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Visiting
Giverny when the flowers are blooming is always a good time.
Going in September, however, has an added advantage: The
blackberries are ripening and the hazelnuts are falling from the tree.
We chose the bike route to get from Vernon’s train station to
Giverny. We had to cross the Seine River and following a footpath, along
which we found the berries and nuts.
From the Gare de Vernon train station, you can take either the bus, a
taxi, rent a bike, or walk the three-mile path.
The train journey begins at Gare Saint-Lazare. The total travel time
(between 1 hour and 1 1/2 hours) varies according
to the number of stops along the way.
The train company, SNCF, offers a brochure at their
counter called "Discover Claude Monet Foundation at Giverny by Train"
(Découvrez la fondation Claude Monet à Giverny en train) available in
English and in French.
They issue the same brochure each year during the opening
times of the museum between April 1 and October 31 -- the prices do
change, however. (See contents at the
end of this
article).
When you check the
SNCF timetable,
it will give you total travel times from your starting point, in between
points to the final stop. The 8 a.m. departure and the 6 p.m. return are
the most popular. They also have the shortest travel times.
The train round trip costs about 25 euros. The cost for renting a bike
is 12 euros per day/per person. If you have your own bikes, you can take
them with you on the train in designated cars.
You could also opt for renting a car for the day or for 24 hours and
that would cost about 100 euros.
We bought our train tickets at Gare Saint-Lazare the day of our trip. It is
possible to buy them in advance at the train station either from the
ticket counter or at one of the yellow kiosks in the platform waiting
area of the train station or through the internet.
The
SNCF office is at the far end of the platforms. The platform flat screen
panels will display the stops of the train; so look for Vernon. Be sure
to validate (composter) your ticket before entering the train.
Eventually we saw the Seine; picture perfect with
small yachts docked along grass-lined shores, someone fishing from a
square shape dock.
This scene was in vast contrast to the industry
before and after this scenery.
The trip to Vernon is not very scenic.
But there is a lot of tranquility and scenery (medieval buildings,
flowers, locals) to come on your journey between Vernon
and Giverny.
What to expect when you arrive
Upon reaching the exit of the train station, you might notice that
people rush across the street to the café/bar to rent a bike. They run
en masse, grab a bike and take off. Perhaps they have heard horror
stories about trying to secure a bike.
In the meantime, we sauntered across the small street as a man brought
out more bikes from the warehouse.
We turned in an ID, took a photocopied map and tried out a couple of the
bikes. The barman brought out our locks and we moseyed off.
Once across the Seine look for the signs pointing out the
Musées Giverny, turn right at the pharmacy as you are facing the
church.
The route to Giverny is about 5 km (3 miles) away. The path is straight
for the most part through Vernon and the path to Giverny is flat.
Vernon is a medieval city with a few things to see from the outside if
you go on a Sunday. On other days of the week, you can visit their
tourist office or museum. Giverny seems more like a neighborhood.
Sunday is a very quiet day for a visit. Everything is moving at a
slow pace. The weather was good, not very warm when we went, and no
rain.
Be sure to take a walk through the gardens of
the American Art Museum; their flowers and those of the Monet gardens.
The flowers are in bloom even in
September.
The ride back to Vernon and the train
station is very relaxing in September. The bike traffic is minimal at
this time of the year.
Dropping the bikes periodically, we plucked and searched for the
little treasures of blackberries and hazelnuts that we had spotted
on our way to Giverny.
It is hard to imagine what this adventure would be like in the height of
the tourist season. The peace and quiet of the experience might not be the same.
The bike route – map at the bar
Exit Gare de Vernon, cross the street.
Stay on the main road through town, cross the bridge, ride mid-way
around the round-about and before you reach the church you will turn
right on to the Côte Sainte-Catherine (it runs parallel to the main
road). The path is behind the houses.
Rent a bike
This following information comes from the Association
GiVerNet website
You may rent a bike at :
The two coffee shops in front of Vernon's train station :
- "Bar-Restaurant du Chemin de Fer" 1 place de la Gare, Vernon +33 232
21 16 01
- Café "Les Amis de Monet" place de la Gare ,Vernon +33 232 51 55 16
A cycle shop in Vernon hires bikes :
- Cyclo News - 7 cours du marché aux chevaux - Vernon (near the hospital
800 m from the station) tel (0) 2 32 21 24 08
Open from Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 to 19:30
Fare : 12.20 euros/ person a day, 7.62 euros half a day + guarantee 150
euros.
Reduced fares for 3 bikes or more : 7,62 euros / person a day.
Links
Giverny - Fondation Monet
Museum of
American Art
The
shuttle/bus timetable for 2007
Office of tourism
One alternative for travel information
Access to Vernon
and Giverny
Website with
answers to many questions maintained by and owned by " Les
Partenaires de l'Office de Tourisme : VERNON et ses environs"
Association (The Partners of the Vernon Tourist Office: Vernon and
surrounding places).
Information about Vernon, its history and scandals and products
Vernon’s historic sites
Vernon’s restaurants and accommodations
City of Vernon
What to do and see with
children near Giverny
**Contents of the SNCF/Giverny handout: dates, times,
telephone number for the Foundation Claude Monet, SNCF tarifs,
bus/shuttle timetable and tarifs, taxi information, entry fees, basic
train schedules and bus schedules (bus is coordinated with the train
arrivals and departures) and basic information about the Monet home.
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May 2008
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