Self-Guided Walking Tour in Giverny

A compact 1.8 km loop through Giverny that ties together 5 stops, from Monet's House and Gardens to the Impressionism museum, the church where he is buried, the old artists' hotel, and the hillside path he painted. This page gives you the map, each leg's walking time, current prices and hours, and shorter versions.

5 Stops1.8 km~1 hours walking3–4 hours with stops
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Giverny Walking Tour at a Glance

This route is built for anyone who wants Giverny on their own clock instead of a coach group's. It threads all 5 stops into one short village loop where every interior is optional: the gardens are the one thing you truly came for, and the museum, church, hotel and hillside path are yours to keep or skip. You park or step off the shuttle and walk the whole thing yourself, no metro, no taxi, no chance of getting lost.

StartMonet's House and Gardens
FinishSentiers des Coteaux de Giverny
Route typeA compact loop that runs west along Rue Claude Monet and back east, ending on the hillside just above where you started, so there is very little backtracking.
Realistic timeThe 1.8 km of walking is barely 25 minutes on its own, but with the gardens and a museum stop it realistically fills three to four hours.
DifficultyEasy and short at 1.8 km, almost entirely flat gravel and village street, with one brief grass-and-dirt climb up the hillside path at the end.
Cost to followThe outdoor loop is free to walk. Only Monet's House and Gardens (€13.50) is essential; the Museum of Impressionism (€12) is optional and the church and hillside path are free.
Best for:

First-time visitors who want the gardens without the coach-tour schedule, plus anyone who likes to linger by the lily pond until the buses leave.

The Route

Free Walking Tour Map of Giverny

5 stops1.8 kmabout 1 hours
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The 5 stops along this route

  1. Monet's House and Gardens in Giverny, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Monet's House and Gardens
  2. Musée des impressionnismes Giverny in Giverny, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Musée des impressionnismes Giverny
  3. Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny in Giverny, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny
  4. Ancien Hôtel Baudy in Giverny, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Ancien Hôtel Baudy
  5. Sentiers des Coteaux de Giverny in Giverny, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Sentiers des Coteaux de Giverny
  6. That's the complete route.

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Your Giverny Walking Tour, Stop by Stop

  1. 1

    Monet's House and Gardens

    Monet's House and Gardens in Giverny, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour

    Start here, and start early. The pink house with green shutters sits behind the Clos Normand, the flower garden Monet packed with tulips, irises and nasturtiums spilling over the gravel paths. Walk through the tunnel under the road to reach the Water Garden: the willow-draped pond, the famous green Japanese bridge, and the water lilies that became the Nymphéas series. It is daily 10:00 to 18:00, €13.50, and worth every cent. Two real tips. Buy the timed ticket online before you arrive, because the on-site line in summer eats an hour. And get to the gate near opening, since the lily pond is mobbed by midday and you cannot photograph the bridge without ten strangers in frame. Give it 90 minutes minimum. When you leave, the museum is a 200-meter stroll up the road to your right.

  2. 2

    Musée des impressionnismes Giverny

    Musée des impressionnismes Giverny in Giverny, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour

    After the sensory overload of the gardens, this is the calm room. The Musée des Impressionnismes (MdIG) sits just up the lane, a low modern building set into the hillside with its own planted terraces. It opened in 2009 in the building that was formerly the Museum of American Art, and it runs two temporary exhibitions a season, roughly late March to early November. Do not expect a wall of Monet originals here. The point is context: the Impressionist movement and the American painters who followed Monet to this village. Daily 10:00 to 18:00, €12. Honest verdict: skip it if you are short on time or it is between exhibitions, but if the current show interests you it is a quiet, well-curated 45 minutes. The garden café and terrace make a decent lunch stop. From here, head west along Rue Claude Monet toward the church spire.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
    Price
    €12
    Website
    mdig.fr ↗
  3. 3

    Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny

    Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny in Giverny, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour

    Walk west and the village thins out, the crowds drop away, and the small stone church appears on a rise to your left. Sainte-Radegonde is Romanesque in origin and a listed monument historique since 2009. The church itself is a quiet two-minute look inside, free, open daily 9:00 to 18:00. But that is not why you climb up here. In the churchyard behind it lies Monet's grave, the family tomb a simple low slab among the others, easy to miss. Most day-trippers never make it this far, which is the point: after the queues at the gardens, standing at the painter's actual grave with no one around lands differently. Take the path around the right side of the church to find it. Then double back east toward the old artists' hotel, about a five-minute walk along the same road.

