Honfleur Shore Trip: Explore Giverny Gardens & Honfleur with a Guide

Embark on a vibrant Shore Excursion from Honfleur Port of Call to the famous Gardens of Giverny followed by a tour of Honfleur town!

Departing from HonfleurCruise Port, this Normandy full day private shore excursion will take you to the breathtaking village of Giverny where the house and Gardens of famous painter Claude Monet are located. Then upon our return we will stop in the picturesque small town of Honfleur for a short walking tour and time for personal discovery.

Pick up at your Cruise ship in Honfleur

At first we will come and pick you up at your Cruise Ship in Honfleur Port. Your driver will be waiting for you outside the terminal with a sign bearing the lead travelers name. You will then be taken to your premium A/C vehicle where it will be time for presentations and a recap of your shore excursion to Giverny.

Your drive to the village of Giverny from Honfleur Port of call is of about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Please note that all our vehicles are equipped with an internal P/A system that allows the driver to make commentaries during driving time. All our vehicles are also equipped with wi-fi so that you will be able to catch up with family and friends during this time. 

Arrive in Giverny

On this Honfleur shore excursion, reach Giverny village after your driving time. The village is one of the most famous in France as it features Monet's house, one of the most famous 19th century impressionist painters of France.

Upon arrival you will be taken by your guide to the entrance where your visit of Gardens and House of Claude Monet will begin. During your visit you will certainly admire the gorgeous lily ponds - covered with water lily - or the unique Japanese bridge.

Claude Monet's House 

The painter arrives in Giverny in 1883 aged 43 years old. Thanks to the selling of a number of paintings to art merchant Durand-Ruel, he is able to acquire this house where he believes he will be able to ameliorate his work on light and color.

During more than 40 years, Monet will transform, develop and enlarge the house. As you enter, you will first discover the reading room or 'little blue sitting room' followed by the artist's first studio where he worked until 1899.

You will then proceed to the first floor where the private apartments are located. These include Monet's bedroom where objects and artwork from Monet's time are exhibited. There are also reproductions of paintings made by his friends: Cézanne, Renoir, Signac or Caillebote.

Then, move on to Alice's bedroom - Claude Monet's wife - and end the tour of the upper floor with the last room which was Blanche Monet's bedroom. You will then return to the ground floor to visit the dining room and kitchen. Here, you will admire Monet's famous collection of Japanese prints.

The 'Clos Normand' Garden

Monet's love for gardens came as he visited the gardens of friends as well as with the one he took care of in his previous house of Argenteuil. In Giverny, the artist will model his garden so as to better paint it. In front of the house, he creates the Clos Normand.

He starts by removing a number of trees, to Alice's great despair, then reorganizes the flower beds playing with the colors for his paintings. The flower garden is composed of daffodils, tulips, narcissus, iris, oriental poppies, peonies while the central path is lined with nasturtiums, fragrant roses, cherry and Japanese apricot trees.

The Water Garden

By diverting a small river, the impressionist painter Claude Monet completely created this water garden. He will contemplate nature for hours especially fond of the reflections of the sky that occur on the water. Deeply inspired by 'Japonism' - influence of Japanese art on French Artists and writers - he creates a unique world. A Japanese bridge is built and oriental plants are introduced such as maple trees, Japanese peonies, white lilies, bamboos and Ginkgos Biloba.

In 1897, Monet begins to paint the "Nymphéas" series inspired by the water lilies pond, achieving one of his most famous artwork reaching the limit of abstraction (Water Lily). Today, ten gardeners take care of Giverny gardens all year round.

Please note that we do not include any tickets on the day of the tour. You must purchase your entrance tickets during the booking process as there are many different options of visit available. Depending on the tickets that you will have bought, your tour will cover different sites and entrances.

Begin to make your way back, stop in Honfleur

After the visit and some time for lunch, start your way back to Honfleur. On the way back, we will make a stop in colorful Honfleur, one of the prettiest small harbor towns of France. Follow a short walking tour in town to get your bearing and let yourself be transported by the beauty and simplicity of Honfleur as you stroll through its small cobbled stone streets dotted with Art & Artisans shops - a real treat!

After the visit we will drop you off at your ship. This private tour can accommodate a maximum of 8 persons per minivan. The tour is fully customizable depending on your wishes. If you would like to add a visit that is missing from this description, do not hesitate to let us know! Other popular options include an excursion to Rouen, Paris and the Normandy D-Day landing beaches.