I will be visiting Giverny on a Sunday morning in early June. I checked the website and they open at 9:30. Does anyone know if should be there right when it opens? I haven't been able to tell when tour busses would arrive. I checked Cityrama and they depart at 2:00 p.m. from what I can tell. I am concerned about being there when the busses arrive and having to fight a crowd. We will have a car so our arrival time is flexible. Thanks so much for any advice!

When we went ot Giverny, we rode the train from Paris and left early enough to literally be the first in line to get in which was definitely the right thing to do. Within a short time, the tour buses came in, and there were people everywhere. I managed to get into the garden and enjoy it and take several pictures without having droves of people around me. We even have a family picture on the famous bridge without dozens of other tourists in the same shot. I would try to be there when it opens. PJK

tour buses arrive there all day, it is a very popular destination for tour groups of all kinds, not just day trips from Paris (although a lot of them go in the morning, such as Parisvision).

YOu should be okay first thing in the morning.

We drove to Giverny last time and arrived a good half hour before the place opened. We had wonderful pastries and coffee in the little garden restaurant across the street. And when the house and garden opened it was delightfully quiet for about an hour before the crowds really started pouring in.

Has anyone gone shortly before closing time. Is that very crowded, as well?

Thank you all for your responses. I think we will plan to arrive before opening, and then run like the wind to the waterlily pond to take our pictures before lots of people get back there. I'll post again after I return and let you know if the plan worked.

Thank you for all the info on this. We plan to be at Giverny on a Sunday in late June. Let me know how your plan works. I think we will be up early and off to the train. After all the French flack, I am getting excited about this vacation.

If you canyt avoid the bus tour days, , don't start at the house when you arrive and go on to the water lily pond (Bassin aux Nympheas). While the crowds arrive and are going through the house, you will see the pond and bridge with more tranquility. You can go through the house and gift shop before you leave.

Hi.
You should have no problems if you are travelling by car. I have been to Giverny twice, once in June and the second time in October. I went by train both times and you are restricted by the train timetable and buses from the train station.
You will just love it there! June is a lovely time to go. Enjoy it!

I wanted to report back about how the Sunday morning at Giverny plan worked out - GREAT! We decided to stay at a hotel just down the road from the gardens. We arrived late Saturday afternoon, did some exploring and had dinner at the hotel. It was very peaceful and quiet. On Sunday, we walked to the gardens arriving at 9:00. We were first in line! By 9:15 there were probably about 25 or more people behind us. The doors opened at 9:30, we "ran like the wind" to the waterlily ponds and were the only ones in there - so we got our great photos of the Japanese bridge without others in the photos. It was great. This was my third visit to the gardens and by far the best plan. Taking the train gives you far less flexibility and it was so special to be able to walk around the ponds with just a couple of other people around. As we were leaving the pond area, we passed about 100 people heading over! The roses and water lilies were in bloom - it was beautiful.