Review: From Paris, Giverny and Palace of Versailles, full-day guided tour
My verdict: an 11 h 30 day that combines two visits in one, with skip-the-line access at the palace and entry to Giverny included, rated 4.5 out of 1,526 reviews. I recommend it for those who only have one day and want both. I don’t recommend it for those coming primarily for Monet: Giverny is the shorter part, and that’s the most common complaint in the reviews.
How the visit works
We depart from Place du Général-Kœnig in the 17th, next to the church. The coach takes 75 minutes to reach Giverny. Once there, you’ll have an hour and a half at the Fondation Monet Giverny—house and gardens—followed by an hour and a half of free time in the village (meals not included). Then, a one-hour transfer to Versailles, two hours of guided tour of the palace with the English-speaking guide, two hours of independent time in the gardens, and a 45-minute return trip to Paris.
On paper, that’s three hours in Giverny. But an hour and a half for the house and both gardens, arriving during the busy late-morning slot, is exactly the duration recommended by the Fondation Monet Giverny for a self-guided visit—with no wiggle room. The hour and a half in the village is mostly for lunch. Several travelers say they would have preferred the opposite: less free time at Versailles, more at Giverny. I agree with them. Erika also mentions a long queue despite the reservation: in high season, Monet’s house is always a slow crawl, no matter the ticket.
The Versailles portion, however, is generous: skip-the-line access to the palace, a guide for the Grand Apartments and Hall of Mirrors, then two hours for the gardens. The palace is the main course of this day—not Giverny.
What works well
- Two major sites in a single day from Paris
- Skip-the-line access to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
- Entry to Monet’s house and gardens included
- Guided tour of the palace, audio guide in ten languages for the rest
- Free cancellation up to 24 hrs before
Things to know
- An hour and a half at the Fondation Monet Giverny—the most frequent complaint
- 11 h 30 of travel, including over three hours on the coach
- No hotel pickup
- Meals and tips not included
- Arrival at Giverny during peak crowds
In Giverny, skip the sit-down lunch and grab something to go on rue Claude-Monet: you’ll gain an hour to revisit the water garden or walk up to Monet’s tomb, a ten-minute stroll away. You can eat on the coach.
What travellers say
Reviews praise the guides and the driver, and almost all regret the same thing. I’ll mention the reservations first because they’re useful.
« I would have preferred less free time at Versailles and more at Giverny » — Samantha, UK
« We enjoyed both sites, but a little more time at Giverny would have been nice » — Andrea, Canada
« Time at Giverny was too short; despite the reservation, there was a long queue » — Erika, Hungary
« Knowledgeable and clear guides, excellent driver » — Joselito, UK
« Hendricks, an excellent guide, very entertaining » — Henriette, UK
Who it’s for
For travelers passing through Paris who only have one day for Normandy and Versailles, and who are okay with the pace. For those who don’t want to organize two separate trips. If Monet is your main reason for coming, I’d point you toward the half-day excursion, which gives almost the same time in Giverny for half the day, or the full-day bike tour, which dedicates the entire day to it. If you have two days, do Versailles by RER and Giverny by train: you’ll arrive at opening time, which no coach tour allows. The hour-by-hour schedule and my tips for this day are on the combo page.
Alternatives
Most bookedFrom Paris: Giverny, Monet’s house and gardens (half-day)
By bikeFrom Paris: Monet’s gardens by bike and picnic break
PrivateFrom Paris: private tour of Giverny with chauffeur
Frequently asked questions
How much time is spent in Giverny on the combo tour?
An hour and a half in the Fondation Monet Giverny, house and gardens, followed by an hour and a half of free time in the village. That’s the recommended duration for a self-guided visit with no buffer—and the most common complaint in reviews. To compare with other options, see Visit Duration.
Is the combined ticket worth it?
Yes, if you only have one day and want to see both sites, with skip-the-line access at the palace. No, if Monet is your priority: Giverny is the shorter part. The full itinerary and my thoughts are on Giverny and Versailles.
Is lunch included?
No. The free time in Giverny—an hour and a half—is usually spent having lunch on Claude Monet Street. Meals, tips, and hotel pickup are not included. Picnicking is not allowed within the Fondation Monet Giverny grounds; see Where to Picnic in Giverny.
Is there a French-speaking guide?
The guide is English-speaking for the palace visit. In Giverny, the visit is self-guided with an audio guide app available in ten languages, headsets provided. For a French-speaking guide, the only option is the on-site guided tour.