Is Giverny Pretty in April? A Photo Guide to Monet’s Fave

Is Giverny pretty in April? You bet your Easter bonnet it is.

If you don’t mind some rain on your trip to Giverny in April, early spring is a lovely time to visit the French town known for inspiring some of Claude Monet’s most inspiring works.

The flowers will be blooming and the influencers will just be waking up from a long winter posing against snowy landscapes, steamy hot cocoa in hand.

I’m saying it’s less likely you’ll have to deal with hordes of people angling for that perfect photo at Giverny’s main attraction, Claude Monet’s House and Gardens. That makes for a much more delightful visit indeed. 

If you’re not yet sold on visiting Giverny en Avril (I bet you can decode that one), perhaps an amateur’s photographic evidence would help. 

Visiting Giverny in April

We visited just days after Monet’s garden opened the first week in April. Despite having to duck into cafes and churches and Monet’s maison (that’s “house” for the non-Francophiles out there) during the worst of the rain, the grounds were gorgeous. 

As one may say out in the Midwest after every downpour, “We needed the rain.” If you know, you know.

Let’s get into what you shouldn’t miss on your trip.

The Water Lily Pond

We started with this iconic feature because who is Monet if not a painter of water lilies? 

OK, fine. He’s a pioneer of Impressionism known for his bold brushstrokes and for shaping this moment in art history but ALSO loved himself some lilies.

This spot in the gardens is lovely, lush, and tranquil, so spend some time indulging the landscape enthusiast within you.

Don’t miss the weeping willows and rowboats along the water’s edge that look as if they were placed there for the sole purpose of getting visitors all snap-happy.

The better theory is that they’re here because they’d look even better painted.

The Japanese Bridge

If you have any posing babes in your immediate surroundings, they will be here on the Japanese Bridge. This charming architectural feature adds a decorative touch to the water lily pond.

If you’re a big Monet fan, you’ve likely seen this one featured in his paintings.

The Clos Normand

This is the formal garden adjacent to Monet’s house. Walk meticulously manicured paths and enjoy the diverse array of Giverny flowers in bloom here.

It all may feel a little hectic at first, but the vibrancy was meant as a purposeful contrast to the water garden. This is where you’ll see the biggest change in the gardens season by season.

If you’re here during a busier time, you may need to wait a bit for your photo underneath one of the ornate archways found here. Visiting the Giverny gardens in April allows you to find a little solitude and tap into your inner supermodel. 

If a single foot out is the best you can do, that’s the best you do.

Claude Monet’s House

This pink farmhouse is charming as heck from the outside, but try to tear yourself away from the floral loveliness for a few minutes to explore inside. 

This is where Monet lived and worked for over 40 years. The home has been preserved to give you an idea of what it was like inside during his lifetime.

That includes separate bedrooms for him and his wife, Alice, and his art studio.

The studio you’ll see here is where he stored many of his most famous paintings. No, those aren’t originals covering the walls. Anything of value would be behind glass because this is Monet we’re talking about.

Fun fact: Most of Monet’s actual painting was done in the open air in the surrounding gardens, weather permitting. 

Let that sink in for a second, even if you don’t fancy yourself a connoisseur of the arts. A master was at work here.

Giverny + Claude Monet

I promised you pretty pictures and I think I delivered there, but you may be wondering about the history of this place by this point. 

Monet moved to Giverny in 1883, drawn by the promise of tranquility out in the country. (I feel the opposite in rural areas around the United States, but that’s a personal problem.)

He purchased the home you’ll see today in 1890, and immediately got to work transforming the garden into one of his masterpieces.

Monet was an avid gardener on top of his talents with a paintbrush. He designed these gardens himself to feature things that inspired him. That included a balance of color, opportunities to play with light and shadow, reflections on the water, and foliage that would change with the seasons. 

As he watched his garden grow, he painted. The gardens were both the inspiration for his work and a sanctuary for him. That’s powerful stuff.

The gardens became a living canvas for him, and you only have to look at his work during his period as proof. The Japanese Bridge and water lilies, for example, became recurring motifs for Monet.

You may also notice Asian influences outside of the bridge both in the gardens and inside his home. Monet was drawn toward the aesthetic of Japanese artist Hokusai in particular, so you may see some similarities between the two.

Monet continued to live and work in Giverny until his death in 1926. After his passing, the house and garden fell into disrepair until they were eventually restored and opened to the public in the 1980s.

Today, Monet’s house and garden in Giverny attract visitors from around the world, offering them a glimpse into the life and artistic genius of one of the greatest painters of the Impressionist movement. The site stands as a testament to Monet’s enduring legacy and his profound connection to the natural world.

Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny epitomize the artist’s lifelong pursuit of capturing the essence of nature on canvas. It sounds hyperbolic, but I can’t think of another place on the planet so inextricably linked to the creative process of an artist. 

Monet was Giverny. Giverny is Monet.

