Giverny Monet's House & Versailles Palace Private Day Trip from Paris
Description
Private and exclusive experience to discover Giverny & Versailles with a private professional guide. Two of the most popular day trip destinations outside the French capital – Louis XIV's Palace of Versailles and Monet's gardens and house in Giverny. > Private Tour - 9 hours > Exclusive services > Licensed Professional Driver Guide > Admission to Monet's house & gardens > Admission to Versailles Palace and Gardens even when Musical Fountains Show or Musical Gardens > Headsets if necessary > Hotel pick up & drop off
Tour Options
Itinerary
The House and Gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny Pierce the secrets of one of the pillars of Impressionism, Claude Monet. Leader of the pictorial movement of the 19th century, he brought a wind a change to academic representative art introducing heightened perception, emotions and light. The painter devoted more than forty years of his life to one of his finest masterpieces: his garden in Giverny The Water Garden Wander through the romantic water garden, with its famous Japanese bridge, the wisterias, the water-lilies pond, the weeping willows and irises... Behold this living picture with its profusion of reflected light and colors. The House Visit the master's charming pink house where a family atmosphere reigned. Discover the painter's everyday life surrounded by eight children: the drawing room, the pantry, the bedroom, the study, the dining room and the beautiful kitchen...Admire his collection of Japanese prints, another source of inspiration. The Studio End your visit with the big studio where the famous water-lilies paintings saw the light of day. These paintings are exhibited at the Orangerie Museum in Paris.
Giverny is a delightful, typical Norman Seine-side village. It lies on the right, or north, bank of Normandy’s mightiest river, close to the town of Vernon. Were it not for the arrival of Impressionist master Claude Monet in 1883, the village might have remained a quiet provincial backwater. The long years Monet spent here would turn it into a place of artistic pilgrimage, even in his lifetime.
The Palace of Versailles, or “Château de Versailles,” is one of France’s most iconic landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally built as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII, it was transformed by Louis XIV into the royal residence of the French court in 1682. Discover the palace’s grand architecture, royal apartments, and the famous Hall of Mirrors, renowned for its 357 mirrors, gilded decorations, and reflections of the gardens. Explore the King and Queen’s Apartments, once used for official ceremonies and court life, richly decorated with marble and painted ceilings. Designed by André Le Nôtre in 1661, the Gardens of Versailles feature elegant pathways, fountains, ponds, and sculptures, making them a masterpiece of French formal garden design. During summer, visitors can also enjoy the Musical Gardens and Fountain Shows.
Our expert tour guide will enable you to see the best part of the Gardens. In 1661, Louis XIV charged André Le Nôtre to create the gardens of Versailles. The creation of gardens requires a gigantic work about forty years: leveling spaces, landscaping garden beds, creation of ponds and the Canal. Louis XIV considered gardens as important as the castle. André Le Nôtre created an ultimate French Style garden: a terrace with a global view of the gardens, a geometric organization of the axes, ponds, flowerbeds, groves. The garden is designed like a building, a walk playing on the perspectives. Charles Le Brun drew a large number of statues and fountains. The 221 sculptures make Versailles as the world's largest open-air museum of sculptures. Fountains and groves adorn the gardens. The groves regularly hosted the King's walk and the entertainment of the court. Appreciate a stroll trough the Le Nôtre's gardens. Each summer, Versailles offers superb entertainment in the gardens to give visitors the experience of the magnificence of the celebrations in the garden at the time of Louis XIV. Your guide will offer you a visit to the musical gardens (Tuesday from June to October) and the musical fountains show (Saturdays and Sundays from April to October).
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pickups begins approximately 5-10 minutes prior to this time
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Choose to visit Versailles in the morning and Giverny in the afternoon, just let us know
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Times are subject to change due to local traffic conditions
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Reviews(50)
If someone uses a wheelchair having a private guided tour makes this experience so much better. We could not have navigated these sites on our own. It was a wonderfull experience.
This was very unprofessional experience. Please do not use this company for your tour. There is no such thing as skip the lines at Giverny, it’s a scam. Our driver, while very nice showed up late, had no water in the van for an hour and quarter drive. He left us and told us to meet him at the exit and didn’t give a number to contact him, needless to say, we waited over 10 min for him at the exit we knew. Really awful We have 2 kids and a 76 year old woman with us. The woman Sarah at the this company is combative and rude, 0 customer service. Spend you thousands of dollars w a reputable company. Really no excuse to spend 2k on a tour that is like this w the worst customer Service.
