mikster

We will be in Paris for four days beginning Ocober 1st for our 25th wedding anniversary. We have been to Paris before but never to either of the above. Pros and cons on what you would choose and why? I don't want to spend more than one day outside of Paris on this trip. It sounds like Giverny could be done easily in half day while Versailles might require almost a full day?

Thank you for your help, as always.

Michael

Giverny cannot be done in half a day with the travel to and from. Moreover, while I am sure that it is a nice Fall garden, it may be disappointing if one expects to see the water lilies, the Japanese bridge, etc. as Monet painted them, usually in spring and summer. I would choose Versailles over Giverny in that season.

mikster

Thank you.

CJT0427

I was at Giverny in October 3 years ago. The gardens were well past their prime and many of the flowers were spent. The gardens near the house were a disappointment, but we did enjoy the pond. The light going through the trees was stunning and I got some great pictures. I have also been there in September and the flowers were beautiful then. October is just a little late in the season, but still glad we went. The website for the Giverny Foundation has slide shows showing the gardens during different seasons.

mamcalice

Any time from April to September, I would recommend Giverny. We have been there in May and early September and the gardens were beautiful. The house, the surrounding area and the American Museum are all worth a visit.

I guess, however, that early October would not be as nice and Versailles is probably the better choice. It will probably require a full day. Have you considered Chartres? We love it and have been there in the fall - not so dependent on the season.

Enjoy your trip whatever you choose.

Gretchen

Neither. You'll have much more fun exploring more of Paris in your short stay there, even having "been before". IMO

The_D_Dawg

I can not comment on Versailles vs. Giverny in October. However, as a guide for your planning, Versailles will take about 2/3 of a day; meaning if you leave your hotel around 8ish in the morning, you should reasonably expect to be back around 4pm. That timing can also be shortened by reducing some of the times below. We did the following:

8:00 Train to Versailles
8:30 Arrive Versailles train station
9:00 Arrive Versailles (about a 20 minute walk)
9:30 Versailles tour(lines can be long, get advance tickets)
12:30 Walk gardens, grounds, Marie Antoinette's home
2:30 Exit, visit & eat a late lunch in town on the way to the train station
4:00 Train back
4:30 Arrive Paris

That timing gets you back for a nice bottle of wine sitting at a Paris café watching the world go by before you return to your hotel, shower, rest, and go out for a wonderful dinner in the City of Lights.

You can shorten that itinerary by 1) moving through Versailles in 2 rather than 3 hours), 2) forgoing the gardens and grounds (I don't recommend that as they are beautiful and not dependent on flowers, though Marie's home after visiting Versailles Palace is a little on the ho hum side), and 3) taking a lunch with you and eating in the park outside Versailles.

So, bottom line is you could do the whole round trip in 5-6 hours or enjoy a little more relaxed comprehensive trip in 7-8 hours, either way, if you leave at 8am, you'll be back in plenty of time for some R&R and then a nice evening activity.

Make sure you check some of the Rick Steves info on Paris. His advice on Versailles timing is as follows: "Length of Visit: With the usual lines, allow 1.5 hours each for the Château, the Gardens, and the Domaine de Marie-Antoinette. Add another two hours for round-trip transit, plus another hour for lunch...and, at around eight hours, Versailles is a full day trip from Paris."

Also, I recommend you take a late dusk Seine ride (no need to do a dinner cruise) - like Versailles, it is unforgettable.

Dave

justineparis

The length of visit for Versailles will also be influenced by the weather, if its raining I imagine it being unlikely that you will spend much if any time strolling the grounds of Versailles... in decent weather I think of Versailles as a full day, and I have been there quite a few times.. in the rain, 3-4 hours would do it for me.