Giverny Worth the trip? 3rd trip to Paris :)
Aug 10th, 2007, 08:19 AM
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Giverny Worth the trip? 3rd trip to Paris :)
I will be in Paris Oct 1st-6th.
I have been to Versailles (In March with no flowers)
Going back to Paris with newbies, and thought maybe they would like to go to Giverny vs. Versailles?
My BF and his uncle are avid amateur photographers. Monet is not my favorite impressionist, but I would I think enjoy seeing some scenic French Countryside to get out of the City for a bit. (We will also be in London and Rome on this 14 day trip).
I have been to Versailles (In March with no flowers)
Going back to Paris with newbies, and thought maybe they would like to go to Giverny vs. Versailles?
My BF and his uncle are avid amateur photographers. Monet is not my favorite impressionist, but I would I think enjoy seeing some scenic French Countryside to get out of the City for a bit. (We will also be in London and Rome on this 14 day trip).
Aug 10th, 2007, 08:23 AM
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Giverny is very pretty. Will you have a car? I am not sure how easy it is by train. If you want to see the countryside, that is a perfect trip. If you won't have a car you could maybe go to Chartres instead.
Aug 10th, 2007, 08:29 AM
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It's a pretty easy train trip to get there. The train leaves from Gare St.Lazare and there are trains that take 45 minutes to Vernon. From Vernon, there is a bus (walk out of the station and stay on the right side of the road, you should see it) or take a cab or rent bicycles across the street from the station. It is about a 10 minute drive to Giverny. I haven't been to gardens in October yet (but plan to) and they do plant so something is blooming all the time. Check their website (www.giverny.org) and they list what is blooming when.
So, this would get you out of the city and see some countryside. Versailles is not really achieving that. However, I like the the Chatres idea - lovely town and spectacular stained glass in the cathedral.
Have fun!
So, this would get you out of the city and see some countryside. Versailles is not really achieving that. However, I like the the Chatres idea - lovely town and spectacular stained glass in the cathedral.
Have fun!
Aug 10th, 2007, 08:33 AM
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And if Van Gogh is more you cup of tea then head to Auvers-sur-Oise for equally bucolic setting, on the languid Oise river - portrain copies set up around town where the maestro painted them - Cezanne and other Impressionists as well. Go into the cornfields to see farmland and some of his most renown pictures.
To me more varied than Giverney and trains take you right there.
But Giverney is neat too.
To me more varied than Giverney and trains take you right there.
But Giverney is neat too.
Aug 10th, 2007, 09:59 AM
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I'd rather see Auvers-sur-Oise, also, and there is a lot more to do. I really did enjoy my trip to Giverny, though (I like Monet but don't worship him), but I was there in summer when the waterlilies were in bloom, etc. and the garden was lovely. I doubt if it's going to be all that scenic in March in the countryside or gardens. So, if those folks have no opinion (and it sounds like that don't, just are letting you decide what to do), I think Auvers would be a better idea for a photographer.
Aug 10th, 2007, 11:16 AM
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Giverny was my favorite day trip from Paris. We were there in May so the waterlilies were not in bloom, but the wisteria was mind boggling.
We also went to Chartres and for two days to Bayeux and both were great trips, but Giverny exceeded my expectations.
We also went to Chartres and for two days to Bayeux and both were great trips, but Giverny exceeded my expectations.
Aug 10th, 2007, 12:43 PM
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I have never heard of Auvers-sur-Oise and would like to know more about it. The website (www.Auvers-sur-Oise.com) is all in French. Anyone have a link for information in English? Sounds like an interesting place to visit.
Aug 10th, 2007, 01:02 PM
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I don't know about a link for an English website, but I've been to Auvers twice in the past 2 years and love it dearly. It's easy to spend a whole day there if you wish to see everything and take your time. I'd recommend reading up on Van Gogh first since most things there have to do with him--that'll add to your enjoyment. Among the things to see: the graves of Vincent and his brother Theo, the wheatfields where he painted, the house of his doctor, opened to the public a few years ago (Dr Gachet), the inn where he lived and died while in Auvers (you can visit his little room, and I highly recommend luncheon, as it's still a restaurant). There's a museum dedicated to Absinthe, but it's only open on weekends generally [I've gone only weekdays]. The Chateau of Auvers supposedly has a really good multimedia exhibition on the Impressionists (no original paintings, just a informational exhibit), but I haven't done that either, having filled my visits with things VIncent only.
