10 Things to Do in Giverny in Summer

Are you thinking of visiting Giverny, the town that is world famous for having been the greatest source of inspiration of the famous painter Claude Monet? You are probably wondering what you can do to make your visit a unique experience and not miss anything.

During your trip you will find a number of plans to enjoy Giverny. This place, even long before Monet made it his home and place of relaxation and inspiration, already possessed a charm that attracted dozens of artists as well as residents in search of tranquility, rest and motivation.

Discover all the enigmas of the impressionist master and his works by visiting the house where he lived for 43 years, its gardens and the water lily pond, which inspired Claude Monet to paint his most famous paintings. You will be able to enjoy and contemplate the gardens that Monet took so much care of and in which he found his inspiration without worrying about bad weather.

It will be impressive to experience firsthand the variety of flowers found there, which vary with the seasons under the effect of light, but I assure you, that in summer you can see the most vivid colors to the fullest.

Undoubtedly, one of the most photographable places is the pond where Claude Monet painted his famous water lilies, which Monet himself planted, because besides being a painter, he was also a gardener and with the eye of an artist, he achieved an incomparable harmony.

There are different ways to enjoy this tour, with different types of guided tours, or activities that besides showing you the tour, will offer you other types of experiences. Choose the one you like the most!

Practical information

• Schedule: from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, with the last tour at 5:30 pm all week.
• Price: The approximate price of admission is about 9.50 €,

What better way to get some fresh air than on a bike ride! It is a different way to get to know and explore it, while you relax while pedaling, feeling the warm wind on your face.

This way, you will feel a greater connection with nature, as you will enjoy all the landscapes and natural surroundings, while doing a healthy physical activity, activating all your senses; the smell, sounds and colors of the environment.

Of course, this activity is quite popular and there are even many tourists who take the opportunity to combine the visit with the nearby Vernon in this vehicle, as well as excursions that leave from Paris and travel along the river bank.

For this reason, if you are going to do the tour on your own and not with a tour, it is advisable to rent your bike in advance.

Every year, between the end of August and the beginning of September, the outstanding Chamber Music Festival takes place in Giverny, where about twenty international musicians of the genre, conducted by Michel Strauss, the famous French cellist.

The Festival is an exceptional opportunity to listen to masterpieces from the classical period or more contemporary ones, performed in the heart of the impressionist city. You will be able to enjoy the music of well-known classical and romantic composers such as Mozart, Schumann or Brahms among other admirable musicians.

Definitely, the magical splendor of this wonderful place is ideal to be captivated by the charm of classical music.

Practical Information

• Dates: late August to early September
• Venue: in various parts of the city, although the auditorium of the Musée des Impressionistes stands out.
• Price: varies depending on the stage and the performance

A natural occurrence that is common in summer is the increased visibility of the stars at night. It seems that there can't be a summer without them and they really make this time of the year a special one.

Just visualize a dinner by the light of the moon and the stars, in which the hot season will allow us to spend a pleasant evening surrounded by the natural spectacle that Giverny offers us.

So choose a good wine and choose your dinner, as this could be the perfect setting for a romantic date outdoors, an evening with friends or why not, with yourself.

Nothing like enjoying a gourmet lunch on your city tour. An unforgettable place I recommend you to stop at, is the well-known restaurant Moulin de Fourges. This restaurant is one of the most elegant in Giverny, so it will really be worth a visit.

Whichever option you choose, I assure you that you will love any dish, plus the place has the option to enjoy your meal with a beautiful view of the river, so taking advantage of the genuine heat of the season, I suggest you choose this alternative.

This place, besides being an excellent choice to eat, has accommodation services. Here, its residents also have other options to make the most of the summer: canoeing on the Epte, biking on the trails, taking painting classes, among other recreational activities.

Supervised by a civil aviation professional, this hot air balloon tour is 100% safe. Only 4 passengers are allowed per balloon. The pilot is extremely friendly, he will make you fully enjoy the trip, explaining every detail and solving any doubts you may have, with great kindness.

The tour goes from the borders of Ile-de-France and Normandy, 45 minutes from Paris, you will also fly over the Seine Valley, the Regional Natural Park of French Vexin and Giverny; you will see magnificent valleys with its picturesque villages.

Although it is also a plan to include if you travel to Giverny in winter, it is when the good weather arrives when you can enjoy more of the outdoor gardens of this museum.

It is an open construction on the outside that has terraces full of heather plants and various types of flowers and trees, so that the summer manages to highlight the true shades of green of each of these. Just imagine strolling through the museum: while you learn about history and culture, you can have a magnificent tribute to nature in the background. And since impressionism has to do with -plein air- (painting in the open air), then what better place to enjoy impressionism than where the artists set up their easels to paint their masterpieces?

It has 2 collections. The first is a permanent collection called Around Claude Monet and revolves around Monet's works and his influence on other artists who followed in his footsteps.

The second is composed of two or three temporary exhibitions that change from year to year, which you can consult on their website to be aware of what will be on display on the days of your visit. The impressionist paintings presented in this collection are of both French and foreign origin.

Practical information

• Address: 99 rue Claude Monet
• Price: about 16 €.
• Opening hours: from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, every day. The last access is at 5:30 p.m.

Spring and summer in this part of France are not only ideal to avoid bad weather, but they are also the times when nature is at its best. If you are in Giverny, I recommend taking the opportunity to visit nearby Vernon, considered one of the most beautiful villages in the country.

The route, which can be done by bike in about 20 minutes or on foot in just over 1 hour, runs almost entirely along the Seine River. For this reason alone, it is well worth the effort.

When you arrive in Vernon there are a couple of must-see attractions: the impressive Château de Tourelles and the small but essential Vieux Moulin or Old Mill.

Another place to enjoy the summer recipes of the area is the Hôtel Restaurant Ancien BAUDY. This has been a famous stopping place for many French and American painters. It is considered a great source of inspiration for many artists.

This place is only 5 minutes away from the Claude Monet Museum and the Impressionist Museum, so it would be ideal to take a walk at the end of the tour of one of these.

You can enjoy your meal inside the restaurant or on the shaded terrace, with a nice view of a beautiful wooded park.

It offers a wide variety of starters, main courses and desserts available a la carte, plus it offers a charming period decor, which makes it a warm and cozy place.

It is a village church, around which is the final resting place of Monet, who is buried there with his family, including his wife Alice and son Michel.

A good idea is to bring him colorful and bright flowers as he liked, as a sign of respect and admiration.

Built about 500 years ago, the church of Sainte-Radegonde has a beautiful altar, stained glass windows and statues. It is worth a short visit.

During this season, the weather is mostly warm. However it is likely that there may be other weather occasionally, such as rain and cold winds in the afternoons. As the months go by, the temperature will rise and therefore, the heat will intensify.

In these summer months, the temperature is pleasant with little rainfall, which should be taken advantage of as Giverny days are usually rainy. On average, the highest temperature in the summer is 24°C.

Temperatures may be a bit high, but it is undoubtedly the best time of the year to visit Giverny to admire the beautiful colors of nature at its best, and to feel like you are inside a real painting.