Photo by Eric Sander
Paris is always a good idea. But another good idea is to leave Paris — just for a day! When planning a trip, taking at least one day to explore outside of the city limits reveals another side of France entirely. After all, there is so much to discover beyond the 20 arrondissements.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAGAZINE
While there are plenty of day trips worth considering, the one that ticks every box for us is a journey to Monet’s home and garden in Giverny. You arrive expecting to admire something beautiful, and you leave feeling as though you’ve stepped inside a painting — which, of course, you have.
Here’s how to plan the perfect day trip from Paris to Giverny.
How to Get There
The most practical way to reach Giverny is by train. From Paris, you board at Gare Saint-Lazare and travel to the Vernon-Giverny station, a journey of roughly 50 minutes. Once you arrive in Vernon, a dedicated shuttle bus is waiting right outside the station and will ferry you directly to the village in about 15 minutes. A round-trip ticket runs €10 and can be purchased onboard. The whole door-to-door journey takes about 1.5 hours — perfectly manageable for a day trip.
If you’d prefer to have all the logistics handled for you, you could also book a tour bus that departs directly from Paris with entry tickets and skip-the-line access included. It’s a seamless option, particularly if Giverny is your only stop for the day. The only down sides are that it may be more crowded, and you have less freedom with your schedule.
Renting a car is also a wonderful choice — especially if you’re planning to stay in the area and explore further. The Normandy countryside, the D-Day beaches, and the charming city of Rouen are all within reach, and having a car gives you the kind of flexibility that makes a good trip great.
What to Do
Get an early start. Pre-book your timed entry ticket on the Fondation Claude Monet website and aim for the first or second slot of the day. Then, once you’re there, start with a tour of the Maison. It’s tempting to make a beeline for the garden — resist. Monet’s quarters are eccentric, colorful, and inspiring, the walls crowded with paintings by Cézanne and Renoir that he collected over the years. The kitchen alone, with its brilliant blue tiles and hanging copperware, is worth the trip. You’ll feel more at ease once you’ve ticked off the house, and the stroll through the garden will feel much more peaceful.
Once you’ve made your way through Monet’s home, linger in the garden for as long as your heart desires. By lunchtime, you’ll be ready to sit down, order something good, and scroll through your flower-flooded camera roll.
The garden is at its most glorious in May and June, when the spring flowers are in full bloom. If water lilies are what you’re after, plan your visit for July or August. And if you’re hoping to avoid the thickest crowds, September is a dream.
Where to Eat in Giverny
Giverny is a small village, but there is no shortage of dining options. These are a few of our favorites.
Le Jardin des Plumes
Le Jardin des Plumes is the crown jewel. Chef David Gallienne — winner of Top Chef France 2020 — helms this Michelin-starred restaurant set in a beautiful Norman manor house surrounded by gardens. The tasting menus are generous, creative, and rooted in the finest local Norman produce. It is an investment, but for a special occasion — or simply because you feel like celebrating the fact that you’re in Giverny — there is nowhere better. Book well in advance.
La Parenthèse
And then there is La Parenthèse, tucked behind an elegant wrought-iron gate just a few minutes’ walk from the gardens. The courtyard, complete with resident chickens and an abundance of flowers, invites you to slow down. The menu is seasonal and rooted in Norman tradition — camembert AOP, tarte fine, fresh salads — at very reasonable prices. It’s the kind of lunch that will make you feel like a local.
Les Nymphéas
For something more relaxed, Les Nymphéas sits just steps from the entrance to Monet’s house and gardens and is open continuously throughout the day, making it equally good for lunch, an afternoon crêpe, or a post-garden coffee. The menu leans into the terroir Normand in a pretty, flower-filled setting that captures the spirit of the home and garden.
Make the Most of the Day
If the morning at Monet’s has awakened your appetite for Impressionism — and it will — the afternoon offers a natural continuation. The Musée des Impressionnismes is just a short walk from the gardens and dedicated entirely to the art movement, with rotating exhibitions and a lovely garden of its own. It’s small compared to the museums of Paris, but that’s part of what makes it such a pleasure.
If you have a car, there is one dinner option we simply cannot recommend highly enough: Domaine de Primard in Guainville, just 30 minutes from Giverny. Part of the Fontenille Collection, this is our favorite hotel in the area. The 18th-century château sits on a sprawling estate once owned by Catherine Deneuve and has been reimagined into one of the most beautiful five-star retreats within an hour of Paris. The restaurant offers a gastronomic menu that draws entirely from the estate’s permaculture garden and surrounding land.
Should you fall into the trance of the Normandy countryside and decide to spend tonight, make sure to use the code MFCH when booking to receive complimentary breakfast for two people throughout your stay.
Other Day Trips to Consider
Giverny is our top pick, but it is far from the only place worth a day of your time beyond Paris. Les Andelys, perched dramatically above the Seine with the ruins of Château Gaillard looking down over the river, is one of Normandy’s best-kept secrets. Auvers-sur-Oise is where Van Gogh spent the final weeks of his life, and it remains one of the most beautiful villages in the Île-de-France. And Chantilly — with its extraordinary château, stables, and forests — is a delightful adventure.
We go into detail about seven different day trip destinations, complete with full-day itineraries, in our Day Trips from Paris guide.
Join Our Tour to Normandy
Giverny is one of the highlights of our upcoming small-group Normandy journey — and we happen to have one spot left. If you’ve been dreaming of a last-minute adventure in the most beautiful corner of France, this might be your moment. Learn more here.