Day Tour from ParisParis to Giverny by Train: The Full DIY Route Via Vernon
Going from Paris to Giverny by train is simple once you know the two steps. Step one is a train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny in Normandy, about 50 minutes on board. Step two is the 5 km between Vernon station and Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, which you can cover by shuttle, little tourist train, bike or on foot. This page walks through the whole journey with the real fares, the seasonal dates and the arrival times that matter, so you can decide between the do-it-yourself route and the coach options on the day tours from Paris comparison. If you would rather compare tickets, passes and planning basics first, start with how to plan a day trip from Paris.
Trains from Paris-Saint-Lazare stop at Vernon-Giverny, a few kilometres from Monet's garden. Photo: Spendeau, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer The fast way to Giverny
The fastest way from Paris to Giverny is the train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny, about 50 minutes, followed by the 5 km hop to Giverny by shuttle, tourist train, bike or a walk of about one hour. The mainline fare is a dynamic SNCF price, so there is no fixed figure to quote. Monet's house and gardens open from 1 April to 1 November, 10:00 to 18:00 with last admission at 17:30.
Key takeaways
- Train: Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny, about 50 minutes, dynamic SNCF fare. Full steps in Giverny by Train, Step by Step.
- Last 5 km: the Navette Giverny electric shuttle costs €5 single or €10 return and runs April to November. Details in Vernon Station to Monet's House.
- Tickets at the other end: the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny costs €12 for adults and €9 reduced, and is free on the first Sunday of April, May, June, October and November. See Entry Tickets and Opening Days.
- Short on time or patience? The Giverny Half-Day Trip from Paris with Monet's House and Gardens handles the transport for $78.
Which Way to Giverny Suits You
If You want the cheapest realistic day and do not mind planning, take the train from Saint-Lazare and walk or cycle the last 5 km. Read Giverny by Train, Step by Step.
If You hate planning and want one booking to solve everything, book the Giverny Half-Day Trip from Paris with Monet's House and Gardens for $78, which includes entry to Monet's house and gardens.
If You are a family with children and want a fixed plan, the Giverny and Versailles Day Trip from Paris at $151 covers two sights in one 11.5-hour day, with skip-the-line entry at Versailles and a Monet's house ticket included.
If You are short on time and want Giverny plus a second Impressionist stop, the Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise Day Trip from Paris, Monet and Van Gogh at $252.28 runs 10 hours in a van of 8 at most.
If You want a guide with you but still like trains, note that the catalog tours to Giverny go by coach. If you prefer rail, follow the DIY route in Giverny by Train, Step by Step.
All the Ways from Paris to Giverny
There are two ways to reach Giverny from Paris in practice: the train plus a last-mile option in Vernon, or a coach tour that takes you door to stop. The table puts every option side by side, using fares from the Normandy tourist board, the shuttle operators and the tour listings.
How the Options Compare
The train row shows the structure of the day rather than a fare, because Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny is a mainline SNCF route with a dynamic price that changes by date and demand. The last-mile rows in Vernon have fixed published fares. The tour rows are exact booking prices from the tour cards, in US dollars.
Everything in the cost column comes from the operators' own pages and the tour listings.
| Way | From | Time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train + walk | Paris Saint-Lazare, then Vernon station | About 50 min by train, then about 1 hour on foot | Dynamic SNCF fare, walk is free | Budget travelers who like a stretch of legs |
| Train + Navette Giverny | Paris Saint-Lazare, then Vernon station | About 50 min by train, then the 5 km ride | Dynamic SNCF fare, €5 single or €10 return, April to November | Most DIY visitors, door to gate with no sweat |
| Train + little tourist train | Paris Saint-Lazare, then Vernon station | About 50 min by train, then 20 min out and about 25 min back | Dynamic SNCF fare, €10 adult return, children up to 10 pay €5 one way | Families with young children |
| Train + rental bike | Paris Saint-Lazare, then Vernon station | About 50 min by train, then about 20 min cycling | Dynamic SNCF fare, bike hire priced by the station rental shop | Cyclists who want the riverside route |
| Giverny half-day coach tour | Place du General Koenig, 75017 Paris | 6 to 11.5 hours total | $78 | Travelers who want transport and entry in one booking |
| Giverny and Versailles coach tour | Eglise Notre-Dame de Compassion, Place du General Koenig, 75017 Paris | 11.5 hours | $151 | Visitors combining two big sights in one day |
| Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise van tour | Outside 8 Avenue de Villiers, 75017 Paris | 10 hours | $252.28 | Small-group travelers chasing Monet and Van Gogh |
The Short Read
For most people the train plus the Navette Giverny is the balance point. The rail leg is quick at about 50 minutes, the shuttle costs €10 return, and the whole day stays flexible. A coach tour wins when your time in Paris is tight, because it bundles the transport and the entry ticket to Monet's house and gardens into one price and one meeting point.
