination. Yes, there were vacation rentals, modern impressionist art galleries, and charming cafes all capitalizing on their physical association with Claude Monet. Walking the colorful streets of Giverny was like stepping into a classic French postcard. And yet, none of it felt forced or ingenuine. We felt totally relaxed and free to enjoy the natural beauty of Giverny. Even at the Fondation Claude Monet, with its long ticket line and relatively crowded gardens, it was easy to find quiet spaces to breathe it all in and reflect on the beauty and importance of our surroundings.
Stop. Listen to the birds overheard. The stirring of willow branches and the buzzing of bees flitting from flower to flower. This is Giverny.
The Home & Gardens of Claude Monet
Monet’s former home, with its emerald-green shutters and abundant gardens, did not disappoint. Monet rented the home for several years before finally purchasing it in November 1890. He made improvements to the property over the next few years, including the 1893 purchase and transformation of some nearby land into the famous Water Garden.
Visitors can tour the artist’s home, which has been restored to its 19th-century condition, as well as the two gardens, the Clos Normand just in front of the house, and the Water Gardens, where Monet painted his Japanese Footbridge and Water Lilies series.
Tip: You must buy your e-tickets online prior to visiting Giverny. In the face of COVID-19, tickets for the the Fondation Claude Monet are no longer available for sale onsite. Purchase tickets here.
The Clos Normand
We strolled first through the Clos Normand. At the time of our visit, the garden was filled with spring flowers: tulips, roses, peonies, poppies, and more.
Irises ran the spectrum from pale lavender to deep violet, and arches dripping with roses stood proudly over crushed pink stone that once formed the entryway to the home’s front door. Fall visitors might see sunflowers, blue hydrangea, dahlias, and marigold, among others. See the full list of trees, plants, and flowers in rotation here.
The Water Gardens
A stone passageway below the modern-day Chemin du Roy connects the Clos Normand with the Water Garden. Inspired by the Japanese art and landscape Monet so loved, the water garden is a breathtaking oasis of plants like bamboo, water lilies, ginkgo, willows, azalea, and Japanese peonies, set against tranquil waters. A series of Japanese footbridges, painted the same vibrant shade of green used on his front door and shutters, form graceful pathways over the water.
It was here, in the water gardens, that we found the most opportunity for peaceful enjoyment and reflection. A series of paths wound through and around the garden, highlighting a large central pond shimmering with hundreds of floating water lilies. We enjoyed a quiet walk around the perimeter of the garden before approaching the pond.
Sitting on a bench by one of the Japanese footbridges, it was easy to tune out the surge of visitors clustered on the bridge, cameras in hand, and focus on the moment. Storm clouds hung low in the sky, rustling the branches of the willow tree and making the waterlilies pop against the deepening surface of the pond.
Monet was fascinated with the way light touched and changed objects and landscapes. His water lilies featured in nearly 300 paintings created over the last three decades of his life. Sitting on that bench and watching the water’s surface ripple and darken, it was easy to imagine Monet standing in that very spot, paintbrush in hand, and feel for ourselves the need to capture the moment forever.
We were brought crashing back to earth by a woman removing her shoes and standing barefooted on the bench right next to us to better capture the moment herself. Time to move on.
The Home of Claude Monet
Monet’s love of color carried over to his house, where he lived with his second wife, six step-children, and two children from his first marriage. The artist shunned the decor norms of his age and elected, for example, to paint his shutters emerald green rather than stick with the traditional drab gray. A small sitting room, the very first stop on the self-guided tour of Monet’s home in Giverny is a frankly Seussian explosion of blue on blue, accented by the Japanese woodblock prints so beloved by the artist. The bright colors and Japanese art continue throughout the rest of the house, alongside stunning garden views and reproductions of art from friends and fellow artists Cézanne and Renoir, among others.
My favorite rooms in the house were Monet’s bedroom, his studio on the first floor, and the cheery blue kitchen, with patterned blue-and-white tile and an assortment of copper pots that would not look out of place in a modern day kitchen.
Modern Giverny
We came to Giverny to visit Monet’s home and gardens, but found so much more to love outside the Fondation’s walls. After spending several days in the heart of Paris, it was refreshing to escape the city streets and spend some time simply wandering along Giverny’s main road, the aptly-named Rue Claude Monet.
Impressionism is still alive and well in Giverny, and we passed a handful of present-day artists’ galleries on our way to one of the many little cafés for a late-afternoon pick me up of pastries and espresso. With several hours left before the last scheduled return train to Paris, we were free to wander the streets and check out a couple more touristic sites within Giverny.
Natural Mechanical Museum
Dan delighted in the existence of a mechanical museum, a private collection of engines, turbines, old washing machines, you name it, some of which were centuries old. Each item was labeled in English and French, and the collection’s owners were happy to stop and chat about the various items on display.
As a mechanical engineer, Dan got a lot more out of the museum than I did, though I found the visit interesting and educational. Dan even enjoyed a conversation with one of the owners about the type of engineering jobs that exist now and back when some of these machines were still in production. The museum does not have an entry fee, but we left a comment in the guest book and any remaining Euros on hand in a contribution jar.
Monet’s Tomb at the Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny
Toward the end of Rue Claude Monet is a modest church, named for a saint who reportedly cured scabies. There is a small cemetery behind the church, and Monet himself is buried on the east end, alongside several family members. Also buried here are seven British airmen whose bomber plane crashed nearby during World War II. There is a memorial to these airmen on the west side of the church.
Saying Goodbye to Giverny
Sadly, after our visit to the church, we had to catch the shuttle back to the Vernon train station. I loved Giverny and would have loved to be able to stay for the night and enjoy a full meal and roam the pretty streets in the twilight. The sadness was compounded by the fact that this was our last full day in France, and we would leave Paris to return stateside the very next day. Visiting Giverny was the absolute highlight of an already magical trip to France, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an easy day trip from Paris.
Practical Info
Train Travel to Giverny
Many companies offer guided visits to Giverny, which include transportation via car or bus, but we opted to save some cash and visit on our own via a direct train from Paris.
Train tickets to Vernon, the closest station to Giverny, can be purchased in person at Gare Saint-Lazare, or online via RailEurope or SNCF. To simplify things as much as possible, we booked one-way tickets on the Oui.SNCF app, which enabled us to travel stress-free with mobile tickets instead of paper tickets. One-way tickets left us free to purchase paper return tickets in Vernon whenever we liked, rather than be stuck rushing to catch the train at a predetermined time. The paper tickets do need to be stamped, or validated, at the Vernon station just before boarding the train for the return journey
From Gare Saint-Lazare, take the train terminating at Rouen/Le Havre. The journey to Giverny takes about 50 minutes. Once in Vernon, there are several transportation options, including a cute little mini train, that transport travelers directly from the train station to the heart of nearby Giverny. We opted to follow signage toward an air-conditioned shuttle bus, and there is also a cute sightseeing mini train available. See current shuttle pricing and schedules here.
Fondation Claude Monet Admission & Hours
The gardens are open seven months per year, from April to November, during the hours of 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM.
At the time of writing, ticket costs are as follows:
- Normal fare and seniors: 11.50 euros
- Children and students: 7.50 euros
- Guests with a disability: 6.00 euros
- Children under 7: free of charge
For current pricing, and to purchase tickets, click here.
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