JoeTro

How long does it take to "do" Giverny - i.e. the gardens, American impressionist museum etc.? Is it an all-day thing. I'm not that interested in seeing Vernon or Giverny proper, necessarily.

Thanks.

cigalechanta

You can "do" it in a few hours if you don't linger. There's a restaurant at the American Museum and at the Ancient Hotel Baudy(visit the artist studio in back where the American's painted)

bellastar

If you think you can "do" Giverny, you have missed the point althogether, and may be better off "doing" something else entirely!

Underhill

i could easily spend a day at monet's house and gardens as i love the japanese wood-block prints, and really looking at those requires time. but if those don't interest you and you just want to see the rooms and monet's studio plus the gardens, a couple of hours will suffice. if you're an impressionist fan, however, hours for the gardens alone wouldn't be enough.

it's fine that you're not interested in seeing vernon or giverny proper, as there's not a whole lot of interest, IMO.

socialworker

I only wish we could have spent the time it deserved--or for that matter have truly been able to see it!! When we were there, it was--unbeknownst to us--a French Monday holiday and the place was so overrun w/French tourists that all we could do was try to look around and between a multitude of bodies!! One could not even walk along the paths in the garden, but rather only be carried along w/the crowds. The only thing I can liken it to is exiting a sold out Broadway theater show or a major league sporting event. So I am looking forward to someday going back and actually having the opportunity to "do" it right.

cigalechanta

And if one loves gardening, allow a few more hours.

Patrick

bellastar, I think you're over reacting. What is wrong with asking how much there is to do at a particular place? I don't think JoeTro's post should be construed as indicating they don't want to spend any given amount of time there. But they might like to know if it involves a three hour walk through gardens, plus a two hour guided tour, or if it is something that would normally take an hour or two. What is wrong with asking that? I would take the term "do" as a postive. It would indicate they want to completely experience it, not just pass by to say they've been there.

I've been twice, and I'd think we were there about 2 to 3 hours both times. If you want to "see" the rest of Giverny, you might want to add about 5 more minutes. Seriously, there's not much of a town of Giverny. But there is a delightful garden cafe/restaurant across the street. We had breakfast there before the gardens opened.

JoeTro

Thanks very much for sticking up for me, Patrick. I did not mean to merely rush through, but I was just wondering if it is an all day affair like, say, Versailles, or if I could still go back into Paris and make it to a museum or a couple of churches.

Patrick

Sure. I thought that was pretty clear. I think some people are sensitive about that word "do", which can be interpreted different ways. I understand the negativity when someone says "we're going to do Europe this summer", but not when asking how long it takes to "do" a certain place.

HowardR

While a trip to Giverny isn't necessarily an all-day affair, it should take the better part of a day, including getting there and back. I don't see how you could do Monet's home and gardens and still have time "for a museum or a couple of churches." Well, all right, maybe one church!

toni

When we were there in June we visited the American Gallery then strolled past, in the opposite direction to Monet's house, and voila, a field of magnificent red poppies disappearing over the hill. A great memory and a wonderful sight!

Margie

Nothing wrong with trying to get a feel for how much there is to see/do in a place you haven't been before - how else are you supposed to plan your time? Between getting there, touring the house, visiting the gardens, lunch, the American Museum and getting back to Paris, we spent just about the whole day there. Oh, and I did visit the gift shop (gasp!) It was Monet's studio and it also had some very nice books etc. We got pack to Paris in time for a glass of wine and then on to a concert at St. Chappell. Obviously you could do it in less time, but for us it was our "event" for the day. When is your trip?

bellastar

Hi Patrick, yes probably I was reacting to the word "do" which doesn't have a very positive ring to my ears, but I know it's an easy catch-all word for tourists, so I accept your comments.

On the other hand, as an passionate gardener, I reacted as a gardener would, I guess, because I can't imagine thinking about time while strolling those particular gardens, and couldn't possibly "do" anything other than linger often on the paths. I found countless spots in them that need one to stop and contemplate, to really absorb what he did there.

I also grew up loving Monet's paintings, so for me, that place isn't a stop on my way somewhere else. Just my point-of-view. What I really meant was, if you're worried about how long it takes and want to see several different things in one day, it wouldn't be an efficient use of time. Several of Monets' Waterlilies series, and his unforgettable "Sunrise", as well as his pallette, are all in the Museum in Paris.

It takes several hours to enjoy the house (just the kitchen and dining areas are so wonderful) and gardens at Giverny, at the very least, because it's not a place to rush through. Then there's the travel time involved if you don't care about visiting the town.

Hope you enjoy them though, JoeTro, if you decide to take the time it requires.

JoeTro

Thanks. I'm going in mid/late April and plan to spend a good amount of time in house, gardens, and American museum. Although I am not a gardener, I do love flowers and gardens and would especially be interested in seeing the subject of so many of my favorite paintings.

Patrick

By the way, the first time we "did" Giverny, we took a train to Vernon, then hiked over the hills and through some countryside and woods to arrive in Giverny from above. It was a hike along an old abandoned and ripped out railroad bed, that we found described in a book.
We also hiked back to Vernon along the road from Giverny. It made for a great day.

hopingtotravel

I agree. This board makes one super-sensitive to asking things like "how long does it take to get from point A to point B?", etc. I've swallowed a lot of my own questions because I don't want to sound like someone who plans to rush through the countryside and point out "there goes the Riviera" through the window. One does want to be able to plan their time. I'm hyper-sensitive on this because my mother was sort of a "if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" sort of person and I could never get any interesting details from her about her trips. On the other hand my 89 year old Dad remembers them well.

wren

Well, we are going to "do" Giverny after we pick our daughter up at CDG on the 2nd July. I am hoping that 3-4 hours will be good enough to get a feel for the place. I am sure we could spend longer, but I must admit that after a certain point I experience sensory overload and really unable to appreciate more. Can anyone else relate to that?

Travelermebe

A bit of a warning. While it is very pretty, the gardens won't be in full bloom in mid april.