Half-Day Excursion to Giverny: Monet’s Wonder

With Parisi Tour, enjoy a half-day excursion to Giverny, with a private guide and round-trip transport from Paris by van.

Giverny lies on the banks of the Seine in Normandy, near the town of Vernon. Had it not been for the arrival of the famous Impressionist painter Claude Monet in 1883, the village might well have remained a quiet corner of the province.

The long years Monet spent at his house in Giverny made it a place of artistic pilgrimage, even during his lifetime. He settled there with his partner Alice Hoschedé and their respective children, and lived there until his death in 1926.

Monet's garden consists of two parts: a flower garden called Clos Normand in front of the house and a Japanese-inspired water garden on the other side of the road.

When Monet and his family moved to Giverny in 1883, the land that sloped gently from the house to the road was planted with an orchard and enclosed by high stone walls.

A central avenue lined with pine trees separated it into two parts. Monet had the pines cut down, keeping only the two yew trees closest to the house to please Alice.

Monet created a garden full of perspective, symmetry and colour from this one-hectare Clos Normand.

In 1893, ten years after his arrival in Giverny, Monet bought the land next to his property, on the other side of the railway line. It is crossed by a small stream, the Ru, which is a diversion of the Epte, a tributary of the Seine.

With the support of the prefecture, Monet had the first small pond dug, despite opposition from his farming neighbours. They feared that his strange plants would poison the water.

The pond was later enlarged to its current size. The water garden is full of asymmetries and curves. It was inspired by the Japanese gardens that Monet knew from the engravings he avidly collected.

Monet had it built by a local craftsman. When the garden was restored, the bridge was too badly damaged to be saved. It had to be rebuilt by a Vernon firm. It is made of beech wood. The wisteria were planted by Monet.

500,000 visitors discover Monet's gardens every year during the seven months they are open.

To prevent people from trampling the plants and so preserve the beauty of the garden, the inner paths are closed to the public. Visitors use the side paths and can walk all around the garden to admire all the views.

To reach the water garden, take an underground passage (in Monet's day, you had to cross the railway and the road). Take the Japanese bridge and explore all the hidden corners of the water garden.

As you can see, a visit to Giverny is a must, just a stone's throw from the capital. With Parisi Tour, set off alone or in a group from Paris, and plunge into the heart of Impressionism for a half-day you won't soon forget.

To find out more about this excursion, please contact us and we'll be delighted to share our passion with you.