Where to Eat in Giverny: Cafés, a Restaurant and the Best Sandwiches

Giverny is a village in the countryside with few places to eat, and because it is a tourist magnet, prices near Monet's house run a little high. Leave through the exit, turn your back to it and walk straight down to the left.

The first place you'll see, right next to the car park, is a skewer-and-coffee café. The sandwiches aren't great, but the quiche and other warm baked items are decent. Service is slow and reviews of the staff are mixed, so it's hard to recommend.

A bit farther down is a café marked "Botanic Café." Its garden is also styled as a Japanese garden, so the big draw is feeling as if you're eating in Monet's garden. Ordering is unusual and works like a buffet: pick up a tray, spoons and forks at the entrance, choose drinks, sandwiches, muffins and salads from the refrigerated section, add soup or tea from the counter to your tray, then pay at the register. The sandwiches here aren't especially good for the price either, so go for a salad or one of the other baked goods. The staff are genuinely friendly. Step out into the garden and you'll find a gift shop that also sells small breads. They taste good, so compare the two.

For a proper meal, there's also a restaurant. Even at the café a sandwich runs about 8 euros, so if you have time, the restaurant is a good option. It's a modern building on the right, a little farther down from the café (see the Google Maps address). Mains alone cost 15 to 22 euros, and the lunch menu is 19.80 euros for a starter and main, or a main and dessert.

Finally, if you want the best sandwiches, keep walking past the restaurant to the café beyond it. It's about a 10-minute walk from Monet's house and sits on the way to his grave, so it won't feel too far. The sandwiches, the bread and a pretty local beer labeled "Givern" are all delicious, and the staff are friendly.

One last note: the Giverny Museum of Impressionisms, our next stop, is right next to the restaurant. Don't just walk past it.