The walk from Vernon is genuinely pleasant but adds two hours of walking to your day, so it suits people who treat the stroll as part of the trip.
Sources: Normandy Tourism on Giverny and the car-free guide.
Giverny by Train, Step by Step
Here is the whole journey in order, from a metro platform in Paris to the gate at Monet's garden, with the ticket that covers each leg and the checks to make before you leave.
Step 1: Get to Paris Saint-Lazare
Saint-Lazare is the Paris station for this route, and trains for Giverny leave from there for Vernon-Giverny station in Normandy. A single Métro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 for an adult and is valid for 120 minutes, with a reduced fare of €1.30 for children. Paper Métro tickets have been phased out, so you need a Navigo Easy card, which costs €2, or the Île-de-France Mobilités app.
The Navigo Day pass for zones 1 to 5 costs €12.30 and can be a useful buy if your day includes several metro rides.
Step 2: The Train to Vernon-Giverny
The train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny takes about 50 minutes. Vernon-Giverny sits on the Nomad Train network that links Paris Saint-Lazare with Normandy destinations including Rouen, Le Havre, Deauville-Trouville, Caen, Bayeux and Vernon-Giverny. The fare on this mainline route is a dynamic SNCF price, so it moves with demand and how far ahead you book, and no fixed figure can be quoted here.
Buy online or at the station, and keep the ticket handy for the return leg. On Krono+ Nomad services a seat is guaranteed with every ticket type, and Flexible tickets can be exchanged or cancelled without fees until 2 minutes before departure.
Step 3: The Last Mile from Vernon to Giverny
Vernon station is 5 km from Giverny. Your options are the electric Navette Giverny shuttle at €5 single or €10 return, running from April to November, the little tourist train at €10 adult return, a rental bike for a ride of about 20 minutes, or a walk of about one hour. Each option has its own season and timetable, covered in detail further down this page.
All of them start right at the station.
Before You Leave
- Check that your train runs. SNCF publishes train circulation information the day before departure from 17:00, and SNCF Connect lets you search a train number for real-time status.
- Check the season. The Monet Foundation opens 1 April to 1 November, and the shuttle and little train run in the same window, so a winter day trip to Giverny is not on.
- Book your Monet Foundation ticket ahead if you can. Advance tickets are non-refundable, and the foundation says online booking is highly recommended.
- Time your visit. The Normandy tourist board advises weekdays in spring or mid-autumn, avoiding July and August and the 10:00 to 16:00 peak.
- Remember the return. Work out which shuttle or train you will catch back before you settle into the gardens.
How to Get to Giverny from Paris by Train
Saint-Lazare to Vernon and the last miles to Monet's house, filmed step by step. Third-party video by Distant Lands Travel Store. We did not shoot it and have no relationship with the creator.
Vernon Station to Monet's House: Shuttle, Train, Bike or Walk
Vernon station is 5 km from Giverny, and every last-mile option leaves from the station itself. The table compares the four ways across cost, time and season, using figures from the Normandy tourist board and the Petit Train operator.
Choosing Your Last Mile
The electric Navette Giverny is the workhorse option, running April to November at €5 single or €10 return. The Petit Train Vernon runs from early April to the end of October, seven days a week, and costs €10 for an adult return, with children up to 10 paying €5 one way. It takes 20 minutes to Giverny and about 25 minutes back, carries 60 passengers, and departs Vernon station at about 9:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00, timed to the Paris trains.
Note that its timetable can shift when SNCF does works between Paris Saint-Lazare and Vernon-Giverny. Walking takes about one hour each way, and cycling about 20 minutes, with bikes for rent by the station.
| Option | Cost | Time | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navette Giverny electric shuttle | €5 single, €10 return | The 5 km ride | April to November |
| Petit Train Vernon tourist train | €10 adult return, €5 children up to 10 one way | 20 minutes out, about 25 minutes back | Early April to end of October, seven days a week |
| Rental bike from the station | Bike hire priced by the station shop | About 20 minutes | Bikes rented by the station |
| Walking | Free | About 1 hour | Any day the gardens are open |
What the Walk Is Like
The walk from Vernon station to Giverny takes about one hour on the route counted by the Normandy tourist board. Treat it as part of the day rather than a chore, and leave a buffer so you reach the gate with time to spare. The Monet Foundation closes its admissions at 17:30, so turning a one-hour walk into a late arrival costs you the visit.
If the weather turns or the legs tire, the shuttle is the safety net.
Sources: Normandy Tourism and Petit Train Vernon.
Giverny is a small village of a few hundred residents, and its lanes near Monet's house are lined with stone cottages and ivy. Photo: besopha, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Entry Tickets and Opening Days
Giverny has two paid sights near each other: the Claude Monet Foundation with the house and gardens, and the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny. Here are the opening windows, the free days and the booking rules from their own sites.
