WAnt a very wonderful & special meal, lunch or supper when visiting Giverny. Welcome all thoughts on visit while on way to Haute Normandy.

Giverny has some good small restaurants but none where I think you'd get wonderful food. Since you're on your way to Haute Normandie, see Giverny and then head on to the charming village of Petit Andelys. There, on the banks of the Seine, you will find a lovely small hotel, La Chaîne d'Or, with a fine restaurant. We stayed/ate there in September 2004 with a friend, who walked into the dining room and said "Now, this is what a French country restaurant should look like." French doors overlook the banks of the river, and the décor is warm yellow against beautiful polished wood. The food...absolutely first rate, especially the apple tart with Calvados.

Ishould have added that the drive to Petit Andelyx from CDG is only about 2 hours; so from Giverny the distance wouldn't be far.

I second the hotel/restaurant recommendation. Underhill discovered this little gem and several of us have had pleasant stays there. Now, my husband actually wants to go a bit out of the way and go BACK there on our next trip. By then, I'm sure all we Fodorites will have driven the prices up.
If you can time Giverney for something other than a Sunday afternoon, you'll probably have a less crowded visit than we.

I have also been there. Some French friends joined me. Very nice spot.

Underhill,

Can one take the train from Paris to Petit Andelys?
It looks really lovely.

I've tried the SNCF site but (as usual) probably haven't entered the info correctly.

The best restaurant is a pleasent walk from monets house, "Le Jardin de Giverny
The lunch at the Antiente Hotel Baudy is a yearly stop for us. It was once the hotel (but now a resto/museum)also a minute walk from Monet's. It's where the American painters stayed when wanting to be near Monet.

Here's the Jardin site. I'll check for the Baudy.

http://giverny.org/restos/jardegiv/jardegiv.htm

Here's the Baudy. They have the beautiful photo I took of the artists'studio.

http://giverny.org/gardens/baudy/

I spent a month working at the garden in Giverny a few years ago. By far, our favourite place to eat was Hotel Baudy. It is magnificent---so pretty inside and with a pretty garden outside you can wander around in. If you go, get the duck salad. It is the best thing I've ever eaten (i'm not exaggerating). It's even more convivial there at dinnertime when the crowds have left, but worth the trip for any meal. Can't rave about it enough.