More about: 10 Best Things to Do in Giverny
Giverny is a small town in Normandy, northern France. If you love art, and especially the Impressionist movement, you will love visiting this town, birthplace of the famous painter Monet.
In addition to the most popular destination of all, the Claude Monet Foundation, you can visit several museums and art galleries, take a leisurely stroll through the streets and even admire the villages in this area from above. You can also take a leisurely stroll through the streets and even admire the villages of this area from above. You won't be bored for a minute in this magical village!
1. Be dazzled by the Monet House and Gardens
The Claude Monet Foundation is a vast site that encompasses Monet's house and gardens. It is located in Giverny and visiting it can take you a full day. To do so, you must buy a ticket that gives you access to all the spaces. But I recommend that you book the guided tour of Monet's house and gardens because it is the quintessential Giverny plan and if you are not an art expert, you can miss many details.
Claude Monet is an outstanding painter of the impressionist movement. Much of his work was inspired by the landscapes of Giverny. The foundation in his honor has beautiful gardens covering approximately 15 hectares of land. But the most outstanding gardens of the foundation are two:
- Clos-Normand: designed by the artist, who gave symmetry and varied perspectives to the entire site.
- Water Garden: on the other side of the street is located this very impressive garden that also became very famous for inspiring the painting of the Water Lilies. It is inspired by Japan and even has a beautiful bridge and oriental plants.
Monet's house is another highlight of this foundation. On its first floor is the reading room, pantry, study, dining room and tiled kitchen. On the second floor are the bedrooms. There you can see replicas of paintings by Delacroix, Cézanne and Pissarro. Without a doubt, it is quite an experience to enter this place.
Details of interest
- Price: the price of the guided tour starts at 57 €.
- Location: 84 rue Claude Monet. 27620, Giverny.
- Duration: This experience lasts two and a half hours and can be done at 10 am or 2 pm.
- When to go: during spring or summer, because in winter the Foundation closes its doors.
2. Tour the Museum of Impressionism in Giverny
Art is an important part of the town of Giverny. Therefore, another must-see is the Museum of Impressionism in Giverny where it is worth spending hours and hours touring it. Inside you can take a tour of the beginnings and evolution of impressionism. You will even get to see the evolution of modern and post-impressionist art.
Giverny is said to be Monet's village because the site was important to the work of this painter. However, he was not the only prominent painter who was inspired by this site, because next to him you can also find Édouard Manet, Pierre Auguste Renoir and Gustave Caillebotte, among others. At the museum you can see paintings by these artists.
In addition to the permanent and temporary exhibits, you can stop by the museum's garden. This site has been open since 1991 and was designed by Mark Rudkin, a talented landscape designer. You will see how it is symmetrically structured with areas divided by cool and warm colors. You will see wild plants and others with beautiful flowers.
Details of interest
- Price: approximately 15 ¤.
- Location: Musée des impressionnismes Giverny. 99, rue Claude Monet. 27620, Giverny.
- Hours: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- When to go: I recommend visiting during spring or summer so you can enjoy the garden.
3. Enter the Museum of Natural Mechanics
At the Musée de Mécanique Nature lle you will find a large collection of steam and internal combustion engines dating back to the 1950s. The origin of this site is due to the Guillemard family of Giverny. The agricultural engineer Adolphe Guillemard taught his sons everything about old mechanics. Jean-Pierre, René and Gérard took care of passing on the tradition from generation to generation.
Since 1990, the current collection has been on permanent display. Inside you will see the Carels diesel engine dating from 1908 and weighing about 28 tons. Since 2003, this has become the largest and oldest rotary engine in the world.
You can enter with a private guide, but you can also receive the explanation that the three brothers offer to the public. Many times they themselves receive the public and tell their anecdotes, curiosities and the operation of the machines. These had to be constantly manipulated by man, so the work that was achieved was a combination of efforts by humans and machines.
Interesting details
- Price: about 15 ¤.
- Location: 2 Rue Blanche Hoschede Monet, 27620 Giverny, France.
- Hours: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- When to go: You can go at any time of the year.
4. Enter the Sainte-Radegonde Church of Giverny
The Church of Sainte-Radegonde of Giverny is another iconic site of the town of Giverny that you can't miss. Its origin is Romanesque and it has a semicircular apse and a barrel vault. On the outside of the church you can see modillions dating from the eleventh century, an octagonal tower and its beautiful bell tower located between the nave and the choir.
Inside you can appreciate different pieces of art such as a representation of the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. You will also see the stone statue of Santa Radegunda and the statue of San Roque, made in the seventeenth century. On the altar is a statue made of wood in honor of St. John the Baptist. This work of art was made in the 18th century. In the north nave you will see a painting of the Annunciation from the 19th century and the stone statue of the Virgin and Child from the 14th century.
Meanwhile, at the side entrance there is also another statue, but made of polychrome stone in honor of St. Louis of Anjou of the fourteenth century. Regarding the beam of the bell tower, you will see a wooden Christ and in the stained glass windows of the north nave you can see the figures of the Virgin and Child and Santa Radegunda. Admission to this site is free, but I recommend you visit it with a guide who will explain all the details of the statues and paintings you see.
Details of interest
- Price: free entrance.
- Location: Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny. Rue Claude Monet. 27620 Giverny.
- Hours: from 10 am to 6 pm.
- When to go: any time of the year.
5. Visit Monet's tomb in the cemetery near the Sainte-Radegonde Church
The famous and iconic painter Claude Monet lived most of his life in Giverny. There he found a special place to find inspiration and create his artwork. His remains are located in the cemetery behind the Sainte-Radegonde Church.
