The Giverny gardens are open from April through October. <BR>BC

Steve, should you opt for Giverny, don't overlook The American museum nearby and also The Ancient hotel Baudy where the American impressionists once lived. It is now a museum and restaurant. There is a beautiful book out. Ataste of Giverny.

Steve, <BR> <BR>Here is my two cents. <BR> <BR>I saw both last year with my daughter, and both were wonderful. I'll go along with the above comments that it depends on what you are looking for. <BR> <BR>The fountains at Versailles run only on Sundays. IMO, the palace itself was not as impressive as others that we saw in Paris, such as the Louvre buildings. It was the gardens and fountains that made the trip to Versailles worthwhile. If I was going again, I would not go to Versailles unless I could see the fountains running on Sunday, and I would probably skip the Versailles palace. Beware, when the fountains are running, the palace is very crowded inside. In the gardens you wouldn't notice the crowds. <BR> <BR>However, I would never skip Monet's gardens. They were incredible. We took the train to Vernon, and then there were buses waiting at the station to drive tourists to Giverny. It was easy to do this on our own. The bus stops right by Monet's home. <BR> <BR>The gardens are split into two sections. Close to the house are the more formal gardens with rows of planted flowers, etc. Then, you walk through a short tunnel to get to the more informal and natural section of the garden. This is where the pond is with the water lilies that Monet painted. They bloom from May through the summer, and really are beautiful. The Japanese Bridge in his paintings is still there and was covered with white wisteria. My photos turned out so well, that I have enlarged and framed them for myself and others. E-mail me and I'll send them to you. <BR> <BR>If I had to pick one of these two, I would definitely pick Giverny, although the Versailles fountains run a close second. <BR> <BR>Enjoy your trip.

BC - Thanks for the info! Sorry to miss Giverny, but it sure makes planning a little easier!

My friend and I went to Versailles in the morning, back to Paris for lunch and then she went to Giverny. Cityrama buses for both. The trip to Versailles wasn't long enough to see everything (it does give you a tour of the chateau and some time to wander the gardens), but it was enough to say that we had been there. <BR> <BR>She said doing both wasn't bad -- she was tired, but it was worth it. After all, you can sleep on the bus.

Versailles, versailles, versailles. <BR> <BR>However, remember--you will surely go to Paris again during your lifetime, possibly many times, so don't worry if you don't get to see all the sights on this upcoming trip. Have fun!! <BR>Shel

I fell in love with Paris once I went to Versailles. It was breathtaking. I went to Giverny also. It too was lovely. Nothing, I repeat, Nothing can compare to it! I took day trips with a tour (Citytour or Cityrama outside Paris. You can do a 1/2 day Giverny and 1/2 DÖrsay Museum, also if you have an extra day to spend. But if it's between Versailles or Giverny, it's apples to oranges, but I loved both. <BR>