CDG - Giverny - Honfleur timing?

In practical terms, it takes about 1.5 hours to drive to Giverny from CDG. How long it takes to get from plane to car is another matter.
It does occur to me that to land from an overnight flight and then have a full day's activities including two drives of 1.5 hours may be a bit ambitious.

Have you traveled to Europe before? Asking because I agree that this is pretty ambitious for your arrival day. Even though I take steps to mitigate jet lag I would not be able to enjoy this start. I don't rent a car in Europe but most who do don't recommend driving that distance after an overnight flight.

I would expect the gardens to be pretty strict about their timed entries. It IS crowded and they need to do something to even out the flow of people. I've always been on time for my visits to the garden so no personal experience with being late.

If you do make your 2:30 entry for Giverny and afterwards (say, 1 1/2-2 hours later), then drive to Honfleur, you will be arriving there possibly when it starts getting dark (Sept.). I wouldn't want to be trying to drive in a different country after an overnight flight late in the afternoon or early in the evening. I don't usually have jet lag even flying from Calif., but I would still not be in good shape for that drive, and for locating my lodging. And have I had any time to eat that day? My body would need some nourishment to avoid flagging out. Viamichelin and Google both give you drive times that I find are not long enough. They don't factor in time to get gas or food or use bathrooms. We always add an hour to what they say. If it is less, then yay! Better to be prepared though.

Thanks for the replies. I have been to Europe many times and we both have been to Paris but never rented a car on the 1st day and never driven in France. I’m usually running on adrenaline the 1st day but have a hard time getting up and going the 2nd day. So that was the thinking for getting the car and getting out of town right away. I’m now reconsidering that plan, any suggestions on the best location to rent a car for the drive to Giverny? Should we go all the way back to CDG to avoid city traffic or rent somewhere else less expensive then airport pick up?

Take the train to Mantes-de-Jolie. You can rent in Mantes-de-Jolie near Giverny. Just avoid trying to rent anywhere other than CDG on a Sunday. Hours are very limited in France on Sundays. I wouldn't drive to Honfluer until the next day.

I wouldn’t try this. Just because you never know if you will arrive when you are supposed to.

I was put especially in mind of that just a little while ago from a trip report on the Forum from someone flying to Edinburgh via jFK from Pittsburgh. They had a few different problems. In the end, they only arrived in Glasgow about seven hours after they had planned (albeit without their luggage), but luckily they had just planned on strolling that day and didn’t have anything fixed they missed.

Flights can often be fine, and flights can often have delays. I would be a nervous wreck the whole time worrying about delays messing up my finely tuned schedule. You may be calmer about such things !

I wouldn’t try this. Just because you never know if you will arrive when you are supposed to.

I agree, and you also never know how you will feel upon arrival, even if you arrive on time. I have experienced crushing jet lag as often as I have felt surprisingly refreshed - it is really sometimes impossible to predict. My usual condition upon arrival in Europe after the overnight flight is general fogginess, and I avoid doing anything complicated, just take it easy on those days, go on walks - sometimes I grab a nap. But I schedule nothing big for arrival day, and I would never risk extending that arrival day with a car rental + site visit and a late afternoon arrival, likely at dusk, at my first night lodging like the OP is planning...

...we both have been to Paris but never rented a car on the 1st day
and never driven in France.

I agree with the caution about driving on day one, although I have done it a couple of times. The only thing I would add is that you say "we." If one person is driving, it is the responsibility of the other person to navigate and help keep the driver alert. It isn't a time to doze off for either party. It has to be a team effort.