Auvers is very very unspoiled and not touristy. You will not find even one tacky souvenir shop with Vincent kitsch. That's what I love about it--the Auverois are dedicated to keeping their town from becoming a tourist trap, and you do not get the sense that the whole town is out to make money off his name (unlike, say Arles--as much as I like Arles).
If you go to the Auberge Ravoux for luncheon, you must must have the chocolate mousse. Recommended reading: a wonderful book called Van Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux (available now in paperback on Amazon), which combines a cookbook with excellent essays on Van Gogh. Scholarly, accurate, non-sensationalist essays without being boring.
Auvers is very very unspoiled and not touristy. You will not find even one tacky souvenir shop with Vincent kitsch. That's what I love about it--the Auverois are dedicated to keeping their town from becoming a tourist trap, and you do not get the sense that the whole town is out to make money off his name (unlike, say Arles--as much as I like Arles).
If you go to the Auberge Ravoux for luncheon, you must must have the chocolate mousse. Recommended reading: a wonderful book called Van Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux (available now in paperback on Amazon), which combines a cookbook with excellent essays on Van Gogh. Scholarly, accurate, non-sensationalist essays without being boring.
Aug 10th, 2007, 01:03 PM
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Oh, and so as not to totally change this from a Giverny thread, I've been to Giverny too (in May though with the spring flowers) and absolutely thought it was worth the trip (I did the train/bus combo mentioned above). I have no idea how many pictures I took of those gorgeous gardens!!
Aug 10th, 2007, 01:12 PM
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In my excitement over Auvers-sur-Oise I forgot to mention my thought that Giverny was indeed a lovely place to visit. Our visit was during the summer months. Even with the crowds, the gardens were delightful.
We had a rental car, so it was easy to get to, though. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much if there was any hassle to get there. I notice, though, that there are many tours there from Paris as well.
We had a rental car, so it was easy to get to, though. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much if there was any hassle to get there. I notice, though, that there are many tours there from Paris as well.
Aug 10th, 2007, 01:24 PM
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search Fodors for Auvers-sur-Oise and you'll find lots of great posts from FodorFriends there.
It'a small rather untouched village on the Oise river - When Van Gogh left the asylum at St Remy he came here because his Doctor (Guichet) lived here and other Impressionists like Cezanne had found the light and scenes here good set up shop and canvasses here.
Van Goghs brief time here - several months before he killed himself - the blood stains still in his tiny chamber at the Auberge Ravoux in the town center.
But it was a furiously productive time - he toiled non-stop - stopping only to imbibe in the Green Fairy - Absinthe and wine at the Auberge Ravoux with other artists.
Copies of portraits are set up in front of venues where he painted them - the most famous being the Parish Church and the Cornfields behind town - still see crows there.
his final paintings were of the fields with dark clouds brooding, some say a foretelling of his mental state and soon to be self-inflicted gun shot wound.
And the village is delightful - a long narrow strip along the Oise Valley - there is also a rather Kitschy to some Chateau - the local villa which has a multi-media extravaganza re-creating the times of the Impressionists here.
Stop by the friendly Office de Tourisme in the town center and pick up a walking tour brochure that pinpoints all the venues of reproductions, including other Impressionists like Cezanne.
Everything is always open and no huge lines to navigate to get into like at Monet's Gardens (which i love as well and Giverny too, which may be an even more pictruesque, idyllic village) and everything an easy stroll from the train station.
Finally put your visit to rest at the village cemetery where you see vincent and brother Theo still rest - Vincent i guess peacefully after an anguished life.
When buying a train ticket from Paris you can get a train fare + attraction ticket that gives a reduced price for the total package of train + castle.
