Monet's garden in Giverny: tickets, season and the best month

Monet's house and gardens at Giverny open only in season, and the two decisions that shape a visit are when to go and whether to book ahead. The Fondation Claude Monet recommends booking online, and queues form at the gate once the online quotas fill. See also the Giverny travel guide.

The garden is a short train ride from Paris, and it sits inside a longer trip through France. For the route, the shuttle and the plan for the day, read our Paris to Giverny day trip guide next.

The season runs from 1 April to 1 November in 2026. The site is open every day in that window, from 10am to 6pm, with last admission at 5:30pm, according to the Fondation Claude Monet. Outside those dates the house and gardens are closed. If you are in the Paris area from November to March, plan a different day trip.

The Fondation's visitor page has the current details: Claude Monet's useful information. The dates for a future season can differ, so check it again before you book a trip for another year.

Book on the Fondation's official site, not through a reseller that adds a fee. The official ticketing platform sells tickets online, and the on-site ticket office is open daily too. Online queues are shorter than the gate queue once the quota fills, so book as soon as your dates are fixed, especially for weekends and for May and June.

The Fondation lists the adult ticket at €13. Children aged 7 to 17 and students pay €7, visitors with a disability pay €6 (their accompanying person pays the full rate), and children under 7 are free. Groups of 20 or more need to book in advance, subject to availability. Prices can change between seasons, so confirm the figure on the official page when you book. Resellers and bundled tours add their own prices, so compare the total before you buy.

Check the terms of the ticket you choose before you pay, including whether it carries an entry time and whether it can be changed. If your plans are uncertain, a quiet weekday in April or October is the lowest-risk day to buy on arrival.

If you do not book ahead, you can still try buying a ticket at the gate. The risk is a long wait in the sun, or a long line at busy times. For a trip planned around a single day, the online ticket is worth it.

The answer depends on what you want to see. The garden is planted for color through the season, and what blooms changes with the weather each year, so treat the monthly notes below as a guide, not a promise.

April is the opening month, and the garden is fresher and less crowded, though fewer flowers are out. May and June are the classic choice, with spring and early summer bloom, long days and warm weather. July and August are the summer peak, with the water lilies in their season and the largest crowds, with heat in the middle of the day. September is calmer, with late flowers and softer light. October is quieter still, and the garden closes on 1 November.

If you can choose, May, June and September are the usual picks. The weather in Normandy changes quickly, so bring a light rain jacket in any month.

The first hour of the day is the best. The gardens open at 10am, and the paths are quieter before the tour groups arrive from Paris by coach. You get softer light for photographs and room to stand at the bridge without a crowd behind you. Late afternoon is the next best choice, since many day-trippers leave to catch trains, though last admission is at 5:30pm, so you have less time.

Midday is the busiest and the hottest. If you must visit then, spend the time in the house and the shade, and leave the pond for later. Weekends are busier than weekdays, so pick a weekday if your schedule allows.

For the opening hour you need an early train, or a night in Vernon. Our Paris to Giverny day trip guide explains the train and the shuttle, which affect how early you can arrive.

Arrive at least 15 minutes before you plan to enter, with your ticket on your phone. Only cabin-size bags of 55 x 35 x 20 cm or smaller are allowed, and any exit from the gardens is final, so do not plan to step out and come back. Pets are not allowed, apart from certified assistance dogs. Bring water and a hat in summer, and a light layer in spring and autumn.

Inside, the route runs from the flower garden in front of the house to the water garden across the road. Most visitors spend 1.5 to 2 hours. The house is small and can be crowded, so move steadily. Photographs are fine in the gardens, but keep to the paths and do not step into the beds.

After the visit, the village has cafes and a second museum nearby. If you have time, walk through the lanes before you head back to the train. For the fuller plan, see the Giverny travel guide.

The garden stays open in light rain, and wet days can be the quietest of the season. Paths are gravel and soil, so wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy, and bring a compact umbrella. A cloudy morning gives soft light for photographs, and the flowers often look richer than under hard midday sun.

Heat is the larger problem in July and August. There is little shade at the pond, and the queue to enter can be long if you arrive without a ticket. Carry water, wear a hat and plan to be inside the house or the shaded edges between 1pm and 4pm. If the forecast is for a heat wave, take the opening hour and leave before lunch.

Check the Fondation's site on the morning you travel for any notice about access. If you bought a ticket through a reseller, read its change rules before you decide to move the day.

The Fondation says the gardens accommodate visitors with reduced mobility, but the house is not wheelchair accessible, and priority entry is available with disability documentation. If you travel with a wheelchair or a stroller, read the accessibility notes on the official page before you plan the day, and ask the Fondation about the route between the flower garden and the water garden.

Children under 7 enter free and those aged 7 to 17 pay the reduced rate, so the garden is a cheap family outing once you are there. The ponds and the narrow bridge are the places to hold hands. Bikes can be parked in the village car parks, and bikes can be rented at Vernon station, which makes a family ride along the Seine à Vélo route an option on a dry day.

The Fondation sells the standard self-guided ticket, and many visitors are happy with that and a printed or phone map. A guided day trip from Paris costs more because it includes transport, and it is worth it only if the transfers are what puts you off. Check what the price includes, in particular whether the garden entry is part of it, before you compare it with the €13 adult ticket plus the train and the €10 shuttle return.

If you travel as a group of 20 or more, the Fondation asks for a booking in advance and publishes a separate group rate sheet. Smaller families and friends are better off buying individual tickets online and arriving together at the opening hour.

Book ahead if you travel in May, June, July, August or September, on a weekend, or with a group. Skip the advance ticket only if you visit in April or October on a weekday and are happy to take the chance of a queue. If your dates are flexible, a weekday in September is often a good compromise.

Skip Giverny entirely if you visit between November and March, or if your time in Paris is short. Versailles and Fontainebleau are open in winter and can fill the day; our comparison of Versailles, Fontainebleau or Giverny helps you choose, and the guide to Impressionist day trips from Paris shows what else is open outside the Giverny season.