Should you visit Giverny or Chamonix-Mont-Blanc?
Should I visit Giverny or Chamonix-Mont-Blanc? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Giverny
Giverny (pronounced jee-vair-knee) is a commune in Northern France. It sits on the right bank of the River Seine where it meets the River Epte. This area has been a settlement since Neolithic times and the town has various monuments from many periods of its long existence. Beginning around 1887, a number of American Impressionist artists settled to work in Giverny, drawn by the landscapes, the overall atmosphere, and the presence of Monet. It has now become a place of pilgrimage for many art lovers. It was here that Claude Monet lived for 43 years, until his death at the age of 86 in 1926. Although his house is now prized by connoisseurs of 19th-century interior decoration, it's his garden, with its Japanese-inspired water-lily pond and bridge, that remains the high point for many, as it is a 5-acre, three-dimensional Impressionist painting where you can stroll around at leisure. Most make this a day trip, but Giverny has some lovely lodgings, so you could also overnight here.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (usually shortened to Chamonix) is a resort area near the junction of France, Switzerland and Italy. At the base of Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps, it's renowned for its skiing. Year-round, cable cars take visitors up to several nearby peaks with panoramic views, including Aiguille du Midi above town, and Pointe Helbronner, across vast glacier fields on the Italian border. Chamonix is one of the oldest ski resorts in France and is known as the "gateway to the European Cascades." With the sheer white heights of the Mont Blanc ridge as its sensational backdrop, the Chamonix Valley shows the Alps at their most dramatic. First discovered as a tourist destination by Brits William Windham and Richard Pococke in 1741, it has become a wintertime playground of epic proportions, more than satisfying the most demanding skiers as well as those who pack themselves into its boot-stomping bars. In summer, lift-accessible highland trails offer thrilling panoramas to hikers, mountain bikers and other high-altitude thrill seekers.
Which city is cheaper, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or Giverny?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Giverny is €100, while the average daily cost in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is €188. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Giverny and Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €96 in Giverny For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, €144 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €72, such as in a hostel.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Giverny cost around €28 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €11.
Food in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc costs travelers about €38 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Giverny €28
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc €38
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Giverny than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €39 on transportation in Giverny on average per day.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €32 on transportation in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Giverny
Also for Giverny, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Ultra - Private Transfer from Giverny to visit Claude Monet's Garden to Paris:
$9.41
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Private Transfer from House of Claude Monet to Paris City Center:
$117
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Private Airport Transfer: Giverny to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG):
$274
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Also for Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared Departure Transfer: Chamonix Hotels to Geneva Airport:
$48
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Giverny, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €21 per day, per person.
Sightseeing expenses in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €64 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Giverny
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Giverny.
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Giverny Monet House and Gardens Skip the line Walking tour:
$73
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Guided tour Monet's house and gardens/Giverny:
$72
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Le Havre Shore Excursion: Private Tour of Giverny, Rouen and Honfleur:
$1,157
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Paris - Giverny Tour : Claude Monet's House Private or Group Tour:
$148
Tours and Activities in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
For Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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7-Day Chamonix: Mont Blanc Adventure:
$1,678
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Chamonix Private Walking Tour:
$230
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Giverny, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €5.31.
Typically, people visiting Chamonix-Mont-Blanc spend on average €7.71 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Giverny and Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, we can see that Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is more expensive. And not only is Giverny much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Giverny would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Giverny and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc than you might in Giverny.
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