Trip to Monet's Garden?

[wahaj]

It's my 21st soon and my boyfriend's decided to take me a trip to Monet's Garden in Giverney is it?

Now the package he's looked up is like 5 nights with breakfast.....to the garden for the first day, and then in Paris for the rest of the time. it's gonna cost over £250 per person if going by coach.

That's not really something i can afford right now, even though we're looking to go in May/June next year.

I know some of you have been there....what is the best way of going about it?

What we ideally want is 2 nights in France. We want to spend some time in Paris to go sight seeing and museums and stuff....and then we want to spend some time at monet's garden aswell.

Has anyone found a package cheaper than the above? or do you think it'd be cheaper for it ourselves?

I haven't been on holiday for.....well.....over 13 years now lol. and before that i was too young....so i've absolutely no idea what i'm doing lol.

[wahaj]

[saddad]

Go and Enjoy.............
I've wanted to go to Giverny for years....
If you get to like it I recommend the Pottager at Villandry (Loire).
8)

[norfolklass]

and you must go to the Orangerie in Paris to see Monet's famous Water Lilies paintings. they're incredible, and huge!

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/arts/design/16oran.html

have a fabulous time!

[Melbourne12]

Giverny is lovely.  We have always organised our own trips to Europe (I don't think we've ever bought a package), and it can work out much cheaper!

Speak to SNCF (now Rail Europe).  If you happen to be in London at some point, you can go in person: they're at 179 Piccadilly, and they're really helpful.  If not, use the website or phone.  http://www.sncf.co.uk/aboutus/contact_Us.asp and http://www.raileurope.co.uk/index.asp

You can get some really good discounts since you're under 26 years old.  It just takes a bit of confidence on the Paris metro to change stations.  Easy.

The nearest place to Giverny is Vernon, which is well under an hour by train from Paris, and there's a bus service to Giverny.

As for hotels, you're spoilt for choice.  There are any number of 2* hotels at under £50 a night per room.  They tend towards being a bit shabby, but if you're not too proud, they'll be OK.

You'll beat your £250 per person quote easily.  In fact, Eurostar are currently offering 2 nights in Paris for 2 people in a 2* hotel for £118 per person.  And that's before you take into account your young persons' discounts.  So even if you get Rail Europe to book your hotel for you, you'll get a bargain.  Perhaps enough budget left over for a treat 21st birthday dinner?  :)

[norfolklass]

have alook around this site, if you haven't already:

http://giverny.org/

[Hyacinth]

and you must go to the Orangerie in Paris to see Monet's famous Water Lilies paintings. they're incredible, and huge!

Good luck with the holiday-hunting Wahaj & boyfriend & if I hear/read of anything to better your price I'll let you know....promise :)

meanwhile, a memory...

Back a few years ago & I was in Manhattan staying with family - visiting Museum of Modern Art was a must-do....MOMA was being extended/renovated, many galleries closed & stuff moved around, & we had a temporary guide pamphlet to help negotiate.

This, my son & I put in the capable hands of DIL.....she is an Industrial Designer, knows her way round technical drawings, etc., hey! can even make sense of Ikea flat-pack instructions AND create from them & assorted pieces of wood, something that more-or-less resembles the bought item......more to the point, she can read maps.....

SO.....we wander round MOMA, DIL temporary map in hand.....

I want to see the enormous tryptich of Monet's Water Lillies, on loan....

DIL, head into map, leads the way - and we two follow......

DIL, engrossed in map-reading takes us hither-and-yon, through gallery & gallery & through some open passage until she stops, head still down reading the map, and says "it must be hereabouts somewhere"....

She only looked up at the noise OH & MIL made, on her left,  laughing, hooting, slapping thighs,etc.....etc..... and in unison shouting "LOOK BEHIND YER!!".....and there, on her right, in this enormous cavernous gallery, was......

the tryptich.....


thanks for the memory NL... 8)

[Ceratonia]

One advantage of organizing it yourself is that Giverny is pretty small and packed with busloads of tourists. If you're not one of the people on said buses, you can see it when it's a bit less busy.

Apart from the really excellent eurostar/hotel package deals that Melbourne12 mentioned,  there is also the Eurolines coach from Victoria, which is £33 return. If you *really* want to do it on the cheap, you can get a bed in a youth hostel for not too many euros in Paris.