After our first day in London, we took the Eurostar train to Paris and rented a car.
We drove straight to the French Open at Roland Garros (parking on a nearby street). We were allowed to take food in, so we stopped at a grocery store on the way for dinner, and then entered the tournament. There was so much to explore, from merchandise to Parisian fare to different tennis courts. The main event of the evening was seeing Alcarez win the quarter-final game against Tsitsipas. It was just so fun. After, we drove to our hotel, the Waldorf Astoria Versailles.
While the rooms felt a little outdated, the exterior of our hotel was lovely to walk around, and the breakfast area was simply dreamy. We also enjoyed a dinner here on the terrace.
We had a full day of walking around and exploring the Palace of Versailles…
…as well as the Estate of Trianon. It was a big walking day, but worth seeing everything. I first went to Paris in 2005 (my first trip to Europe) and remember enjoying Versailles – especially the Queen’s Hamlet – so it was special to come back.
The next day, we drove about 50 minutes to the sweet little village of Giverny. Walking along the Rue (street) Claude Monet and having lunch on a tree-covered patio was such a delight.
We then spent a magical afternoon at Monet’s House and Gardens. We started our visit seeing the famous waterlilies that inspired some of his greatest work.
But it was the wild and colorful gardens around his house that really enchanted me.
Monet’s home was so charming as well, and contained some of his paintings and those of other artists.
The darling village and the gardens – one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen – made this day in Giverny one of my favorites of the whole trip. If you enjoy small towns, gorgeous florals, and Monet paintings, this is a must day trip from Paris; the garden is open from April through October.
P.S. The London recap. Champagne region, Paris, and Amsterdam recaps to come.
