Giverny and Versailles in one day?
 

My husband and I are taking our 9 and 13 year old daughters to Paris in two weeks. We'll be staying 5 full days. Parisvision offers a tour with Giverny and Versailles in the same day. Do you recommend we combine these, leaving us 4 full days in Paris? Or take them on different days, leaving us only 3 full days in Paris? I wasn't sure if doing them both in one day would be too exhausting. Any advice? Thanks so much!

In 5 days I certainly wouldn't take two day trips. I think the question may be whether to take any.

I agree w/ Gretchen. W/ only 5 days in Paris are you sure you want to take ANY day trips? I definitely would not take 2. If you feel you must - then pick one - either Giverny or Versailles.

If you want to take the day trip, then I advise to do both in one day. First to Giverny, then to Versailles on the way back. We went thru Versailles in about 1.5 hours (It was our 3rd time though), but even a fast trip gives you a good idea. If you leave early for Giverny, you can be back in Paris by the afternoon. I am not sure if your kids that young would appreciate Giverney, unless they were diehard Monet fans.

I may be the iconoclast of the forum, but for me Giverny was just another garden. I like Monet's work, but a flower garden is a flower garden and I have seen better ones. The fact that it is where Monet once roamed seems to imbue it with an aura of fame and grandeur that I doubt it would have if some lesser person had lived there.

Versailles on the other hand is history itself. Yes, once can see in it over indulgence and architectural overkill, but so much of the history of western Europe is tied up in the palace that it is worth a view.

I took a course in French history as sophomore in college, yet seeing Versailles drove home the point of the plight of the masses and utter extravagence of the monarchy more than any history book ever did.

Yes you can do both. I suppose it is what you want to accomplish. If your interest level is more that of checking off entries on a must do list, then do both. If you want to experience deeply what the French Revolution and Louis XIV and his successors were all about, then dig into Versailles.

To me, it IS itself history. To others it is a just a fancy house with elaborate gardens, big vases, big mirrors, and some place where a king lived.

I really appreciate all your kind input. My husband was also not sure about the kids enjoying Giverny. Maybe we'll just do Versailles, which is only a half day. The parisvision website mentions a fountain show on saturday and sunday afternoons. Do you recommend the morning tour (less crowded?), or should we stay for the afternoon fountains? Many thanks again!

I've a different view about Giverny, as I considered it an absolute highlight and if you know ANTHING about art its tonal plantings, play of light and dark, water and sky are all awe inspiring.

Nevertheless, as an ex history teacher (just one of my careers), Versailles was interesting - although the interiors were no where near as beautiful as some other palaces I've seen - Madrid for one. However, the setting is stupendous and gives you a real idea of royal privilege and La Grande France.

It's a long day to do both - I've done both one day and half day tours and suggest you do two half day tours if you did want to see visit both sites.

Giverny would probably not be so enthralling for children but if you only go to Versailles make CERTAIN the fountains operate on the day you intend going. I'd not miss them if you want to get an idea of the original intended affect.

I'd definately only attempt one tour as there simply is so much to see in wonderful, glorious, magical Paris - 4 days won't be nearly enough!

We loved Giverny and plan to visit again, this time in September (last time was May).

If you're a huge fan of Monet, it's amazing to stand in the scenes he painted. He planted specificially for what he wanted to paint, in every season, at all times of day, in various weather. (Later on, he had a staff of gardeners). The house is charming and is worth a visit for much of his personal collection (Asian art, and works of his many friends). The water lily ponds with the Japanese bridge is spectacular.

I say - if you feel the urge to visit both, you should do that, and not let others discourage you.

The Parisvision (and we've always been very pleased with their tours) excursion would definitely be the most efficient for seeing both in one day.

We went to Giverny with ParisVision. There's a separate entrance for the tour buses. We were delivered at opening time and were given specific instructions for where to go in what order. So, we were able to take photos of the lily ponds with no people across the way, or on the bridge, and had only a five minute wait to get into the house.

