AGM_Cape_Cod

For once we will be in France when Giverny is open! During the last week in June I would expect it to be very crowded. Does anyone have suggestions about when would be a good time to go? This would be a day trip from Paris. TIA!

Aleta

It will be crowded no matter what, but I would guess early in the week would be best. Don't miss going to the American Impressionist museum just about a block away, and it's a great place to have lunch before taking the bus and train back to Paris.

amyb

I recommend leaving Paris as early as possible and getting to Giverny as the ticket booth opens. I did this last May, the key was beating the tour buses there. By the time I was leaving, they were just pulling in....that eliminates a lot of the crowd. (I suppose the same could be said for going later too)

PalenQ

For an article i once wrote on Giverny i interviewed the Monet house director and asked her that very question, and she said first Wednesdays can be surprisingly crowded as French schools are often off that day and she said Grandparents like to bring them here. And she said later in the afternoon sees the least crowding. Closed on Mondays. Tuesdays a bit pent-up demand.

PatrickLondon

You can check the train timetables at www.transilien.com (choose "Horaires et itinéraires" and then "Fiches horaires" for trains between Gare St Lazare - assuming you're starting from Paris - and Gare de Vernon. The local bus to Giverny meets the train.

It's a nice walk, if you've the time. Walk down the main street of Vernon, cross the bridge (nice view to the left), cross the roundabout and take the second right. The path replaces an old railway line, so it's level and metalled. At Giverny, just keep walking through the village past the church and keep on going along the main road. Or you can walk back to Vernon. It takes about 45 minutes - 1 hour.

PalenQ

I enjoyed the walk very very much and went both ways - bit hard to find start of path after crossing bridge - it's behind some apartment complex if i remember or you can walk on the Seine road a bit and then you'll see it on the left.

Monet rode this train line to Rouen often when he was working on his Rouen Cathedral series i believe.

AGM_Cape_Cod

Thanks for all the useful replies. I think we will plan on going Thursday early.

MadameClavel

We took the train and it was very easy to do. However, we opted for a taxi to Giverny which was easy, but it was hard getting one back--if you don't take the bus, try to pinpoint the time with the taxi driver to come back. We spent time
in Vernon before we went back to Paris and enjoyed the half timbered houses and
got a free concert in the old church--the organist was practicing.
I dragged my friend to Giverny when we were traveling in 2001 and it turned out to be one of her favorite things we did on our 5 week trip!

cigalechanta

And have lunch at the Antiente Hotel Baudy, tour the back rose garden and artist studio.

petitepois

This Vernon website is very helpful:

www.giverny.org

Has anyone ever rented a bike from one of the two cafes outside la Gare? Looks like it's 12 euros a day and then you can bicycle to and fro Giverny, which seems fun. Though the walk sounds nice, too. Any other restaurant suggestions for a light lunch in Vernon?

Am thinking about going next week! (leaving for Paris on Saturday and can scarcely contain myself!!!)

djkbooks

There's no point in trying to beat the tour buses, as they have a separate entrance and appointments all day long.

So, we decided to book a tour with ParisVision, but a mini-van rather than the full sized tour bus. We were advised that Sunday was the best day to go. They picked us up at the hotel (only eight people total) and got us to the entrance a few minutes before opening time. We were given a "route" to follow and were actually able to take a lot of photos of the lily ponds and Japanese bridge with no people in them, then explore the rest of the gardens, and get into the house after a very short wait.

It would have cost less to go on our own, but after finding the train schedule to Vernon quite awkward, we decided it would be more efficient to book a tour (especially skipping the very long ticket line). In mid-June, the gardens were positively glorious.

We had plenty of time to visit the American Museum, and enjoy a nice lunch, before returning to Paris. ParisVision dropped us off back at our hotels, or wherever we liked on the return.

If you take a taxi from the train station, just ask the driver to return for you at a designated time.

pjsparlor

We rented the bikes and loved it, very easy ride.

AGM_Cape_Cod

While we would love to go on Sunday, we will be arriving and departing Paris on Sunday. We once did a tour of Vaux le Vicomte on the day we arrived. I remember standing on the catwalk that surrounds the dome wondering if I was going to pitch off the roof in exhaustion.