Skip the Line: Giverny and Monet House Half-Day Trip from Paris

Your morning or afternoon half-day tour departs from Pyramides in central Paris. Traveling by comfortable coach, ride 1.5 hours through the Normandy countryside to the village of Giverny, where renowned French Impressionist painter Claude Monet and his family settled in 1883.

It was here that the artist indulged his love of nature, gardening and botany, and he worked for several years to cultivate this piece of land. The scenery in Monet's gardens is (literally) straight out of a painting: bright orchards, a serene pond draped with weeping willows and bamboo trees, and water lilies in bloom all summer long. During a guided walk around the exquisite gardens, you’ll see first-hand the water lilies (nymphéas) and Japanese bridge that was featured in many of Monet's masterpieces.

You'll then visit Monet’s house at your own pace. Given by Monet’s son Michel to the French Academy of Fine Arts in 1966, the house has been restored to reflect the original interior. Monet's gardens were inspired by traditional Japanese gardens that he knew from the prints he avidly collected, and inside his house, you'll see a sample of his precious collection of Japanese prints adorning the walls. Outside is his large studio, where he painted the famous Water Lilies series.

Before you leave, be sure to check out the excellent souvenir shop featuring a range of reproductions of Monet's paintings, crockery, table sets and even a range of flower seeds. Then, reconvene with your guide and relax on the drive back to Paris.