We took a Fat Tire bike tour there - went by train to Vernon, then had a picnic and biked to Giverny. An added perk was going straight in thru the tour entrance, no waiting in line. I think this expedition took most of the day - maybe 9 - 4. It was delightful if you would enjoy biking. There was a nice, flat bike path. I think you can do this on your own - train to Vernon and rent bikes there but it was nice to be part of a group.

You can go to the Giverny website and see what flowers are out in August - that may help make you decision. I think you can also purchase entry tickets there, maybe that would give you walk in access, no waiting in line.

Thanks suec1 - I will check that out.

Heck, go, and sure, go by yourself. It's a nice day trip. Sure it can be crowded in August, but since it is closed one half of the year, at least you know for sure it will be open in August.

The Gardens are open everyday from the 1st of April to the 1st of November from 9.30 am to 6 pm (last admission 5.30 pm)

Yes, there are many kinds of tour groups that do this daytrip. Here is a link to one of them:
http://www.pariscityvision.com/en/parisvision/giverny-by-minibus?a_aid=4f7564ca05305

But you can easily do this yourself, too.

You can buy advance tickets on the internet: http://www.fnactickets.com/place-spectacle/manifestation/Visite-de-monuments-MAISON-ET-JARDINS-DE-CLAUDE-MONET-MOJAR.htm

or you can buy admission there.

To get there, you just get the train from Paris to Vernon, and then take transport to Giverny. You do not have to buy tickets in advance for transport.

Details:
Take the Rouen bound train from Paris’ Gare Saint Lazare. Get off at Vernon.

The train takes about 45 minutes one-way. There are 6 trains per day, with more in the morning hours and with a gap in the middle of the day. There are more frequent trains on Saturdays.
Schedule:
http://www.fondation-monet.fr/upload/file/Horaires-SNCF_2011.jpg

From the Vernon train station to Monet’s garden, you can do bus, taxi, bike, or walk.

The Vernon–Giverny bus (think it's about 5 Euro and it's good for the entire day to and from the station) meets every train. The bus run to Giverny takes 15 minutes(no buses on Mon).

Alternative: You can also find others to share one of the taxis that are always in front of the station.

Our experience--we were staying at a nearby bed and breakfast, and the owner sold us the tickets the night before.
Our host also told us that we had two choices--either get there right before opening or wait until late in the day. Tour buses pour in constantly in the morning and tend to be gone mid-afternoon, he said.

I think that if I were in Paris by myself, the idea of doing this with something like Fat tire would appeal quite a lot - the chance for some interaction with like-minded people might be very welcome. and all the organisation done for me too!

I walked from the Vernon train station to Giverny and it was a very sweet walk, of about 3-3.5 miles I believe - traipse thru the town center, cross the river and then follow a footpath on the course of a former railway line that goes all the way to the village - you enter on the cemetery end - check out Van Goghs graves - him and bro Theo I believe and continue thru a cute part of the strung out village that few tourists being buses to Monet's House and Gardens rarely see - a tranquil sleepy old village of stone houses - then to the gardens. I took a bus back to the station.

Thanks so much for all those suggestions. I never fail to get great advice here.

We'll be in Paris for 4 days in mid-June. At first we thought of going and then decided against using a whole day for Giverny.

What concerned us was the possibility of waiting several hours for the shuttle back to the train as if could fill up.

The idea of a guaranteed ride to the train is more appealing. Although we probably won't do it, I'll investigate Fat Tire.

I walked, with a friend, from the Vernon station to Giverny and enjoyed the walk very much (as PalenQ did). However, in August, you might want to check the weather before committing to that; rain or high temps. (unlike the weather they are having this month) could suggest another day or keeping open the option of a taxi - at least one way.

It is so lovely inside and out - Monet was definitely on to something !

If you take the train, make sure you get the earliest one. We took the one after 10, and by the time we got to Giverny the hordes had arrived.

If I did it again I would take the first train, and then take a taxi from the station, which gets you there before the shuttle, so you have a head start. We found the crowds in May really spoiled it for us. (And yes, I know, we were part of the crowds)

Also note that you can not get anything to eat inside the gates. Not surprising, as a cafe/picnickers would spoil the ambience. But if you go outside to get a sandwich or have lunch at one of the nearby restaurants, you have to pay again to get back in. We thought that was a bit cheap. Also another reason why I wouldn't want to arrive around 11 a.m.

I would love to do it. There are a number of good suggestions here. I will keep all options open. The weather is obviously a major factor and I would like to use my first "nice" weather day for Versailles - which will be a full day.

I like the idea of going on a bike tour - I will look into that - barring that I will probably walk and bus back.

I have only gone to Giverny on tours so can't advise on do yourself tips but here has been my experience.

