Giverny or Marmottan: Monet’s home or his paintings?

Giverny is the motif; the Marmottan is what Monet made of it. At Giverny, 75 km west of Paris, you visit the house and gardens, the pond, the Japanese bridge, from late March to November 1st. The originals aren’t there. At the Marmottan, in the 16th arrondissement, you see over a hundred paintings, all year round, no booking required. They’re not two options—they’re two halves, and the Marmottan + Giverny day trip covers them in order.

GivernyThe house and gardens, the inspiration

MarmottanOver a hundred canvases, including the Water Lilies from the studio

DistanceAbout 75 km, in the Eure region

Giverny seasonLate March to November 1st

Marmottan seasonYear-round, except Mondays

Both in one dayThe day starting from the museum

What you'll see in Giverny

The house where Monet lived and painted, the flower garden in front, the water garden with its water lily pond and the green Japanese bridge. You literally walk through the paintings: the curve of the bridge, the willows, the reflections are those from the canvases. But these are the motifs, not the paintings. The house is managed by the Fondation Claude Monet and does not hold the originals, which are mostly at the Marmottan since Michel Monet’s bequest in 1966. Many visitors learn this on-site, a bit disappointed. Best to know beforehand.

What you see at the Marmottan

The paintings, precisely. The 1966 bequest brought the collection of canvases still at Giverny into the museum: the Water Lilies from 1897 to 1919, The Japanese Bridge, The Rose Path, The House Seen from the Rose Garden. In other words, what Monet gazed at from his window in Giverny now hangs on rue Louis-Boilly. Added to this are Impression, Sunrise, the Rouen and London series, and the rest of the Marmottan collection. The itinerary is on what to see at the Marmottan.

The season often decides for you

Giverny closes in winter. From November to the end of March, the question doesn’t arise: the Marmottan is open, open on Thursday evenings, and it’s even its best season, without the spring weekends. Between April and October, both are open, and Giverny’s garden changes every month, which explains why those who return keep coming back. The Marmottan’s opening hours remain the same, though.

Both in the same day

The Marmottan + Giverny day trip is designed for this. Meet in front of the museum in the morning, about 1 hour 30 minutes in the galleries, tickets included, then the vehicle to Giverny, the fixed-menu lunch on-site, the house and gardens, and the return to Paris around 6 p.m. Maximum of four people, a driver-companion rather than a guide-lecturer. It’s the only package that includes the Marmottan, and the order is right: the paintings first, the pond afterward. The offer is recent and has no reviews yet—I’m telling it like it is.

Giverny alone, without the museum

If you've already visited the Marmottan or plan to go another day, the half-day trip to Giverny by coach is the most booked option, including a guide and admission, departing from Porte Maillot. By train, it's from Saint-Lazare station to Vernon-Giverny, then a shuttle for the last 7 km. And for a private art historian guide just for you, the private tour covers Giverny in the morning and the Marmottan in the afternoon.

What works

The paintings and their subjects, two visits that complement each other
The Marmottan open all year round, no booking required
A day starting at the museum and doing both in order
Giverny by train is also possible for those who prefer independence

Good to know

Giverny closed from early November to late March
The originals are not at Giverny
75 km: the day costs you hours on the road
The small-group day trip is not recommended for those with reduced mobility

Our tip

If you're visiting in winter, don’t look for Giverny—go to the Marmottan on a Thursday evening, and return for the garden another year, in May or June. If you're visiting in spring, do both on the same day, starting with the paintings.

Book Giverny from Paris

The half-day option below is the most popular for the house and gardens only. For the full-day tour that includes the museum, see the Marmottan + Giverny day trip.

Check availability & book

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Frequently asked questions

Are Monet’s paintings at Giverny?

No. At Giverny, you visit the house and gardens, the motif. The paintings left at Giverny were bequeathed to the Marmottan in 1966. See the Water Lilies at the Marmottan.

Is Giverny open all year round?

No, from late March to November 1st only. The Marmottan is open all year, except on Mondays. See opening hours.

Can you visit Giverny and the Marmottan in the same day?

Yes, with the full-day tour starting at the museum in the morning and returning around 6 PM, lunch included, for up to four people. See the Marmottan + Giverny day trip.

How do I get to Giverny without a car?

By coach with the half-day trip from Porte Maillot, or by train from Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny followed by a shuttle. Compare options on Giverny from Paris.