Claude Monet Foundation, House and Gardens
The Monet Foundation house and gardens open from 1 April to 1 November, 10:00 to 18:00, with last admission at 17:30. The foundation says online booking is highly recommended, and advance tickets are non-refundable, so only book a day you are sure about. The house and garden visit is self-guided.
Outside the season, from early November to the end of March, the site is closed, which is why the train and shuttle timetables above also stop in autumn.
| Sight | Open | Admission | Free entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Monet Foundation, house and gardens | 1 April to 1 November, 10:00 to 18:00, last admission 17:30 | Self-guided visit, book online, advance tickets non-refundable | Not stated |
| Musée des impressionnismes Giverny | 10:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:30 | €12 adult, €9 reduced | First Sunday of April, May, June, October and November, and on European Heritage Days |
Musée Des Impressionnismes Giverny
The art museum in the village costs €12 for adults and €9 reduced. It is free on the first Sunday of April, May, June, October and November, and free for visitors on European Heritage Days. It opens 10:00 to 18:00 with last entry at 17:30, and Vernon-Giverny station is 6 km from the museum.
If you drive or rent a car, Giverny has a free car park with 800 spaces. Pairing the museum with Monet's gardens makes a full afternoon, and the two sit within the same small village.
Timing Your Day
The Normandy tourist board advises visiting on weekdays in spring or mid-autumn and avoiding July and August, along with the 10:00 to 16:00 peak. With the train taking about 50 minutes, an early Saint-Lazare departure puts you at the gate close to the 10:00 opening. That matters most in high summer, when the gardens thin out again toward the 17:30 last admission.
Sources: Claude Monet Foundation useful information and Musée des impressionnismes tickets.
The Zero-Hassle Option: A Tour from Paris
Three catalog tours from Paris reach Giverny. Each one bundles transport from a fixed Paris meeting point, and each includes entry to Monet's house and gardens, which the DIY train route makes you buy separately. None of them includes lunch or hotel pickup.
The Giverny Tours Compared
The Giverny Half-Day Trip from Paris with Monet's House and Gardens costs $78 and runs 6 to 11.5 hours by coach, with entry fees to Monet's house and gardens, a self-guided visit and 80 minutes of free time in the village. The Giverny and Versailles Day Trip from Paris costs $151 over 11.5 hours and adds skip-the-line entry to the Chateau de Versailles and its gardens with a 2-hour guided palace visit, ending at Porte Maillot. The Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise Day Trip from Paris, Monet and Van Gogh costs $252.28 over 10 hours in a van of up to 8, with all entrance fees including the Auberge Ravoux in Auvers.
On all three, food, gratuities and hotel pickup are extra, and each offers free cancellation 24 hours ahead. For the wider context on booking vs going alone, see how to plan a day trip from Paris, and for more rail-reachable outings, the hub of day trips from Paris by train lists the free and cheap options.
Paris to Giverny by Train: Questions
Is there a direct train from Paris to Giverny?
There is no station in Giverny itself. The direct train runs from Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny, about 50 minutes away, and Giverny is a further 5 km from the station, covered by shuttle, tourist train, bike or foot. The step-by-step route lays it all out.
Is Giverny a day trip from Paris?
Yes. The train takes about 50 minutes from Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny, the shuttle runs April to November at €10 return, and Monet's house and gardens are open 10:00 to 18:00 from 1 April to 1 November. If you would rather not arrange the legs yourself, the Giverny Half-Day Trip from Paris with Monet's House and Gardens does it in one booking.
How do I get to Monet's Garden from Paris by train?
Take the train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny, about 50 minutes, then the last 5 km. The electric Navette Giverny costs €5 single or €10 return, the Petit Train costs €10 for an adult return, cycling takes about 20 minutes with bikes rented by the station, and walking takes about one hour. All the details are in Vernon Station to Monet's House.
How much time do you need at Giverny?
The visit to Monet's house and gardens is self-guided, and the Monet Foundation closes admissions at 17:30 with the site open 10:00 to 18:00. A half-day tour from Paris allows 80 minutes of free time in the village on top of the entry visit. Most train travelers can build a comfortable half day at the site plus the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny, which opens 10:00 to 18:00 with last entry at 17:30. For a comparison of how the day shapes up, see All the Ways from Paris to Giverny.
How much does the train from Paris to Giverny cost?
The Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny route is mainline SNCF, so the fare is dynamic and changes with date and demand, and no fixed figure can be quoted. What is fixed is the rest: the Paris metro leg costs €2.55, the shuttle is €10 return, and the Petit Train is €10 for an adult return. See the full cost picture in All the Ways from Paris to Giverny.
Can I visit Giverny in winter?
No. The Monet Foundation house and gardens open only from 1 April to 1 November, and the Navette Giverny shuttle runs April to November, with the Petit Train from early April to the end of October. Outside that window the DIY trip does not work, and the Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise Day Trip from Paris, Monet and Van Gogh is likewise tied to the season. Check Entry Tickets and Opening Days before planning.