It'a small rather untouched village on the Oise river - When Van Gogh left the asylum at St Remy he came here because his Doctor (Guichet) lived here and other Impressionists like Cezanne had found the light and scenes here good set up shop and canvasses here.
Van Goghs brief time here - several months before he killed himself - the blood stains still in his tiny chamber at the Auberge Ravoux in the town center.
But it was a furiously productive time - he toiled non-stop - stopping only to imbibe in the Green Fairy - Absinthe and wine at the Auberge Ravoux with other artists.
Copies of portraits are set up in front of venues where he painted them - the most famous being the Parish Church and the Cornfields behind town - still see crows there.
his final paintings were of the fields with dark clouds brooding, some say a foretelling of his mental state and soon to be self-inflicted gun shot wound.
And the village is delightful - a long narrow strip along the Oise Valley - there is also a rather Kitschy to some Chateau - the local villa which has a multi-media extravaganza re-creating the times of the Impressionists here.
Stop by the friendly Office de Tourisme in the town center and pick up a walking tour brochure that pinpoints all the venues of reproductions, including other Impressionists like Cezanne.
Everything is always open and no huge lines to navigate to get into like at Monet's Gardens (which i love as well and Giverny too, which may be an even more pictruesque, idyllic village) and everything an easy stroll from the train station.
Finally put your visit to rest at the village cemetery where you see vincent and brother Theo still rest - Vincent i guess peacefully after an anguished life.
When buying a train ticket from Paris you can get a train fare + attraction ticket that gives a reduced price for the total package of train + castle.
Aug 10th, 2007, 01:51 PM
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Another easy way to Auvers is to take the RER line C to Pontoise and change at Pontoise for the train to Auvers (direction: Creil).
According to my notes from my trip this past May, I caught the RER line C at St Michel station at around 7:50 or so (code NATH, direction Pontoise--Pontoise is the end of one of the lines), and my plan was to change (quickly!) to the 8:57 train from Pontoise to Auvers. However, there was a delay on the way (bomb scare at a station) so I ended up catching the 9:25 train from Pontoise. From Paris Saint Michel to Pontoise on the RER is (usually) about an hour, and from Pontoise to Auvers is about 15 minutes, maybe a minute or two less.
The Auvers train always leaves from the track next to the main station building at Pontoise. There are only a few departures from Pontoise to Auvers each morning (8:57, 9:25 and 10:23 at the time of my trip, but this would bear checking for changes) by train, but one could also take a bus from just outside the Pontoise RER station which runs in between the train times.
The SNCF offers a "forfait loisir" package for Auvers which includes transportation tickets and admission to the Chateau, but I have not done this as I was not interested in the Chateau. I hear it's a good deal. Search "Auvers forfait loisir" here or on Google and you'll find info about that, I'm sure.
According to my notes from my trip this past May, I caught the RER line C at St Michel station at around 7:50 or so (code NATH, direction Pontoise--Pontoise is the end of one of the lines), and my plan was to change (quickly!) to the 8:57 train from Pontoise to Auvers. However, there was a delay on the way (bomb scare at a station) so I ended up catching the 9:25 train from Pontoise. From Paris Saint Michel to Pontoise on the RER is (usually) about an hour, and from Pontoise to Auvers is about 15 minutes, maybe a minute or two less.
The Auvers train always leaves from the track next to the main station building at Pontoise. There are only a few departures from Pontoise to Auvers each morning (8:57, 9:25 and 10:23 at the time of my trip, but this would bear checking for changes) by train, but one could also take a bus from just outside the Pontoise RER station which runs in between the train times.
The SNCF offers a "forfait loisir" package for Auvers which includes transportation tickets and admission to the Chateau, but I have not done this as I was not interested in the Chateau. I hear it's a good deal. Search "Auvers forfait loisir" here or on Google and you'll find info about that, I'm sure.