Dear Madam, We’re truly sorry your day didn’t meet your expectations. It’s always frustrating not to enjoy a beautiful place like Giverny—especially when the frustration seems to begin before even stepping into the van. Let us gently correct a few points: - Our guide was less than five minutes late, which in Paris traffic is practically early. - Fresh water was offered and declined. Perhaps hydration might have helped the mood? - Yes, there is such a thing as skip-the-line access at Giverny—for entry, not for the exit. (We’re still working on helicopter service for that part.) - The driver clearly explained the meeting point for pick-up. A 10-minute wait in a garden, while not ideal, isn’t exactly a crisis—even with kids and a 76-year-old. As for being called "combative and rude"—well, I will always stand up for my team, especially when they’re being treated disrespectfully. A poor review may be intended as leverage for a refund, but unfortunately, that's not how we operate. We love what we do, and our many happy clients reflect that. But of course, it’s hard to please someone who brings their frustration along as carry-on luggage. Wishing you calmer travels ahead,
we were picked up by our guide, Jean-Paul, conveniently right outside our flat in the 9th arrondissement. We drove to Giverny first, and he took us around the gardens, the house, and even did thoughtful things like move the car throughout the day so that we watch part of the way, but then the car would be waiting for us. He was so knowledgeable about the history, the artist that we saw, they connected things to modern day, Paris. He was very responsive and engaging with our children as well. We had a lovely crêpe lunch, and then headed to the Versailles Gardens, to include the hamlet that Marie Antoinette designed, and lastly, the palace. I'm so grateful we booked this tour!
Dear Erin, Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review. We're thrilled to hear that you had such a memorable day with Jean-Paul, and that both the adults and children in your group felt engaged and well cared for throughout the tour. At our company, we take great pride in working exclusively with guides conférenciers—certified tour guides who are the only professionals authorized to provide commentary inside France’s historical monuments, such as Versailles and Giverny. Their deep knowledge and passion for art, history, and culture ensure a rich and insightful experience for our guests, just as you described. We’re especially pleased that Jean-Paul’s attention to detail, storytelling, and flexibility helped make your day so smooth and enjoyable. Thank you again for choosing to explore with us—we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future! Warm regards,
If you make reservations with other people make sure you pay together. We made the reservations on the phone but gave 2 different credit cards and told them we wanted to be together in the same car. That day they put us in different cars. The poor tour guide didn’t know what to do. He tried to call his office with no answer. We call Viator but took a while to get anyone but then my husband was able to chat via text. He was told it was basically our fault due to not paying together even though we booked the tour by phone and was assured that there will not be a problem. It all worked out at the end due to a wonderful tour guide. It was just very stressful. We have used Viator many times and this has never happened. Hopefully it will never happen again.
Dear Victoria, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re truly sorry for the confusion and the stress it caused at the start of your tour. We completely understand how important it was for you to be in the same vehicle, especially when traveling with friends or family. In this case, two separate bookings were made with different payment details, and we did not receive any indication prior to the tour that you wished to be grouped together. Had we been informed during the booking process, we would have arranged it without hesitation. That said, we’re very glad that our team—and especially your guide—was able to quickly adapt and ensure that you could continue the day together. We’re proud of our guides, who always do their utmost to create a seamless and enjoyable experience, even in unexpected situations. We appreciate your feedback and your continued trust, and we hope to welcome you again in the future under smoother circumstances. Warm regards,
Would not recommend due to the fact that we did not get quicker access compared to small groups tours. Touring was conducted with the rest of the crowd of tourists. There was no special access except for entry. Tour is set by the guides pace, which is not enjoyable in a hot and crowded environment. The guide was knowledgeable, but I don’t feel it was at all worth the money.
Dear Robbyn, A few clarifications to be completely fair. For some reason, you booked two tours for two people instead of one tour for four. Your mistake resulted in an additional cost. The correct combination would have been a private group of four. What's the difference between a private tour and a small group? - A single hotel pick-up instead of three different pickups throughout Paris - A dedicated tour guide who adapts the tour to your family, your timing - A dedicated entrance to Giverny (without skipping the line, sometimes a 2-hour wait) - A special access to Versailles (without a tour guide, sometimes a 3-hour wait) These time savings may not have been apparent to you, but they are invaluable for a better experience everywhere. Regards
Our driver/ guide was extremely knowledgeable and truly made our day memorable. Worth every penny as the guided tour provides many facts that you would never know.
Worth a day! So much to see and learn! Our guide was fantastic and even suggested a great place to stop for lunch! Enjoyable even during the rain!
Our guide, Jean Paul, was outstanding! He was knowledgeable on so many topics. He was able to bring life to the characters, sharing information gleaned from archival sources as well as palace gossip. His English is excellent. We also appreciated his willingness to stay longer when we were deeply engaged and to move quickly through areas of less interest. He is very easy to be with and possesses a nice sense of humor. The sights themselves were everything you might imagine, and then some. We would highly recommend this tour.
We had originally booked a private 9 person tour to Versailles and Giverny that dwindled down to 2 people. We paid upwards of flight tickets for two from US to Europe for those tours. In return we got a driver who barely spoke English. At Versailles we were linked with another couple for the tour. Needless to say, we could’ve rented a car and driven ourselves to these locations and had more freedom than be rushed. It was highly disappointing tour. We did not get a tour guide at all. I do not recommend this company at all. Be aware!
Gilles is a Great Tour conductor very knowledgeable and great at his work. I did enjoyed all the tour with his help thanks