Also highly recommend Versailles. If you can manage it, a trip to the Conciergerie sometime after is positively incredible for the "contrast". If you can plan your visit for the fountains - definitely!

Hi LA,

With only 5 days in Paris, I wouldn't recommend a daytrip.

However, with the two kids I suggest Versailles when the fountains are on.

((I))

And if you do go to Versailles, it wouldn't be mandatory to take the Parisvision tour. You can buy a farfait loisirs pass that gets you entrance in and the RER pass included. I would suspect that this would be significantly cheaper than a guided tour. The trainstation in Versailles is about a 10 minute walk to the chateau, and the kids may want to get a taste of home at the McDonalds (lol) across the street from the station. And stay away from the Orangina drink, it is like carbonated orange juice, pulp and all!

Good luck and enjoy!

In Paris you could also take a day trip to EuroDisney!

or inside paris itself you kids may love AquaBoulevard, an indoor water park very popular with French families - i took my young son long ago and it was great.

Hi Lacohn. It sounds as if you will be in Paris at the same time as me. We are arriving in Paris on May 19th and on Sunday the 20th we were originally going to do Versailles in the morning but then I read about the Grandes Eaux Musicales fountain show that afternoon.
http://www.chateauversaillesspectacles.fr/

Sounds like the Sunday afternoon show is the way to go and I think the kids would love that!!!

I'd not try to do those in a day. I've been to both with Fat Tires bike tours, I have photos of that one here: http://www.mousesteps.com/index.php?...&Itemid=68

Monets bike tours I know we have photos at www.neesie.org. They were both lovely - I thought Giverny was beautiful, it was like being in a painting. Versailles was magnificent.

We visited Giverny but truly only spent about an hour there. The gardens we saw were lovely but I didn't feel that it needed a half day to see them. We also saw Versailles and would have loved to spend more time there. As it was we stayed about 4 hours there just roaming the grounds. Definitely I would choose Versailles over Giverny. By the way I was there with my 22 year old and 19 year old and Giverny did nothing for them.

My suggestion is to leave Giverny for another time and do Versailles. You can do it in a few hours and get back to Paris for the rest of the day. The kids will enjoy the carriage ride in the Versailles gardens.

I would agree with Versailles. Though I'd still do Giverny sometime. If I was going back tomorrow, I'd do Versailles again before Monets Gardens.

Here is what I would do.
After scanning some itineraries here, the Fodor's guide, and whatever other guide books you are using, make a list of ALL the things you would like to see and do in Paris. Ignore # of days you have, just put them into days...say Day 1, Louvre, Tuileries, Champs Elysee,etc...Build into list that on Day 1 will probably only get to hotel by noon, + will have jet lag, need lunch. On the last day of this long list, allow for being at airport 3-4 hrs before flight. Also allow some cafe time in the above.

OK...now, do you have only 5 days in the above list, or a lot more (most people will!). Are you willing to drop some of the above Paris stuff to go to Versailles?

I find people underestimate what there is to do in Paris, especially for short trips when chunks of your 1st and last days are airport days.

So..if Versailles is still desirable, do what apersuader suggested...get a forfait loisir from an RER station, go on your own by train early in the day and see the chateau before the bus crowds arrive,.. I believe the Parisvision tour leaves mid morning, returning mid afternoon which means it kind of uses up a big chink of the day (till 2-2:30).

Let us know your plans!

Mike

We did the Parisvision combined tour in Oct. but we had a full week in Paris.(It still wasn't long enough) I would skip the daytrip altogether. A good deal of time was spent being stuck in traffic. i would not do Parisvision again. You will have plenty to do in Paris.

I wouldn't do either trip with only 5 days in Paris, but I would definitely turn the kids on to Orangina (thank goodness they now sell it everywhere in the USA or my kids would never have a soft drink). The blood orange variety is particularly delicious.

We liked Giverny very much (it was in May.) That said, with two kids and five days I would stay in Paris.