Bus - We met the bus at the tour operator location in Paris. Half the people were going to both Giverny and Palace of Versailles where everyone else was only going to Giverny. When we arrived at Monet’s house we did have to wait in line but once through, we were on our own to explore. I think we had enough time but we also didn’t wonder off because we weren’t sure if we could get back if we had left the grounds and explored the back further away. From there, the bus rode to Versailles so we could drop off the other people and make it back to Paris in the afternoon.

Fat tire- I loved this tour and it has been my favorite tour. We met our group at the train station and rode to Giverny. From, there we had a short walk to pick up our bikes and headed to market to pick up lunch. Once everyone was ready to go, our guide took us to a spot on the river where we ate and got to talk with the other tour members. Afterward, we took a path to Monet’s house and gardens where there was no wait to enter. We had ample time to wonder around and on our way back, our guide took us to where Monet is buried and showed us some bullet holes, etc from World War II. We then took the train back to Paris. You can see some reviews on Viator.com with some pictures if you like.

I am sure you will have a great time no matter how you get to Giverny.

I would like to use my first "nice" weather day for Versailles - which will be a full day. >>

really Kelsey? There is quite a lot to see indoors at Versailles, so whilst not at its best in the wet, it is not ruined by bad weather. whereas Giverny would literally be a washout in the rain.

@annig - good point! Now here is a good question which should open a can of worms - but here it goes...RAIN in August - what to expect?

As we always say, you just can't rely on weather averages other than really basic generalities--e.g., it will be warmer in August than it is in January. Do Google "Paris weather averages" but just don't rely on it.

My biggest case in point is that I have spent altogether over a month in Ireland (multiple trips), and have experienced exactly three days of "real" rain (and even those downpours were mostly early morning or really late and night) and two days of "soft" rain (misty, slight romantic drizzle). If you went by the Ireland weather averages, we should have been dressed in all-weather gear 24/7; if you went by our experiences, you'd bring a tank top, shorts and five bottles of 75+ sunscreen.

That's one reason not to book far ahead for any one day. As Annhig put so well, Versailles itself without seeing the gardens can't be ruined by bad weather and neither can visits to the Musee d'Orsay or the Louvre.

And Paris is always great--rain, snow or shine. In heat, though, better make sure your hotel has AC.

Myer,

Just an FYI for you and others: we went to Giverny last month - took the train - and there were three shuttles waiting to take passengers from the train station to Giverny, and again, three shuttles to take back. No one was left waiting.

The shuttles are more what I would term a bus - like a tour (coach) bus, so they hold a lot of people.

The biggest issue is to make sure you know what time the shuttles leave from Giverny and that you are there on time - you do have to walk from the house to the parking area.

Now, it might be different in the summer when there are more tourists (although this was over Easter weekend and it was crowded!) - I'm not trying to say there isn't that possibility.

On the Giverny website there is a also a list of taxi companies you could call from Giverny - we had brought that with us just in case.

We were in Giverny in late June 2009. Here are my suggestions:

- take the first train... get tickets (from any station not just Gare St Lazare) the day ahead. Your credit card won't work in the machines and lines can be long at the ticket office.

- buy your ticket for the gardens either online at the giverny.org sute or ahead of time at a FNAC store

- if you note a lot of people tumbling off the train, take Carlux' advice and get a taxi to beat the rush. On the first train I think there were less than a dozen of us who got on the bus.

- your advance ticket will allow you to enter through the lower group entrance (even though you're not in a group)... that way you can get to see the pond and Japanese bridge before the crowds descend from the main entrance.

- allow time for the gift shop... one of the best I have ever seen and you're bound to find something you'll want. ;^)

- one of the main reasons I'd avoid a Fat Tire tour is the fact that with all the faffing about buying food and stopping to eat the gardens will be very crowded by the time you finally get there.

ParisAmsterdam,
Shouldn't your credit card work if you have a Chip & PIN card?

Our dilema. Although it's really my wife who is suggesting that we go, she probably won't want to get up early enough to take the 8:20 train.

While I consider myself a tourist and expect people, packed crowds may not be enjoyable.

AlessandraZoe's idea of possibly going mid-afternoon (2:20 arriving at 3:05) might be an idea. We probably want to wait until our last day in Paris, a Monday, (four days total) to descide based on what we've done or haven't done and the weather that day.

We'll be there in mid-June so I suspect that will be prime tourist time.

Has anyone been to Giverny in busy season at mid-afternoon? Have the tour buses thinned out by mid-afternoon?

>>check out Van Goghs graves - him and bro Theo I believe <<

Not Giverny, surely - they're in Auvers sur Oise.

bookmark

I was there before opening at Giverny WITH advance tickets, so I am no help personally. I just know that a lot of the museums in Paris are practically empty later in the day.

I Googled and found this person's experience, though:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/les-jardins-de-claude-monet-%C3%A0-giverny-giverny-2
Note date---8/2011

Oops, Myer--just scroll down to the SECOND experience on the page...8/2/2011

AlessandraZoe, Thanks.