How to Get to Giverny From Paris

Giverny receives over half a million visitors each year, yet it remains a village of fewer than 500 permanent residents. Nearly all of them arrive from Paris on a question of logistics: how to cross 75 kilometers of Normandy countryside without a car. The answer hinges on a single rail line and a five-kilometer gap that separates the station from the gardens. The train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny runs on the Paris–Rouen–Le Havre line, a commuter route that predates Monet's arrival in the village. The journey takes 45 minutes on direct services, slightly longer on stopping trains. Vernon station sits on the right bank of the Seine, five kilometers south of Giverny. A seasonal navette shuttle meets most trains from April through October, timed to the garden calendar. Outside those months, taxis and ride-shares cover the gap, or visitors walk the riverside path in about an hour. Driving from Paris takes 75 to 90 minutes via the A13 autoroute, exiting at Bonnières or Vernon. Giverny has limited street parking, and the village fills quickly on weekend mornings in spring. Organized day tours from Paris bundle transport, entry, and often a second stop at Versailles or Auvers-sur-Oise, though they impose fixed schedules and group pacing. Timing matters. Morning trains from Paris align with the garden's 09:30 opening, and early arrival means fewer crowds on the Japanese bridge and in the waterlily studio. Return trains from Vernon run until early evening, giving visitors four to five hours in the village. The last shuttle back to the station typically departs Giverny around 18:00 in high season. Train tickets are sold at Gare Saint-Lazare or online through SNCF; the shuttle accepts cash or card. Confirm the current shuttle schedule before departure, as service adjusts with the garden calendar and can pause for maintenance or weather.