Paris, Versailles and Monet's Garden

Paris. Versailles. Monet's Garden, Giverny.

Bonjour chers lecteurs et futurs voyageurs, bienvenue sur mon blog. Summer is here at long last in Europe, although we have just endured a recent sweltering heatwave. With rumours of plane cancellations and scenes of lengthy queues, travellers are understandably anxious and hesitant in Europe. However, this doesn’t have to be the case, as you can travel around Europe easily by train, car, or via a coach trip. I have a destination that is easy for all options and with a green theme: Paris, Versailles, and Giverny for Monet’s Garden.

I will be reflecting on my visit to the French capital and my excursions to two very different horticultural attractions: Versailles and Monet’s Garden in Giverny. Paris is served by the busy Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airports, and Eurostar trains from London St Pancras. Paris, Versailles and Giverny are also favoured by many coach tour operators who run trips from Britain. If you want to skip Paris but fancy exploring just Versailles and Giverny, you can always use your own vehicle and embark on a driving holiday.   

Paris

“We’ll always have Paris”, says Humphrey Bogart to Ingrid Bergman in 1942’s Casablanca. It is the ‘City of Love’ after all, a tourist favourite, and either the first taste or defining memory of France for many a visitor. The French Capital is one of the most populated in Europe and indeed the World; 2 million people live in the city and 13 million people live in the wider metropolitan area according to national statistics. Not bad for a place that was once a tiny settlement for the Gallic Parisii tribe who gave their name to the city. 

Paris is perfect all year round, suitable for families, couples and solo travellers. Spring and Summer offer the best weather for exploring Paris’ many attractions, or even to stroll along the River Seine and the city’s elegant boulevards, redesigned by Baron Haussmann from 1853-70. Before Haussmann’s renovation, Paris was regarded as an overcrowded, filthy place with crumbling medieval buildings. Haussmann’s public works revitalised the French capital, ushering in the glamourous Belle Époque era of 1871-1914. During this era, Gustav Eiffel constructed his eponymous Tower from 1887-89, a defining 330-metre-high landmark of Paris.

Historically, Paris has seen a remarkable history. The Romans under Julius Caeser conquered Paris in 52BC renaming it Lutetia. The Franks and Vikings settled and attacked the city in the early Middle Ages. By the year 987, France had unified under the Capetian dynasty whose line, together with the Bourbons (not the biscuits!), continued until the bloody French Revolution of 1789-92. Besieged by the Prussians from 1870-71 and occupied by Nazi Germany from 1940-45, Paris survived such turbulent events remaining as a leading French and world city. No wonder its Latin motto is fluctuat nec mergitur; ‘tossed by the waves but never sunk’. With a plethora of sights and experiences to choose from, you are spoilt for choice. Here are a few favourites of mine.

The Batobus on the River Seine

This is a must-do experience for any visitor to Paris, whether for the first time or on return. Usually docked near the Pont de Iena near the Eiffel Tower, the Batobus is a water taxi that sails down the River Seine offering visitors an easy yet enjoyable way of viewing the sights. You pass under the many bridges of the city, including the opulent Pont Alexander III with its gilded statues. Also viewable are the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay. The Musee d’Orsay houses and beautifully showcases paintings from the Impressionist era in a former railway station.  The Louvre was once a royal palace and castle – you can see and walk by the old foundations in the medieval section. While the works in the Louvre are noteworthy, I remember more of the crowds to be honest. Visit both early in the morning or late on an evening for a quieter experience.

The Batobus sails further down the Seine past the Hotel de Ville and the Tour Saint-Jacques, the remains of a Church Tower built 1509-23. The Batobus then sails past the Iles de la Cite and Ile Saint Louis, where you’ll see the medieval Conciergerie prison. Marie Antoinette was imprisoned here during the French Revolution before being guillotined in 1793. The last marvel on this boat trip is of course the Gothic Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral (pictured in 2014). Look out not only for Quasimodo, but for the remarkable renovation work carried out since the 2019 fire, completed in time for the 2024 Olympic Games. 

For stunning views, climb the Arc de Triomphe

When I visited Paris as a teenager on a coach trip, I decided to walk from the River Seine to the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs Elysees. It was knackering for my teenage legs. Commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte, construction of the Arc began in 1806 and finished in 1836 – Napoleon died in 1821. It commemorates the fallen troops of the Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Below the Arc is the eternal flame in honour of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War One 1914-18.

