From Paris: Monet Gardens & Giverny Bike Tour with Picnic Stop
Description
To begin your Giverny and Monet's Garden Bike Tour you will travel from Paris to the quaint town of Vernon, located in Normandy. On the way, you will pass beautiful wheat and sunflower fields, far from the hustle and bustle of Paris. We will make our first stop at the open-air market in Vernon. Here, you can enjoy an array of local specialties, such as cider, and organize your picnic basket for the perfect riverside lunch. We will then pick up our bikes and enjoy an effortless cruise from Giverny to Monet's famed-estate. We'll stop along the Seine river for a picnic lunch next to a picturesque mill, all while appreciating in breathtaking views of the French countryside. You will have plenty of time to explore Monet's gardens and home in Giverny, and then we will enjoy a leisurely ride back to Vernon before returning to Paris. Round trip transportation to and from central Paris makes this day trip to these special gardens a breeze!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet here to connect with your guide and board the bus to Giverny.
Once in Vernon visit the charming farmers' market to buy picnic supplies. You'll then hop on your bike and pedal across the river to a beautiful park along the banks of the Seine for lunch. At lunch you can also sample the local's favorite drink: cidre.
It will then be time for your relaxing 5 kilometer (3 miles) ride down the bike path to the village of Giverny and the world-famous gardens of Claude Monet. Cruise past the Giverny church and its cemetery containing graves of local citizens dating back to the 17th century, British soldiers from World War II and even Monet himself buried within his family's vault. You will pass the Hotel Baudy, where Impressionists Manet and Renoir used to paint. Shortly you will arrive at the highlight of the day - Monet's Garden Spend about 1.5 hours enjoying Monet's gardens, his house and the famous water lily pond where some of his most famous works originated. Be sure to bring your camera and plenty of film! Additionally, the village of Giverny offers you the American Museum of Art (across the street from Monet's Gardens), numerous cafes and small streets begging to be explored.
Skip-the-line entry into the gardens
See the Hotel Baudy from the outside; can stop for a drink
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- There is no age minimum or maximum - this tour is suitable for everyone as long as you can ride a bike!
- If a children's bike is required, you must advise at time of booking.
Reviews(537)
We loved Rory and Nick. They were super attentive and helped with everything the bikes were easy. It’s very hot all over Europe in August so it was hot but that didn’t stop the bike ride. I would prefer to ride over versus taking the small train. Our guides also gave us more than enough time to shop at the farmers market before and do the actual tour of the house. I appreciated our guides actually know the history and information. They knew what they were talking about. Bring lots of water . The age group was from 10-60s in our group and we had a blast. We loved having our picnic in the river. God bless yall!
This experience was the highlight of my trip. The bike ride was so much fun! Everything about it was excellent: the picnic, the bike ride, Monet's house and gardens! Our tour guide, Amir, was amazing!
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're so happy Oleg took great care of you, from safety to sharing insights about the places you visited, and even helping with restaurant tips and photos along the way. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him. Hope to welcome you back to Paris soon!
I traveled with my 16 year old daughter and we both LOVED our day!! The tour guide was exceptional!! The bus ride was easy and comfortable with terrific insight about Monet along the way. The day was perfect, just enough biking through the beautiful scenery, market had just enough for a picnic, nice cafe in the area, and the Monet gardens were breath taking. A fabulous day to end our trip
Thank you so much, Jennifer! We love hearing that you and your daughter had an outstanding day together. It's wonderful that the ride, the scenery, and the insights into Monet all came together for the perfect mix of comfort and adventure. We hope to welcome you both back for more mother-daughter trips
Excellent way to see Giverny and a bit of the surrounding area in Normandy. Along with being fun and ensuring everyone was enjoying themselves, our guide Eliza, with her knowledge of art and art history, was perfect.
Thank you, Ryan! We're so glad you enjoyed exploring Giverny and the Normandy countryside. It sounds like Eliza's knowledge of art and art history added a special layer to the day, on top of keeping things fun for everyone. Hope to welcome you back for another tour soon!
We had the most wonderful day experiencing Monet’s house and gardens with Dave, OJ and Bart. The trip was well organised and the bicycles very comfortable. We so appreciated our excellent guides’ recommendations for our picnic selections at Vernon market. There was ample time to enjoy Giverny. We highly recommend this tour; truly 5 star!!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We're thrilled Dave, OJ, and Bart made the day so well organized and enjoyable, and that the picnic recommendations at Vernon market added something special. It sounds like a truly memorable visit to Monet's house and gardens. Hope to welcome you back soon!
It was a great tour. Our guides Dave, OJ and Bart were super friendly and helpful and made the entire tour very enjoyable and comfortable. Strongly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Paris !!
Thank you for the kind words! We're so glad Dave, OJ, and Bart made the tour friendly, comfortable, and enjoyable throughout. We really appreciate the strong recommendation and hope to see you again on your next trip to Paris!
This was an incredible way to visit Vernon, Giverny and Claude Monet’s home. The transportation was comfortable, the historical information and context set the stage perfectly, the bike ride was leisurely and beautiful, and the group entry to the museum meant we were able to bypass the long line at the regular entrance. We were given plenty of time to explore and wander on our own, which I really appreciated. We were able to patronize independent vendors at the local market in Vernon and the guides pointed out so many interesting things in the region - historical churches and building, remnants and evidence of WWII battles, local geography and culture. I absolutely loved the tour, and our guides were perfect!
Thank you, Phoebe! We're so happy to hear this was your favorite guided experience in Paris. It sounds like every piece came together perfectly, the comfortable transport, the historical context, the leisurely ride, and the museum visit. Hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
Tobias and Oljean were great guides. The bike trip was at a good pace for most. Be prepared to use Euro in the marketplace where you buy lunch for your picnic. Monet Gardens were beautiful and crowded. This trip got us in a priority entrance bypassing the line. The home was beautiful and filled with art and household objects. The giftshop has A/C which was needed during the heatwave. Ended the visit with ice cream and the ride back was relatively easy. They provided helmets and vests fir those who wanted them. The bikes (3-speed with basket) were in good mechanical order and fairly comfortable. The bus back to Paris was a relaxing end.
Thank you, Byron! We're glad Tobias and Oljean set a good pace for the group, and that the priority entrance made your visit to the Monet Gardens even smoother despite the crowds. Thanks also for the tip about bringing euros for the market, that's helpful for future guests. Hope to see you again soon!
The guides were knowledgeable and very friendly. They made the trip great even though it was really hot. I would definitely recommend fat tire tours!
Thank you, Virginia! We're so glad the guides kept things great despite the heat, with their knowledge and friendliness shining through. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you again soon!
Rory and Toby were excellent guides. Couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. Safe, easy route… the market was lovely and we were happy up to find vegan Lebanese food there for our picnic. The gardens were divine. 10/10 worth every penny and I would do a trip like this again,
Thank you for the glowing review! Rory and Toby make a great team and we're so glad they helped make the day so special. Giverny really is magical and it sounds like everything came together perfectly — beautiful weather, a lovely market find, and those stunning gardens. We'll pass along your kind words to both of them. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
