Giverny Travel and Dining Experience, where Art, Nature, and Flavour Meet
❤️ Some weekends feel like they’ve been painted just for us and our escape to Giverny was one of them. We’d been craving a little road trip so my daughter could practise her driving so we decided to head somewhere beautiful, calm, and full of inspiration.
What we found was Giverny where art, garden, and gastronomy blend so naturally that you begin to feel part of the canvas yourself.
Ô Plum’Art Bed and Breakfast
We stayed in a dreamy Bed & Breakfast called Ô Plum’Art Bed and Breakfast, just a short stroll from Monet’s gardens. Our room “La Bourbonnaise” was a lovely cocoon of soft light, gentle colours and perfect details (240€ per night).
Every moment was a pleasure: the scent of fresh flowers and a cup of tea in their beautiful garden, the delicious breakfast with homemade jam, warm bread and local cheese. The hosts were kind and attentive, the kind of people who make you feel instantly at home.
In Monet’s Footsteps
You can choose to explore Claude Monet’s house and gardens with a guide or simply wander through as if stepping into one of his paintings.
Even after seeing his works countless times, standing before the real water lilies, the reflections, the shifting light, the quiet ripples, felt magical.
On weekends, it can be quite busy so joining a guided tour is a great option, you skip the line and go through a separate entrance.
The Musée des impressionnismes Giverny right next door offers a calm and beautifully curated look at the Monet Impressionist movement; a perfect continuation after the gardens.
The Menu Ephémère Impressionniste
That evening, we was lucky enough to experience something truly special, a dinner at the Musée des impressionnismes. To celebrate the 150 years of Impressionism, Chef David Gallienne created Menu Ephémère Impressionniste, a 7-course tasting menu around famous paintings.
Each dish was paired with a projected image of the artwork that inspired it. One course echoed Les Nymphéas with a tartare of gambero rosso and silky pea velouté with a whisper of mint. Another took us along the cliffs, with spider crab and cuttlefish ink tagliatelle.
It was like tasting colour, light, and emotion. A true dialogue between art and food, and one of the most creative meals we have ever had.
If you’re looking for Chef David Gallienne, you’ll now find him at Le Jardin des Plumes, an elegant country house with his Michelin-starred restaurant, a place where every meal feels like a work of art.
His cuisine is deeply inspired by the region, refined yet full of warmth, balancing precision with poetry. Staying (or simply dining) there is a treat for anyone who loves both food and art.
Useful Information
Getting there:
Giverny is just over an hour from Paris by train (Paris–Vernon), followed by a short bus or taxi ride to the village. It makes an easy weekend escape or even a long day trip from Paris. We drove there from Brussels with a stop-over at Valenciennes.
Where to stay:
Ô Plum’Art Bed and Breakfast is a beautiful and peaceful guesthouse walking distance from the gardens. The “Bourbonnaise” room was perfect for a romantic or restorative stay (240€ per night including breakfast).
Le Jardin des Plumes is an elegant country house with his Michelin-starred restaurant — a place where each meal feels like a work of art (around €190–€250 per night).
What to see:
- Claude Monet’s house and gardens — open daily from April to November. Arrive early to avoid the crowds and enjoy the morning light.
- Musée des impressionnismes Giverny — changing exhibitions explore Monet’s influence and the Impressionist movement.
Written by Elene Riordan
Welcome to Travelling Cooks! I’m Elene, a 50-ish-year-old British-Belgian woman living in Brussels, surrounded by my beautiful friends and family. This blog is a celebration of my three great passions—travel, restaurants, and cooking. Enjoy!