Aug 10th, 2007, 01:54 PM
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I'm sorry I got confused and thought you were going to Giverny in March, but I realize that was when you went to Versailles. (it isn't even open in March, anyway). They have a blooming guide on the giverny website and, of course, not much is blooming in terms of flowers in October. It mentions some annuals and maybe dahlias. Of course, if you were a Monet buff, you could enjoy seeing his house and workspace, etc (I did actually enjoy the house as much as the gardens), but you aren't, so I still would vote for Auvers for an October visit. In fact, I think it would be quite nice in October.
I wouldn't take the train from the regular big train stations to Auvers, it is easier to take the RER I think. You just take the RER line C out to Pontoise (the end of the line). Pontoise is a very small station, and you get out there and wait for a local regional train to go the short further distance to Auvers. I think it's a lot easier than dealing with the big SNCF stations and those confusing suburban lines from those stations (the grand lines are much easier in the SNCF stations with the big boards).
At Pontoise, there is just a simple board showing you the next train to Auvers and at Auvers you can check for the returns to Pontoise. As I recall, I went around 9-10 in the morning, and got the train at Pontoise maybe around 11. In actuality, you can catch that train to Auvers at a prior RER stop, but I advise against it as it can be confusing as there are two stops with similar names, and the train to Auvers originates in Pontoise anyway, so you won't save any time by getting out a stop or two ahead and waiting for it. I know one person who didn't take my advice on that and did indeed get out at the wrong stop and wasted a lot of time.
You can go from Gare du Nord if you want to, though. It is pretty easy to return to Gare du Nord from Pontoise if you prefer that, as it's a small station, I just think it's much more confusing to go that way.
I wouldn't take the train from the regular big train stations to Auvers, it is easier to take the RER I think. You just take the RER line C out to Pontoise (the end of the line). Pontoise is a very small station, and you get out there and wait for a local regional train to go the short further distance to Auvers. I think it's a lot easier than dealing with the big SNCF stations and those confusing suburban lines from those stations (the grand lines are much easier in the SNCF stations with the big boards).
At Pontoise, there is just a simple board showing you the next train to Auvers and at Auvers you can check for the returns to Pontoise. As I recall, I went around 9-10 in the morning, and got the train at Pontoise maybe around 11. In actuality, you can catch that train to Auvers at a prior RER stop, but I advise against it as it can be confusing as there are two stops with similar names, and the train to Auvers originates in Pontoise anyway, so you won't save any time by getting out a stop or two ahead and waiting for it. I know one person who didn't take my advice on that and did indeed get out at the wrong stop and wasted a lot of time.
You can go from Gare du Nord if you want to, though. It is pretty easy to return to Gare du Nord from Pontoise if you prefer that, as it's a small station, I just think it's much more confusing to go that way.
Aug 10th, 2007, 01:56 PM
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Oh, and PalenQ, Vincent had stopped drinking by the time he got to Auvers. There was no absinthe imbibing at the Auberge Ravoux. And it was two months in Auvers, not "several."
Sorry, but I feel obliged to defend my friend Vincent.
Sorry, but I feel obliged to defend my friend Vincent.
Aug 10th, 2007, 02:02 PM
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I didn't realize that website was only in French, but I checked and I guess it is.
I'll tell you what you should do -- go to the website and click on the link entitled "office of tourisme" at the left. Then, select the "plan touristique" . That will allow you to print out a map of the village with a few major sites marked and showing the train station. The first site number one is the tourist office. That can be your first stop, and in there you'll be able to get a map and other info in English as to all the sites and things to do. If you want to play a little more, you can probably make out some of the information in French in the section on the "musees and monuments" and the "promenades dans la ville" in that section. The latter are some good walking tour routes.
I'll tell you what you should do -- go to the website and click on the link entitled "office of tourisme" at the left. Then, select the "plan touristique" . That will allow you to print out a map of the village with a few major sites marked and showing the train station. The first site number one is the tourist office. That can be your first stop, and in there you'll be able to get a map and other info in English as to all the sites and things to do. If you want to play a little more, you can probably make out some of the information in French in the section on the "musees and monuments" and the "promenades dans la ville" in that section. The latter are some good walking tour routes.
