This tour combines trips to two of the most notable attractions within driving distance of Paris: Claude Monet’s bloom-bursting estate at Giverny and the famously extravagant Palace of Versailles.
In the morning, you'll drive for one hour to reach the village of Giverny. You'll first stop at the Fondation Claude Monet, where you’ll be treated to a short introduction to the estate. After the orientation tour, you are free to explore at your leisure, stroll slowly around the lily pad-peppered ponds of the garden or make your way around the artist’s ivy-clad house, which has been restored to show how it would have appeared during the painter’s lifetime. You might even want to get lunch in one of the town’s tranquil bars or restaurants, which exude provincial charm.
After lunch, we'll head to Versailles where a majestic European castle serves as a perfectly preserved example of the reckless extravagance of the French monarchy. Your guide will take you for 2-hour tour of the house and gardens. You'll skip the line and visit the King and Queen’s apartments, the Chapel, the Coronation Room, the Hall of Mirrors and the Salon of Abundance, where the king would show off all his most precious items, including silverware, vases and medals, to distinguished guests.
After exploring the castle, you’ll step out into its 1,800 acres manicured gardens. Depending on what day you visit, you may also catch the famous Versailles Fountain Show or Musical Gardens (tickets are included in tour price on show days). The Fountain Shows sees Versailles’ famous water features spray and spurt to life, while the Musical Gardens event allows you to enjoy the garden against a soundtrack of classical music. After ambling around the gardens, you can hop back on board the return coach to Paris or, depending on your travel itinerary, you may prefer to stick around Versailles and make your own way onto your next destination.