Visitors can climb the Arc de Triomphe’s 284 internal steps for memorable views of Paris. I was treated to stunning views of Montmartre’s Sacre Couer, the Eiffel Tower, and out towards the new Grand Arch at La Défense. Considering that it is one of France’s most significant landmarks, the Arc de Triomphe was relatively quiet, without the heaving queues at the Eiffel Tower. Here, one can absorb the sights and sounds of the city. As of 2026, single tickets range from €16-22, but are free for those under 25, or for disabled people with an accompanying adult. There is also a lift inside the monument. The monument is only accessible by the underground Passage de Souvenir; don’t attempt to cross the road due to the fast heavy traffic.

For authentic streets, the Marais and Place de Vosges

If you want to avoid the tourist traps and the lengthy queues, venture to the Marais, an underrated quarter of Paris. It was here that the former Bastille Prison stood until the French Revolution. A long boulevard spans from here up to the Place de la Republique, a focal point for many a demonstration. In the Marais, you’ll find a maze of streets with many independent shops, boulangeries and brasseries aplenty. You can also see remnants of Paris’ medieval and Renaissance past. Look out for the Hôtel de Sens, a 16^th century mansion with charming turrets reminiscent of a Loire-Valley Chateau. The Musée Carnavalet also lies in the Marais district and is dedicated to the History of Paris. The building is an attraction itself, dating from the Renaissance era with elegant courtyards. The Place de Vosges is also worth a visit; built from 1605-12, the tree-lined square was home to Victor Hugo (1802-85), author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Versailles

Located outside of the city centre in the Yvelines department is the elegant and vast Palace of Versailles. Versailles was nothing more than a simple hunting lodge when it was transformed by King Louis XIV in 1661. The Palace effectively became the capital of France in 1682, as the Royal court was moved here. Gold is in abundance at Versailles, as Louis XIV was regarded as the ‘Sun King’. He was an absolutist monarch, believing in the Divine Right of Kings, concentrating all power here at Versailles. Louis reigned until his death in 1715, but Versailles remained the French monarchy’s centre of power until the French Revolution of 1789. The Palace played an important role once again in 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed between Britain, France and Germany, officially ending the devastating First World War.

With a rich history and opulent grandeur, Versailles is one of the most visited attractions in France. As such, it is inevitably busy with tourists jostling in the Hall of Mirrors. I must admit the crowd size was pretty overwhelming, so I made for the vast gardens instead, seeking sanctuary amongst flowers and fountains.

The gardens of Versailles are so large you can lose the crowds. Following the Baroque style (much like Hannover’s Herrenhausen which I have previously written about), Versailles features parterres, colonnades, boxed hedges and gilded fountains. The Bassin d’Apollon was my favourite, a focal point overlooking a vast manmade lake where you can row a boat. The lakes of Versailles are so large that reenactments of naval battles were staged for the monarchy during their reign.

Versailles is reachable by train from central Paris via the RER Line C to Versailles Station.

Monet’s Garden, Giverny

Giverny is a small village located in Normandy, northwest of Paris. It is reachable from Paris by train (nearest station Vernon), or coach if it is included in your tour itinerary. I went on a coach trip in 2014 to see Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny. The impressionist painter lived here from 1883 until his death in 1926. Giverny offered Monet a haven away from the bustle and pollution of 19^th century Paris. It also inspired him to paint some of his most famous masterpieces. His intimate gardens are a complete contrast to the formal and opulent Versailles.

Monet’s Garden at Giverny is quaint, peaceful and with a magical atmosphere. I say that because you feel as if you are transported into Claude Monet’s paintings. He transformed his house and gardens over 43 years, incorporating and blending Japanese influences with French cottage gardening. These include the famous wooden bridge over the lake, bamboo, blossom trees and of course the famous waterlilies. Visit in Spring and your eyes are bedazzled by a floral riot and assembly of colour. The colour and scent of the hyacinths were a beautiful memory. Online prebooking for Monet’s Garden is advised if you are travelling independently. The gardens are open from April 1^st to November 1^st between 10am-6pm.

Au revoir

Paris and its environs offer an abundance of sights to choose from. A memory I won’t forget from my coach trip was driving around the city at night, seeing landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower glittering in the dark. Magnifique. Visitors may be flummoxed, spoilt-for-choice in this busy yet enchanting city. I hope my article has inspired future travellers and highlighted some hidden gems in the city, as well as the significance of Versailles and the beauty of Giverny.