After visiting the church, this cemetery is worth a visit. If you are a follower of this artist's work, it will be a very moving moment. The painter's tomb is surrounded by beautiful plants that make up a small garden. Thanks to this, the site exudes peace and tranquility.
In addition to this tomb, you will see that there are tombstones with the names of some of his relatives. In this same cemetery are the graves of many English soldiers who died during the First World War. If you visit this site with a local guide, you can learn more about the history of many of the people who rest there.
Details of interest
- Price: free admission.
- Location: Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny. Rue Claude Monet. 27620 Giverny.
- Hours: from 10 am to 6 pm.
- When to go: any time of the year.
6. Don't miss the Christophe Demarez Gallery
If you like to meet new artists and you have already visited the most famous museums in Giverny, it wouldn't be a bad idea to stop by the Christophe Demarez Gallery. He is a French painter who was born very close to this village and, like Monet, has been an inspiration in his art.
Inside the gallery you can appreciate paintings that capture another point of view of the water lily lake. These paintings were done as a tribute to Claude Monet. His style is very much his own without following current trends, but his own intuition. Something that is repeated are the curved lines that give a sense of movement in his works.
You can easily spend an enjoyable afternoon appreciating the painter's exhibitions. It is also an opportunity to meet other amateur or professional painters. At the end you can have a coffee, dinner in a restaurant or continue strolling through the streets of Giverny.
Details of interest
- Price: free admission.
- Location: Haute-Normandie, 115 Rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny, France.
- Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- When to go: any time of the year.
7. Eat at the restaurant and hotel Le Jardin des Plumes
Do you like gourmet food? Then I recommend you visit Le Jardin des Plumes and eat at their restaurant. The scenery inside and outside is beautiful. The site, where this attractive building is located, dates back to 1913 and passed through different families. In 2012, Le Jardin des Plumes finally opened.
The restaurant is the responsibility of chef David Gallienne. Here you can taste delicacies and, above all, learn about the fascinating culture of Normandy. If you want to celebrate a special occasion, you can take advantage of the spaces of this hotel-restaurant to celebrate weddings, birthdays and christenings. If you want to stay at the hotel, you can choose from six types of rooms.
Another space preferred by many guests is the garden. You can spend your afternoons relaxing in the hotel's beautiful garden while walking or watching the beautiful scenery from the window of your room. Another advantage of this place is its proximity to the Monet Foundation, so you can take advantage of it and visit it.
Details of interest
- Price: depends on the number of days at the hotel and personal consumption.
- Location: 1 Rue du Milieu, 27620 Giverny, France.
- Hours: from 12:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- When to go: any time of the year.
8. Fly over the town of Giverny and its surroundings
In Giverny you can find different companies that offer flights to get to know this region from the heights. When you visit the village I recommend you to choose one of the plans they offer: you won't regret it!
The flight companies usually offer a variety of flight styles. The most recommended for beginners is 10 minutes, others last about 20 minutes or even half an hour. You can also opt for 45 or 60 minute flights. The longer a flight lasts, the more space you will be able to cover. In all modalities you will be accompanied by a professional pilot who will fly the plane.
If you travel to Giverny in summer, I recommend even more this activity because it is when you can really enjoy the beautiful green landscapes of this site. The operating companies are willing to be your accomplice on special occasions. If you want to give a surprise for a birthday or anniversary, this is the ideal plan.
Details of interest
- Price: from 50 ¤ to 200 ¤.
- Location: 1 Rue du Milieu, 27620 Giverny, France.
- Hours: from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- When to go: recommended to fly in any season except winter.
9. Discover Giverny by bike
If you want to spend a full day in Giverny I recommend you to take a tour. If you know how to ride a bike, it will be more entertaining and you will also enjoy the health benefits of this activity, even if you are on vacation. These experiences usually have a private guide and cost an average of 200 € and last five hours or more.
To start this tour you should meet your guide and group at a point in Giverny. Many prefer to start near the Seine River. Before leaving you will receive a helmet and a bike. You can also listen to the instructions given by your guide to make the experience more enjoyable.
The tour passes by the Sainte-Radegonde Church and its cemetery where you can pause to visit the tomb of the painter Monet. Then you can continue your tour until you reach the Monet Foundation. There, you can cycle through the gardens and take the best pictures. At the end of the tour you will return to the starting point.
Details of interest
- Price: approximately 200 ¤.
- Duration: about 7 hours.
- Means of transport: bicycle.
- Advantages of this option: you can see the sites up close and enjoy the refreshing breeze of the town.
- Disadvantages of this option: if you do not know how to ride a bike you will not be able to do this tour.
Traveller tip
To enjoy this experience to the fullest, I recommend you bring water and, above all, have some stamina. If you don't have practice, it would be better to choose another type of activity.
10. Take an excursion to a village near Giverny
After enjoying all the things to see and do in Giverny, I recommend you to visit the village of Auvers-sur-Oise on a guided tour. There you can see the place where the famous painter Vincent Van Gogh died. It is best to hire a tour service so that you can have private transportation.
After touring the museums of Giverny and learning about the life and work of Claude Monet, you can complement your artistic journey in the neighboring town. There, your guide will take you to the guesthouse where Van Gogh lived and see some of the landscapes that inspired his work.
You can also see the village church and the tomb of the creator of Starry Night. Finally, your guide will take you back to the starting point. Undoubtedly, with this experience you will learn all about impressionism as an artistic movement.
Details of interest
- Price: about 200 ¤.
- Duration: approximately 10 hours.
- Means of transportation: private vehicle.