How to Get to Giverny, France 

You’ll probably start in Paris on trips to Giverny. From there, you have a few options depending on how you like to get yourself around.

We drove there from our starting point in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a charming ‘burb west of the city that put us even closer to all of the loveliness in Giverny. 

READ MORE: We moved to France from the United States. Learn how we did it!

We got there in under an hour, but if you’re driving from Paris to Giverny, it’ll take you about an hour and a half with light traffic. There are several parking facilities for you to choose from once you’re there. Pick the most convenient for you. Pricing is all the same.

Another option is arriving via train. Start at the Saint-Lazare Paris station. You may need to take a Metro to get there depending on your starting point. For us, we’d have to take the RER A from Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Your maps app should help you here.

From Saint-Lazare, you’ll take the SNCF line toward Rouen Rive Droite to the Vernon-Giverny station. The journey from the station to Giverny should take about an hour, but you’ll need to time this leg right.

Fun fact: Train times on the SNCF vary dramatically by day, as is the French way.

You’re not done once you get to that train station, sadly.

From Vernon-Giverny, you can take a shuttle bus to take you the rest of the way or snag a rideshare. (We use both Uber and Bolt in France, depending on the price.) Taxis are an option, too, if you’re a risk-taker.

If all of that sounds like a lot, it is. Drive if you can for a more efficient trip. I promise it’s not super scary, even just outside of Paris. 

Guided tours are the laziest option. I mean that in the best way, as they’re often my preferred mode of travel when I don’t feel like doing a thing.

Here are some options:

Tips for Visiting Monet’s Garden in Giverny

Day trips to Giverny are easy enough, especially once you’re there, but there are a few more things you should know before you go smell the roses:

• Giverny typically opens at the end of March through the start of November. This can vary somewhat, but don’t expect to spend a magical holiday there in December. 
• The gardens are otherwise open daily, including public holidays. 
• Book your tickets in advance if you’re visiting closer to high season. We didn’t have any trouble with lines but had tickets booked anyway. 
• Expect to spend an hour or two inside the house and gardens. You won’t be ticking things off a list as much as enjoying your surroundings while you’re there.
• Pets are not allowed inside the gardens, so book the dog-sitter for this one.

More Things to Do in Giverny

Once you’re done with the gardens — or perhaps you see some ominous weather on the horizon as we did — you can spend a few more hours exploring the town of Giverny.

Yes, it’s touristy. This place lives for your souvenir shopping and admiration of Monet’s prints on scarves, trivets, and coasters.

Note: I was victimized by the gift shop myself, picking up a set of water lily coasters like they were a need, not a want.

It’s also cute and charming, especially if you’re here outside of busy months like June, July, or August. 

If you’re hungry, we enjoyed our meal at Au Coin du Pain’tre, a cute cafe that saved us from the impending rain with generous sandwiches, lunch specials, and pie.

Follow that up with artisanal chocolates for the road, even if you had pie. (We did.)

Giverny Chocolat by Babzacao is the place to make that happen, especially if you like chocolate malt ball-like treats and nut clusters that will help you forget the rain.

From there, walk back to the Museum of Impressionism Giverny that you likely passed on the way to the gardens. I loved the layout of this one with its themed rooms showing off the best of Normandy through the Impressionists’ eyes.

Note: You can get a combo ticket for your Giverny entrance fee and the museum ahead of time to save some coin. 

Before you go, pay your respects to Monet himself. He’s not buried on his former property but outside the Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny.

The church offers free entry and a sanctuary escape from inclement weather, but his actual grave will be up the hill off to the side. 

Search for “Tombe de Claude Monet” on your map apps to get you right in front.

READ MORE: Want more Paris day trip ideas? Check out my guide to Fontainebleau.

Spring is the best time to visit Giverny.

I just can’t picture it getting any lovelier than a visit to Monet’s garden in the spring. It’s almost like he’d want you to see it this way. I’m sure Giverny in September or October offers some of that crunchy fall wonder, but spring makes it feel like you’re watching it come alive after months of gray and gloom.

I would know. French winters aren’t cold, but they’re dreary unless you find yourself in the Alsace region during Christmas.

I know I’d love to come back to see Giverny in May with extra bloomage, but can’t deny the appeal of off-season travel to one of the busiest spots in France.

Visiting elsewhere in France? Check out these guides:

• A Guide to Nice for Rainy Days
• How to Plan Your Next Weekend in Nice
• Visiting the French Riviera? Stop in Antibes
• Nice to Monaco: How to Plan Your Trip
• Get a Little Fancy in Cannes, France

I’m not done yet! Check out more in and around France:

• How to Play Le Golf National Near Paris
• Surprising Things We’ve Learned About France
• A Guide to Spending One Busy Day in Lille
• Is Venice Worth the Trip? Read My Guide!
• How to Plan Your Trip to Swiss Lausanne

Want to see more?