Paris to Giverny: Monet Gardens Bike Tour & Picnic Stop

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/7

Duration9h

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Normandy fields, riverside picnic and Monet’s gardens in one relaxed day

You’ll wander Normandy markets for picnic treats, pedal gently along the Seine with a local guide, share lunch beside an old mill, and lose yourself in Monet’s garden colors at Giverny. The slow pace lets you soak up every detail—don’t be surprised if you remember that quiet riverside moment long after returning home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Paris to Giverny bike tour with picnic

Meet guide and board bus in Paris
Visit Vernon farmers' market for picnic supplies
Bike across river to Seine park for picnic
Sample local cider at picnic
Bike 5 km to Giverny village
See Giverny church and cemetery
Pass Hotel Baudy and stop for a drink
Explore Monet's gardens and house
Visit American Museum of Art and village cafes
Bike back to Vernon
Return to Paris by bus

The Experience

You hear the crunch of gravel before anything else—our group shuffling off the bus in Vernon, still half-asleep from leaving Paris so early. There’s this faint smell of bread drifting from somewhere (maybe the bakery near the square?), and our guide, Camille, is already waving us over to the open-air market. She points out cheese I can’t pronounce and cider bottles lined up like soldiers. I grab a hunk of bread and some strawberries, not really sure what goes together for a French picnic but trusting it’ll work out. Camille laughs when I ask how to say “thank you” properly—my accent must’ve been rough.

Bikes are waiting for us by the river—old-school but comfortable enough. The air smells like grass and something sweet I can’t place. We follow Camille along a quiet path, sunflowers nodding at us from the fields. It’s only about 5 kilometers to Giverny, but we stop by an old mill for our picnic. Someone pops open their cider, and there’s this moment where everyone just goes quiet except for the river moving past. Honestly, that was my favorite part—even more than seeing Monet’s garden later on.

Rolling into Giverny feels almost too pretty to be real. The gardens are busy but not overwhelming; you can still find little corners where it’s just you and those wild colors Monet loved so much. Camille tells us stories about the Hotel Baudy and how artists used to hang out there—she makes it sound like they could walk around any corner even now. I spent ages by the lily pond just watching light shift across the water. Didn’t expect to feel so calm after all that biking and wandering.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip transfer from central Paris to Vernon, all bicycle equipment (bike and helmet), guidance from a local expert throughout Normandy’s countryside, skip-the-line entry into Monet’s Gardens at Giverny, plus time at Vernon’s market to gather picnic supplies before relaxing beside the Seine for lunch—all before heading back to Paris together in the evening.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Fat Tire Tours - Paris