    Hours
    Daily: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
    Price
    Free
  4. 4

    Ancien Hôtel Baudy

    Ancien Hôtel Baudy in Giverny, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour

    Back along the main road, the long building with the wisteria-draped terrace is the old Hôtel Baudy. In the 1880s and 90s this was the boarding house for the artist colony that descended on Giverny, and Cézanne, Renoir, Rodin and a wave of American Impressionists all passed through. Behind it there is a rose garden and the preserved artist's studio up the slope, free to wander. The terrace is now a restaurant, closed Mondays, otherwise Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 to 21:00 and Sunday 11:30 to 17:00. It is mid-range ($$) and more about the setting than the cooking, so come for a drink on the terrace under the climbing roses rather than a serious meal. Even if you skip the food, walk up to the studio garden for five minutes. From here the hillside footpath starts just behind, climbing east.

  5. 5

    Sentiers des Coteaux de Giverny

    Sentiers des Coteaux de Giverny in Giverny, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour

    This is the closer almost no one on a coach tour sees. Behind the village the Sentiers des Coteaux climb the hillside through scrub and wildflowers, and within a few minutes of walking up you get the long view: the rooftops of Giverny below, the Seine valley flattening out, the patchwork of fields and poplars Monet looked at every day. It is free and open around the clock, just a packed-earth and grass path, so wear something other than smooth-soled shoes if it has rained. Go far enough up to clear the trees, maybe ten minutes, then stop where the valley opens. Late afternoon light here is the reward for staying after the buses leave. When you have had your fill, the path drops you back down into the village, and Monet's house is a short walk back to where you started.

How Long Does This Walking Tour Really Take?

Budget three to four hours and weight it toward the first stop. The walking itself is only around 25 minutes across 1.8 km, but Monet's House and Gardens alone deserve at least 90 minutes, the museum is a flexible 45 you can cut, and the church, hotel and hillside path run 15 to 20 minutes each.

Budget three to four hours for the whole loop, and weight it heavily toward the first stop. Monet's house and gardens deserve at least 90 minutes on their own, more if you want to sit by the pond and wait the crowds out. The museum is a flexible 45 minutes you can cut entirely. The church, Baudy and the hillside path are short, maybe 15 to 20 minutes each.

For a break, the terrace at the Ancien Hôtel Baudy is the obvious choice: order a coffee or a glass of rosé under the wisteria and rest your legs before the climb. If it is busy or closed (it shuts Mondays), the café and terrace at the Impressionism museum is the quieter fallback. And if you just want to sit for free, the benches in the churchyard at Sainte-Radegonde are shaded and almost always empty.

Full Route, Shorter Walk or Two-Day Version?

The full loop is short enough that most people do all of it, but here are three ways to run it depending on how much time you have and how deep you want to go into the interiors.

The Complete Loop

All Five Stops

Stops 1 to 5, roughly 3–4 hours with the gardens and museum

The full village: gardens (stop 1), Impressionism museum (stop 2), Monet's grave at the church (stop 3), the old Hôtel Baudy (stop 4), and the hillside viewpoint (stop 5). Best if you have a full half-day and want the quiet corners the coach groups never reach.

Gardens Essentials

Skip the Museum

Stops 1, then 3 to 5, around 2–2.5 hours

Cut the Museum of Impressionism (stop 2) and the extra €12, since it is the one indoor stop that adds a full lane's detour and a full ticket. You still get the gardens, Monet's grave, the Hôtel Baudy terrace and the hillside view. The tightest way to see the real Giverny in a morning.

Gardens and Grave

The Short Half

Stops 1 to 3, about 90 minutes to two hours

If your train back from Vernon is early, split the loop at the church (stop 3). Do the gardens, the museum if it interests you, and finish at Monet's grave, all within a 600 m stretch of the main street. Save the Hôtel Baudy and hillside path for a return visit or a longer day.

You can walk this in reverse, starting on the hillside path and finishing at the gardens, but the recommended direction puts Monet's House and Gardens first for a reason: get there near the 10:00 opening before the Paris coach groups arrive, then let the rest of the loop wind down as the day gets busier.

Is This Giverny Walking Tour Right for You?

Giverny is one long village street with a footpath up the hillside, so this loop suits almost everyone, but a few things are worth knowing before you set off.

A good fit if you…

  • First-timers who want the whole village on foot without figuring out shuttles or taxis between sights
  • Photographers chasing the Japanese bridge shot who are willing to arrive at the 10:00 opening
  • Anyone happy to wait out the midday coach crowds by the lily pond instead of being herded
  • Travelers who like a short, flat walk (1.8 km) with one optional climb for a big view

Adapt the route if you…

  • You have limited time: cut the museum (stop 2) and finish at Monet's grave (stop 3)
  • It has rained: skip the grass Sentiers des Coteaux (stop 5), which turns muddy and loses the view to mist
  • You are visiting on a Monday: the Hôtel Baudy terrace (stop 4) is closed, so plan your break at the museum café instead
  • You want a sit-down break for free: the shaded churchyard benches at Sainte-Radegonde (stop 3) are almost always empty

Tickets & Skip-the-Line in Giverny

Only one stop on this loop truly needs planning: Monet's House and Gardens. The line at the gate eats up to an hour in summer, so book a timed ticket online before you arrive. Everything else is either a low-cost walk-in or free.

