Rouen & Giverny Private Tour from Le Havre: Monet's Gardens

Monet painted his garden obsessively for 43 years, and you step inside it the same afternoon you stand where Joan of Arc died.

A private tour from Le Havre to Rouen and Monet's Giverny, with a live guide in your language and entry to the gardens included. Your driver picks you up at the cruise terminal and guarantees your return before all-aboard. The itinerary adapts to your group's interests. Available April through October only.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Rouen and Monet's Giverny

• Meet driver at Le Havre Cruise Terminal
• Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral and Monet connection
• See Gros-Horloge Renaissance clock
• Explore Place du Vieux-Marché and Joan of Arc site
• Visit Church of Saint-Maclou and Aître Saint-Maclou cemetery
• Take coffee and lunch break in old town
• Tour Clos Normand flower garden
• Walk through Water Garden with lily pond and Japanese bridge
• Visit Monet's house and view painting reproductions
• Return to Le Havre Cruise Terminal
• Optional photo stop at clifftops overlooking Le Havre

The experience

Your driver meets you at the Le Havre cruise terminal and your guide walks you through Rouen's Gothic cathedral, the one Monet painted 30 times, and the Place du Vieux-Marché, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. The cathedral's stone shifts color in the light the same way it does in Monet's canvases. You have time for coffee or lunch on your own in the old town, moving through narrow streets past the Gros-Horloge Renaissance clock and the Church of Saint-Maclou.

Then you drive to Giverny, where Monet's house and gardens sit exactly as he left them. The Clos Normand flower garden comes first, dense, planned, bursting. Then the Water Garden: the lily pond, the Japanese bridge, the weeping willows trailing into the water. Inside the house, the yellow rooms and blue kitchen hold Japanese prints on the walls. Your guide compares painting reproductions to the real views outside, so you see what Monet saw and what he chose to paint. The gardens are open to visitors year-round, but this tour runs April through October only.

Your private vehicle means no shared stops or waiting for other groups. Pickup is flexible (Le Havre cruise terminal, Honfleur, or Cherbourg), and your return to the terminal is guaranteed before your ship leaves. Time permitting, your driver may take you to the clifftops overlooking Le Havre for a panoramic photo stop on the way back. The tour runs 7 to 9 hours depending on how long you linger in each place.

What’s included

• Entry to Monet's house and gardens at Giverny.
• pickup from Le Havre cruise terminal, Honfleur or Cherbourg.
• private vehicle for your group only.
• a live guide in your chosen language (on the guide options).
• your return to the terminal guaranteed before all-aboard.

Options for this experience

3 options

Up to 7 per booking · Guide in 5 languages07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Up to 6 per booking · Guide in 5 languages07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Up to 15 per booking · Guide in 5 languages07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Normandy Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book the guide option if you want the stories behind the cathedral and the gardens: Monet's obsession, Joan of Arc's history, why the light mattered to the paintings. Choose the driver-only option if you prefer to explore independently and set your own pace through each stop.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

What exactly is inside Monet's house at Giverny?

Monet's house holds his personal rooms (the yellow dining room, the blue kitchen), and walls covered with Japanese prints he collected. Entry to both the house and gardens is included in this tour.

Do I have time to eat lunch, or is it rushed?

Lunch is free time on your own expense in Giverny village, where cafés and restaurants are within walking distance of the gardens. You set the pace.

Will my ship departure time be a problem if I book this tour?

Your return to the Le Havre cruise terminal is guaranteed before all-aboard. The driver tracks your ship's schedule and plans the route around it.

What if I don't want a guide, just a driver?

A private driver option is available without a guide. You explore Rouen and Giverny at your own pace, and the driver handles transport and timing.

Can the itinerary be changed if my group wants to spend more time in one place?

The itinerary is customizable. Your group's interests shape the day. Tell your guide what matters most and the route adjusts.