This is one of my favorite places I visited on my trip to Paris. I purchased my tickets in advance in case of any lines, and researched how to get to Giverny but forgot to buy train tickets in advance because getting to Gare St. Lazare was not very easy from my hotel. I recommend if you can to go to Gare St. Lazare in Paris to purchase train tickets to Vernon at least the day before so you do not rush. My mom and I had been going to bed late after eating late dinners like the French, so waking up at 6ish to take 2 different metro lines to the train station to buy tickets for the first train was tough.
Well, we did it somehow....got through the ticket line and purchased tickets for the 8:20am train at 8:00am. A few minutes after we got the tickets, we frantically looked for the boarding platform since boarding starts 20 minutes before. Then the rail line for our train broke and our train was cancelled! We had to get back in the ticket office line with a ton of other angry tourists to see what to do. We planned to go on the only sunny day in the forecast so we were bummed. We were offered tickets for the next day or a refund, so we got the next day tickets and repeated our morning routine for the trip.
Board as soon as you can because the train fills up. When you get to Vernon, you will see signs leading you to Bus Giverny. You buy bus tickets in cash (Euros) on the bus (8 Euros round trip per person) and are given a small card that you need for your return trip.
The train is around 50 minutes and the bus is about 15 minutes. When we arrived at Giverny, we crossed the road by going underneath in a tunnel - then you turn right on Rue de Claude Monet and follow signs to the garden. Those who purchase tickets in advance can go to the left side to skip the line.
Once inside, you go through the gift shop first (scoff) then see the toilets (use them first if you arrive early, as the gardens open at 9:30 so you will be the first visitors). Then, amazingly beautiful gardens, Claude Monet's house (with copper utensils filling the kitchen and a surprising amount of Japanese art throughout the house, much of it from the Edo period). Roaming through the gardens, there are endless types of flowers and plants to gawk at and then a path to the Lily pond and more lush greenery, bamboo, and flowers.
Tour groups from cruises clogged the paths and I am sure it gets worse in the afternoon. It was sunny the entire morning somehow for us, so that was a relief. It started pouring right at noon as we walked through the town looking for lunch, but otherwise was very picturesque. Not far from the garden entrance is a tourist information center. We were also able to see a free exhibit on Monet in the Impressionist museum just west of the gardens. Entry is only 9.5 Euros per adult. I picked up some Monet and Japanese art postcards at the shop, but there are tons of things to buy if you like impressionism.
Remember, the train and bus schedules are coordinated and you can miss the last bus and be stranded in the evening. Our return bus came during the pouring rain so a ton of people hovered in the tunnel until we could run to the bus, which took us to the Vernon station perfectly in time for our train tickets.
Another tip: if you buy your train tickets in advance, you have to validate them in the yellow validation box on the platform at Gare St. Lazare or at Vernon in the station so you don't get fined when the conductors check tickets during your ride Only same day tickets are validated upon purchase and only the way to Vernon. Our return ticket was actually good until early September. This is a must-see!! read more