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Paris to Giverny and Rouen

My wife and I plan to leave Paris early morning in early May for Giverny. How long should we allow to tour the gardens and impressionist museum nearby? Is it doable to do Giverny, rent a car there as RS recommends and then head to Rouen for the night?

Posted by
7 posts

I use to do the Giverny tour quite often as a tour leader with Viking american guests. A 2 hrs tour inside is more that enough I guess, including the house and the gift shop. The Impressionist museum - which is a different management than Monet's house - is 5 to 10 mn walking distance and 30-40mn there are OK.
Question : how do you intent to go to Giverny ? I don't know what RS recommends but renting a car there sounds very optimistic to me ( where ... ? ). Going from Giverny ( close to Vernon ) to Rouen is absolutely doable within 1 hr but maybe the best would be to rent the car in Paris ?

Posted by
1954 posts

If you spend between 3 and 4 hours for both museums in Giverny you will have I think enough time to visit more places on the way to Rouen. Last September I have visited Château Gaillard and more north lovely Lyons-la-Forêt. The route in Andelys for finding the chateau is not directly easy there but the view, ruins on top of a cliff bordering the Seine is stunning and really worth at least a stop to my opinion. Going inside the payed part of the ruins does not really add to the experience, just walking outside is enough for enjoying the scenery with Andelys lying underneath.

Rouen is not an easy place for finding your way, an up to date GPS is worth to have in your car. Some 5 km east from Giverny La Roche-Guyon is worth a stop or visit too. Enough lovely countryside there to drive through if you have time for it.

Posted by
14 posts

Thanks so much for the Giverny timing suggestions and other sights to see on the way to/around Rouen. Any further advice on what location or city/town to rent a car outside the busy Paris area for our auto trip northwest?

Posted by
1954 posts

Well I have always my own wheels in France so no experience with renting a car there, but reading posts from others there are rental agencies in La Défense conveniently located near the A14 with a direct connection to the A13 for driving straight out of Paris to Giverny. La Défense itself is very easy to reach with metro and RER from central Paris.

Posted by
7980 posts

I would rent on the edge of Paris and drive to Giverny. It is always prudent to rent in places that have lots of cars.

Posted by
16893 posts

Although I don't see anywhere that Rick mentions this plan, Google Maps shows Avis, Hertz, and Europcar offices in Vernon, near Giverny. If you arrive to Vernon by train with your luggage, then I'd assume your next step would be to pick up the car, stow luggage, and drive the 6 km to Giverny.

Vernon also has direct train service to Rouen Rive-Droite station and Rouen offers car rental when you're ready to leave. If following that plan, there is luggage storage at the café across the street from Vernon train station.

Posted by
29 posts

Hi -
It's only about an hour from Giverny to Rouen. If you're planning to continue your driving trip from Rouen, you might find a better price and easier rental there. A few years ago in early April my husband and I took the train from Paris to Giverny arriving about a half hour after it opened. We stayed as long as we wanted (about 2 or so hours), then took the train to Deauville where we had a rental car waiting for us. The train ride is fast and relaxing. From Deauville we drove to Honfleur where we stayed for a couple of days before continuing on to Mt St. Michele, then returning through Normandy, including the Beaches, cemetery, Bayeux. We returned the car in Rouen and took the train back to Paris, which doesn't take more than a couple of hours at most.