wug

My husband and I will be in Paris in mid April. We are planning a day trip or two and I'm looking at Giverny. I've seen that you can rent bikes in Vernon and bike to Giverny. Has anyone done this before? What are the prices? Would mid April be a good time to go or would the gardens not really be in bloom yet? I love the idea of getting on bikes during a day trip as I'm an avid biker. Plus, I'm an artist and have never been to Giverny, I know it's not a long ride or anything but, just something fun. Are there any other places that this is an option for a day trip from Paris?

Surfergirl

It's a pretty easy ride through some beautiful countryside. You can do it on your own, or take a Fat Tire bike tour where you rent the bikes through them and they take you there and back. Unless it's raining, April will be beautiful, and many of the flowers will be in bloom. Giverny plantings have been created so that something is in bloom throughout the year, so each season is different!

sheilawby

You can also bike from Paris to Surenses, where there's an American WWI cemetery and Mont Valerian, a beautiful (and hilly) park. Plus a magnificent monument to the resistance. There's a magnificent view from high above Paris from the American memorial. Be sure to go in and talk to the woman in the reception office; she's full of information and very helpful.

PatrickLondon

The gardens reopen on April 1st this year. Whether the cold winter means they will have been held back, or whether there'll be something to see in a great compensating rush of growth, remains to be seen.
http://www.fondation-monet.fr/uk/

I seem to remember there was some sort of bike hire operating beside or at the café by the exit from Vernon station, where the buses to Giverny leave from. But that was some years ago. On the other hand, the walk only took about 45-50 minutes. If the weather's nice it should be lovely whichever way you do it (go down the main street from the station to the bridge, and on the other side, the path to Giverny turns off to the right about 100 metres on from the bridge - it looks almost as though you're going through the back yard of a garage, but it isn't hard to find).

ParisAmsterdam

We were there last summer and I can confirm your memory is correct PatrickLondon... there were bikes for rent at the cafe opposite the station.

As the temperature was 35 C we decided to take the bus.

Rob

wug

Thanks for all the help! If we get a pretty day, this sounds like a great day.
Sheilawby, I'll also definitely look into the biking to Surenses. Where did you start off from? I'm going to do some research on that one. Sounds very interesting.

RFR

I hope this is not too late. A few years ago we took the train to Vernon the first week of April. It was low 70s. We rented bikes across the street from the train station, stopped at a bakery in town to get picnic supplies and rode to Giverny. The ride seemed 2-3 miles and we ate in the gardens. Some plants were in bloom and some were not. It was great.

Suspaul

Did the Fat Tire bike tour from Paris in late April 08. The gardens were beautiful. If you rent a bike in Vernon pick up some picnic supplies, when you get to the bridge ride over and cross the street, there is a beautiful park along the water that was a perfect picnic spot.

julia1

April is one of my favorite times at Giverny. Spring bulbs, wisteria and lilacs in bloom. Here are some images from April a few years ago, if you're interested:

http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p51890631.html

http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p51890630.html

http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p52182822.html

http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p51890632.html

wug

Thanks for the info, especially for April in particular. We leave a week from tomorrow. Hoping for a beautiful day so we can visit Giverny. We don't have anything scheduled so we can make the decision each morning.