Monet's garden, Giverny, Photo Ariane Cauderlier

English Guided Tours of Monet's Garden

by Local Licensed Guides-Lecturers

En Francais : Visite guidée de la propriété de Claude Monet

Auf Deutch : Führung von Monets Garten :

Contact : Giverny guides lecturers

Ariane		Patricia

Follow in Monet's footsteps !

Every day from April 1st, 2012 to November 1st, 2012 we are at your disposal to guide you in Claude Monet's wonderful gardens at Giverny and to unveil for you the charm of his home.

The visit lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Our meeeting point is The Group Entrance.
By appointment only, time at your convenience.

Book your guided tour:

• on line : Guides-Lecturers of Giverny

Rates 2012 Guided tours admission tickets included	You are  1 to 3 persons	You are  4 to 10 persons	You are  11 to 19 persons	Groups of 20 to 25 persons
Guided tours A few more people may join your party	90 euros for your party	25 euros per person	Privately guided only 170 euros + 9 euros per person for admission	Privately guided only 170 euros + 7 euros per person for admission
Privately Guided Tour	170 euros for your party	170 euros + 9 euros per person for admission

Giverny Claude Monet's Bridge, Photo Ariane Cauderlier

Nympheas Claude Monet

Guided Tour for Groups of 20 people or more:

Book your time slot with Monet's Foundation, then book your guided tour of Monet's gardens:

• on line : Guides-Lecturers of Giverny

Guiding fees : 170 euros for the group.

• This rate does not include tickets. They can be purchased at the Group Entrance: + 7 euros/person.

• The guiding fees are to be paid to your guide (by cash or transfer, we can't handle credit cards)
  Tour Duration: 1 hour 15. The group will need at least 45 mn additional free time to enjoy the site.

Groups over 25 people will have to be divided. Count 1 guide for 25 people maxi.

Because of the small rooms it is not possible to guide inside Monet's home. Explanations will be given outside, then you will visit the house on your own.  

The Visit

During our visit of Fondation Monet at Giverny, you will realize why these places inspired the master of Impressionism. You will cross the famous Japanese bridge and stroll around the waterlily pond to observe the ever changing reflections on the water surface.
Then you will get back to the Clos normand, the gorgeous flower garden blooming from spring to fall. You will learn how Monet himself designed it by applying his skills for painting to gardening.

The house looks exactly like it did on Monet's times, with the studio-sitting-room, Monet's and Alice's bedrooms, the yellow dining-room with its suprising collection of Japanese woodblocks and the kitchen decorated with blue tiles.

Your guide will tell you about the way Monet transformed it to his own style. Thanks to many details about Monet's family life in this very place you will take a leap backwards to the 19th Century.

Giverny Flower Garden, Photo Ariane Cauderlier

Giverny, Claude Monet's Rose Garden, Photo Ariane Cauderlier

Useful Information

All the appointments are at the Group Entrance which is located in a lane (ruelle Leroy) at the bottom of the gardens near the road D5.

You will be asked for a guarantee when you book your guided tour. Should you cancel 30 days or more before the tour, your deposit will be refunded except for banking fees. No refund in case of cancellation less than 30 days before the tour.

Monet's Gardens are wheelchair accessible. But the house has many steps. Fondation Monet has a few wheelchairs but it is better to come with your own.

After the guided tour you will have time to take advantage of the gardens as you like untill closing time. It is recommended to take pictures and videos quietly after the guided tour.

The tour takes place in any weather. Take an umbrella, a bottle of water and wear warm clothes if necessary (it may be chill on the waterside), and comfy shoes.

Other guided tours in the area

• Museum of Impressionism Giverny: only steps away from Monet's gardens, the museum displays exhibitions on the pictorial movement founded by Monet. 
  
• Walking Tour of Vernon:  located 5 km from Giverny, Vernon offers charming narrow streets lined by half-timbered houses, a beautiful gothic collegiate church and outstanding impressionist paintings in its Museum.
  
  
• Chateau-Gaillard and les Andelys: 25km from Giverny, in a beautiful setting, the ruins of the castle built by Richard the Lionheart overlook a loop of the Seine River. The church of Grand Andely is famous for its 16th century stained glass windows.
  
  Feel free to ask for details and quotes.

Reflections on Monet's Lily Pond at Giverny, Photo Ariane Cauderlier

A former journalist, Ariane became a guide because of her passion for Claude Monet. She specializes in Giverny where she comes daily, living nearby. She likes to share her enthusiasm for Monet's gardens!

Ariane still loves writing and taking pictures. She writes two beautiful blogs: Giverny News in French, Giverny Impression in English.

Ariane is an avid photographer of Monet's ever changing gardens. You can visit her Giverny Photo Gallery here.  

Keen on developping Monet's and Giverny's image, Ariane founded the Association GiVerNet. She is the editor of several websites devoted to Monet, especially giverny.org and intermonet.com.

From time to time Ariane is unfaithful to Monet: she comments city tours in  Vernon, Evreux, Louviers, Les Andelys and carries you away in the Middle Ages at Chateau-Gaillard.

Ariane is the author of a book of commented pictures on Vernon and Giverny.

" I was blown away by the masterpiece created here by Monet. Our guide, Ariane could not have been more charming. She floats through the garden imparting knowledge as she goes. It's obvious she loves this place and finds interest there each day, you can't help but to be drawn in.
We've done many private tours whilst we've been in Paris and I wouldn't recommend some of them, however I highly recommend a private tour with Ariane in this case. We would not have learnt so much or enjoyed the day as much without her."   IPS. Sydney, Australia

"Dear Mme Cauderlier, On behalf of our group we wish to thank you most cordially for your excellent guided tour of the gardens last Friday morning. We all enjoyed your commentary and your company very much and we had a truly wonderful time in the gardens."  Ellen W. GB

"Bonjour Ms. Cauderlier, We had the pleasure of one of your guided tours. I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful experience. It was one of the highlights of our trip to France. I will recommend it to any of our friends who are traveling to Paris."  Peggy and Patrick C. USA

"Bonjour Ariane, thank you for making our visit to Monet's Garden so memorable. Visiting the garden with you gave us a good insight into the Artist and explained why he designed and planted his garden to provide the different scenes and atmospheres. The tour was highly informative, and your enthusiasm for Monet was obvious. A lovely way to spend my birthday." Adrian, Jenny C, Max, Jennie B.. USA

From Giverny to Honfleur, Patricia knows the Seine valley inside out.

In addition to her job as a guide, Patricia is a keen painter. She lives close to Giverny, an inexhaustible source of inspiration!

Patricia gives watercolor lessons and talks about the Impressionists.

She will be too happy to guide you through Giverny, Vernon, Chateau-Gaillard, Les Andelys, Rouen, Vascoeuil, Caudebec en Caux, Lyons la Forêt, the Norman abbeys, at Victor Hugo's place in Villequier or on Channel side at Honfleur, Etretat and Fecamp.

"We had such a nice time with you ! many thanks for your interesting comments during our trip on the river Seine" Mrs McL. Los Angeles, CA 

"Bei vielen Leuten, verschiedene Interessen und diverse Führungen -sei es Kirchen, Kunst, Lebensgewohnheiten, Natur, usw - ist es nicht selbstverständlich, dass alle aufmerksam dabei sind : Patrizia ist es doch gelungen ! Wir haben dadurch wunderschöne Eindrücke gewonnen !" Jürgen und Rosemarie K. Hamburg Allemagne

Giverny Claude Monet's Home, Photo Ariane Cauderlier