This guide is for you if you want the Palace of Versailles and Monet's garden at Giverny in one day from Paris. Most of the planning comes down to three things: a date when both are open, two sets of tickets bought in advance, and a clear idea of what the morning at Versailles leaves out.
Choosing the date
Start with the two calendars, because they do not overlap all year.
- Versailles is closed on Mondays. The palace also closes on 25 December, 1 January and 1 May, and lists one-off closures on its website.
- Giverny is open for the season from early April to early November, from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30. Check this year's dates. From early November to the end of March the house and gardens are shut, and we plan the afternoon differently. Ask us what we suggest for your date.
Within the Giverny season, the garden changes every few weeks. The water lilies are out from late spring to early autumn, at their fullest in summer. If the lily pond is the reason you are going, aim for June to September.
At Versailles, the Musical Fountains run from early April to the start of November. On show days the gardens charge for entry and keep different hours, so check the show calendar for your date.
One more thing to know before you go: the King's Chamber and the Bull's Eye Antechamber were closed indefinitely on 19 August 2025. The Hall of Mirrors and the royal apartments are still on the route, but check the palace website if the King's bedroom is what you came for.
Two tickets to book
Neither entrance is included, and both are best bought online before the day.
The palace needs a reservation with a time slot, and places are limited. Book the 09:00 slot so it lines up with our plan, and book it as early as you can, especially for spring and summer dates. The Trianon estate does not need a reservation.
Monet's house and gardens recommend booking online. Tickets are also sold at the gate, but once the online quota is gone the site warns of crowds and long waits there. E-tickets cannot be refunded, so book once your date is settled. If you are asked for a time, choose the early afternoon, to match our arrival at around 13:00.
How the day fits together
You are collected at 07:00 and reach Versailles at around 08:00. That hour goes on Le Nôtre's gardens, down towards the Grand Canal, while the palace is still closed. At 09:00 you go in, at opening time, before the rooms fill: the Hall of Mirrors, the King's and Queen's apartments, the royal chapel.
Be clear about one thing. The Trianon estate, with the Queen's Hamlet, opens at noon. On this schedule you see it from the gardens rather than from inside. If Marie Antoinette's corner of the estate matters to you more than Giverny, Versailles can be done on its own as a half day. Message us and we will price it.
Lunch, at around 11:30, is in a village on the road west into Normandy. Giverny takes the afternoon. Its own advice is to allow an hour and a half to two hours for the house and the two gardens, which leaves time for the village. You are back at your hotel at around 17:00.
Because the car is yours, the order can change on the day. Longer in the Hall of Mirrors, less time over lunch: tell your driver in the morning.
By train, or with a driver
Each place on its own is easy by train. For Versailles, the RER C stops at Versailles Château Rive Gauche, ten minutes' walk from the palace, and trains from Saint-Lazare and Montparnasse run to the town's other two stations. For Giverny, trains leave Saint-Lazare for Vernon-Giverny, and a shuttle bus runs from the station to the village.
Doing both in a day is the hard part. The two are on different lines, so you go back through Paris in the middle of the day, and the connections take time you would rather spend in the garden.
A private day joins them without that detour. It also solves the bag problem. The left-luggage service at Versailles has been suspended, and Giverny takes only cabin-size bags, up to 55 by 35 by 20 centimetres, with nowhere to leave anything larger. Your bags stay in the vehicle. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to bring
- Both sets of tickets, on your phone or printed.
- Walking shoes. The gardens at Versailles run all the way down to the Grand Canal, and you will be on your feet most of the day.
- A light layer for the 08:00 start in the gardens, even in summer.
- Money or a card for lunch.
Leave the sketchbook at the hotel. Giverny does not allow painting, drawing or picnics in the gardens.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits anyone with one day outside Paris who cares about painting, gardens or the French court, and families who want a day without a coach timetable.
- Wheelchair users. Giverny's gardens are accessible, but Monet's house is not. Versailles gives free entry to people with disabilities and a companion. Tell us when you book.
- Visitors from November to March. Giverny is closed. Versailles alone, or the Paris tour by car, may suit you better.
- Anyone set on a Monday. The palace is shut. Move the day.
Our guide to day trips from Paris compares this day with the Loire and Normandy.
Questions people ask
Why did Monet dig a pond?
In 1893 he bought a piece of land with a pond next to his property. He wanted it, in his words, for the pleasure of the eye and for subjects to paint.
Can we see the fountains running?
The fountains play to music on show days, from early April to the start of November. Check the palace's show calendar for the days and times before you book.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick a date that is not a Monday and falls in the Giverny season, then book the palace at 09:00 and Monet's house for the early afternoon. Pick-up, timings and what is included are on the Versailles and Giverny day trip page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