Monet's House and Gardens€13.50, open daily 10:00 to 18:00. This is the one essential ticket. Buy the timed entry online in advance, because the on-site queue in summer can cost you an hour, and aim for the 10:00 opening before the Paris coach groups arrive around 11. official ticket site ↗
Musée des impressionnismes Giverny€12, open daily 10:00 to 18:00. Optional. It runs two temporary exhibitions a season, so check the current show is worth your time before buying; you can also just use its garden café and terrace for a break. official ticket site ↗
Église Sainte-Radegonde de GivernyFree, open daily 9:00 to 18:00. No ticket needed. This is where Monet is buried; take the path around the right side of the church to find the family grave in the churchyard. official ticket site ↗
Ancien Hotel BaudyMid-range restaurant and terrace, no entry ticket. Closed Mondays; otherwise Tue-Sat 11:30 to 21:00 and Sun 11:30 to 17:00. Come for a coffee or a glass of rose under the wisteria; the rose garden and preserved artist's studio behind it are free to wander. official ticket site ↗
Everything elseThe Sentiers des Coteaux de Giverny hillside path is a free, open-around-the-clock outdoor space with no ticket or booking of any kind.
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Tips for Walking in Giverny

  • Coming from Paris: take the train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny (about 45 min), then the shuttle bus to the village. Aim for an early train so you reach the gardens near the 10:00 opening, before the coach groups arrive around 11.
  • Footwear: the village street and garden paths are gravel and packed earth, fine for most shoes, but the Sentiers des Coteaux hillside path is grass and dirt and gets slick after rain. Skip smooth-soled or heeled shoes if you plan to climb for the view.
  • Restrooms: the cleanest free option is inside Monet's house and gardens near the entrance, so use it before you leave the site. The Impressionism museum also has facilities for visitors.
  • Food and drink: the terrace at the Ancien Hôtel Baudy (Rue Claude Monet) is the spot for a mid-range drink or lunch under the climbing roses. It is closed Mondays; otherwise Tue-Sat 11:30-21:00 and Sun 11:30-17:00. Come for a coffee or a glass of rosé and the setting more than the menu.
  • Photo: the green Japanese bridge over the lily pond in the Water Garden is the shot. Stand at either end of the bridge facing along it, and go right at the 10:00 opening, since by midday you cannot get a frame without other visitors in it.

Why Walk This Route?

Giverny is small. The whole village is one long street with a footpath up the hillside, and you can walk the entire loop in under two kilometers. That is exactly why it works for a self-guided tour: there is no metro to figure out, no taxi to argue with, no risk of getting lost. You park or step off the shuttle, and everything Monet painted is within a fifteen-minute stroll. The catch is the crowds. By 11am in summer the line at Monet's house snakes down the road, so the smart move is to time the walk around that, not against it.

This route runs the village the way it makes sense on foot. It starts at Monet's House and Gardens, the only reason anyone comes here, then crosses the street to the Impressionism museum, drifts west to the church where Monet is buried, doubles back to the old artists' hotel, climbs the hillside path for the view he painted, and loops home. Roughly 1.8 km of walking, mostly flat except the short climb at the end.

Doing it yourself beats a guided coach tour for one simple reason: you control the clock. Bus groups get dumped at the gardens for a fixed slot and herded out. On foot you can sit by the lily pond until the tour buses leave, then have the place half to yourself.

Common Questions

Is Giverny safe to walk around?

Very. It is a quiet rural village with one main street and almost no traffic risk beyond the occasional car and tour bus on Rue Claude Monet. There is no pickpocket or scam problem here the way there is in central Paris. The only real hazards are the crowds bunching up at the garden gate and the grass hillside path getting slippery when wet.

What if it rains during my Giverny tour?

The gardens stay open in rain and honestly look beautiful wet, with fewer crowds, so do not write the day off. For indoor cover, the Museum of Impressionism (€12, daily 10:00-18:00) is the main dry option, and the covered terrace at the Ancien Hôtel Baudy works for waiting out a shower. Skip the Sentiers des Coteaux hillside path in heavy rain, since the dirt trail turns muddy and the valley view disappears into mist.

What's the best time of day for this walking tour?

Right at the 10:00 opening of Monet's gardens. The coach groups from Paris tend to arrive around 11, so the first hour is the calmest you will get at the lily pond and the Japanese bridge. Late afternoon is the second-best window, once the buses leave, with soft light on the hillside view. The dead middle of the day, roughly 11:30 to 2, is the worst for crowds.

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