Private Giverny Tour from Paris: Monet's House & Gardens

Two gardens, one artist's vision: the flower beds Monet painted and the water garden that became his obsession.

A private tour from Paris to Giverny includes hotel pickup, round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned car, entrance to Claude Monet's house and gardens, and bottled water. The driver takes you directly to the property where Monet lived and worked, giving you time to walk both the flower garden and the Japanese-style water garden he created. The five-hour trip means you leave Paris in the morning and return by early afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Claude Monet's house and gardens

• Driver picks you up at hotel
• Drive to Claude Monet's house in Giverny
• Explore Monet's house and gardens

The Experience

Your driver picks you up at your Paris hotel and drives you to Giverny, a village about 45 minutes northwest. The house sits on a property divided into two distinct gardens: the flower garden near the house, where Monet planted rows of irises, peonies and poppies in the colors he wanted to paint, and the Japanese water garden across the lane, built around a pond with a Japanese bridge and weeping willows. Both are open to walk through at your own pace once you arrive.

The house itself is small and intimate—Monet lived here for 43 years and filled it with Japanese prints and objects he collected. The rooms show how he arranged light and color in his everyday surroundings, the same way he did in his paintings. The gardens are what most visitors come for: the water garden is where he painted his famous water lily series, and the flower garden changes with the season, so what blooms depends on when you visit. You'll have time to move between both without rushing.

The driver waits and handles the route, so you don't navigate Paris traffic or figure out the train schedule to Giverny. The car is air-conditioned and comes with bottled water. Entrance to the house and gardens is included in the price, and you enter on your own—there's no group tour inside, so you move at your own speed through the rooms and along the paths.

What’s included

• Private round-trip transportation from your Paris hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• entrance ticket to Claude Monet's house and gardens.
• bottled water during the drive.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by France by cab

Is this one for you?Book this if you're traveling alone or with one or two others and want to skip the logistics of getting to Giverny—the driver handles the route and timing, leaving you free to spend your time actually walking the gardens instead of figuring out trains or rental cars from Paris.

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Top questions

What exactly is there to see at Monet's house in Giverny?

The house contains Monet's living quarters and studio, furnished with his personal collection of Japanese prints and decorative objects. The flower garden holds the beds of irises, peonies and poppies he planted in deliberate color combinations to paint from. The water garden, across the lane, centers on a pond with a Japanese bridge, water lilies and weeping willows—the subjects of his most famous paintings.

How long does the drive from Paris to Giverny take?

The drive is roughly 45 minutes each way, depending on Paris traffic. The full tour lasts five hours, which includes the drive, time to walk both gardens and the house, and return to your hotel.

Can I walk through the gardens on my own, or is there a guide?

You walk through the house and gardens on your own pace. There is no group tour or guide inside the property—you move through the rooms and along the garden paths independently, spending as much time as you want at each spot.

What's the difference between the flower garden and the water garden?

The flower garden, closest to the house, is a traditional garden with carefully planted beds of flowers in specific colors—irises, peonies, poppies and dahlias—arranged so Monet could paint them. The water garden, across the lane, is designed in the Japanese style around a pond with a bridge, water lilies and trees reflected in the water. Monet painted the water garden and its lily pond hundreds of times.

Is the entrance fee to the house and gardens included in the price?

Yes, entrance to both the house and gardens is included. The price covers the private driver, round-trip transportation from your Paris hotel, and admission to the property.

What time of year is best to visit Giverny?

Spring (April through May) brings tulips, irises and wisteria in bloom. Summer (June through August) fills the gardens with peonies, roses and water lilies. Fall (September through October) shows dahlias and late roses. Winter is quieter but some plants still flower. The gardens are open year-round except during closures in January and early February.