Versailles Palace & Giverny's Monet House Guided Visit with Lunch from Paris

Leave Paris for a full-day tour of two of the most popular day trip destinations outside the French capital, Louis XIV's Palace of Versailles and Monet's garden in Giverny. Your first stop is Giverny, where Impressionist master Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. Walk across the Japanese bridge and gaze upon the water lily pond while you stroll the gardens that surround his former home. This picturesque landscape was the inspiration for many of his most famous paintings, including the Nymphéas series.  After a guided tour of Monet's gardens, it's time for a hearty lunch at the Moulin de Fourges. This 18th-century mill, inspired by the Queen's Hamlet, has been transformed into a restaurant and inn. From there, continue by coach to Versailles. The opulent décor at the Palace of Versailles—once the extravagant home of King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette—includes the Hall of Mirrors and the Royal Grand Apartments. On your guided tour, try to imagine daily life for the royal family. Then enjoy some free time in the World Heritage-listed Versailles Gardens and wander among the groves, sculptures, and fountains. On particular days, from April to October, they are part of a musical Fountains Show; if you're lucky you'll see this special display (cost included), set to the tunes of Louis XIV's era, before your day trip concludes with travel back to Paris.