Monet’s house and gardens

Leaving Paris, Giverny is about 1 h 15 away via the A13 then D181, skirting the chalk slopes of the Seine Valley and flax fields of the Vexin. On arrival, Monet’s pink-and-green house sits at roughly 33 m above sea level and opens onto two distinct worlds: the Clos Normand, a trellised flower grid, and the Water Garden, expanded after 1893, where a willow-lined pond carries the famous lily pads and a painted wooden Japanese bridge. Bloom cycles are deliberate—from April tulips to September dahlias—and late-afternoon light brings out the blues and mauves Monet chased on canvas.

This half-day starts with hotel pick-up in Paris and a direct drive with your dedicated driver; the vehicle remains at your disposal to tweak timing, dodge crowds, or store layers. In Giverny, your driver waits while you visit, with ticket pre-booking available, then can detour to Sainte-Radegonde Church (Monet’s grave, 900 m away) or down to Vernon to glimpse the Old Mill. Using a private chauffeur in Giverny also means drop-off by the Claude-Monet street entrance and an effortless ride back while you tour the studio and linger over coffee at Restaurant Les Nymphéas.