From Bonnières to Vernon via Giverny

Starting point and access: Bonnières station.
- Transilien - Line J, on the section between Paris-Saint-Lazare and Vernon.
Take the bus station exit on the side of track 2, in the direction of Vernon to Paris (if arriving in the opposite direction, track 1, take the underground passage).

Red and white markings

(S) When you leave the station, turn left and follow the^GR®2. At the traffic lights, turn right and walk along the bus station. When you reach the Seine, turn left and walk along the river on your right. Cross a playground (or go around it on the left) and continue along a small path parallel to a road. At the bridge over the Seine, turn left and go up along the road. At the top, follow the D201 to the right and take the bridge. Go straight ahead, cross the Grande Île and then a secondary branch of the Seine.

No signposts

(1) At the T-junction, follow the D201 to the left towards Giverny. At the fork that immediately appears, take the left-hand road, closest to the river. A path parallel to the road, on its left-hand side, allows you to walk safely. Cross a small car park and continue along a path across a lawn. When the road turns right, continue straight ahead on the path along the Seine. Pass under a high-voltage power line and walk along the garden fences on your right. The path gives way to a poorly maintained trail surrounded by vegetation.

(2) At the corner of a fence, turn right onto a grassy path between two fences. Come out onto a road and turn left twice in succession (signposted "Seine à vélo"). Stay on the small, quiet road, ignoring all the side roads. After two bends, one to the right and one to the left, the tarmac gives way to gravel.

(3) At the T-junction, turn left. At the intersection that immediately follows, continue straight ahead on a grassy path downhill. At the bottom, turn right and follow a field path north-northwest. Cross a small road and continue straight ahead.

(4) Just after a shaded section and shortly before a football stadium, turn right and you will soon be back on tarmac. Then take the^first left (signposted Seine à vélo). At the next three-way junction, turn right. At the next three-way junction, keep left. At the crossroads, go straight ahead into Rue du Cas Rouge. Come out onto a small road and follow it to the left. Cross a branch of the Epte river.

(5) At the fork at the end of the bridge, take the right-hand path into a small wood. Pass a gate on your right and leave the wood. Continue straight ahead between the fields (north-north-west) and ignore two paths on your right (one of which is vague). At the T-junction, turn right.

(6) At the next junction, turn left (this is a T-junction; the branch that leads south-east on the map no longer exists). Shortly before a large gate, turn right onto a small tarmac road. This leads to a larger road, which you should follow to the left (take care, as the verge is narrow). Cross another branch of the Epte, which marks the boundary between Île-de-France and Normandy.

(7) Then follow the D5 to the left, towards Vernon, preferably on the right-hand pavement. After about 150 m, turn right onto Chemin des Mayeux and climb a steep hill.

Red and white + yellow + green markings

At the crossroads, turn left and follow the^GR®2on flat ground. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead on Rue Hélène Pillon. The tarmac soon gives way to a downhill path.

(8) At the bottom, at a T-junction, turn right. Immediately ignore a street on the left and climb gently.

Yellow markings

When the road turns right, go straight ahead along a flat lane and walk past the town hall on your left. Turn left at the corner of the town hall.

No markings

(9) After about 20 metres, turn right and walk along the right-hand side of the Musée de Mécanique Naturelle (signs saying "Beware of the dog"... but there were no dogs when I passed by). Go up a steep stony path, which becomes grassy at the top of the hill. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead on flat ground between a fence on the left and a vineyard on the right. Note the church of Giverny below on the left.

Red and white + green markings

(10) At the end of the path, first turn left then right to follow a grassy path along garden fences on the left-hand side.

No markings

At the crossroads at the corner of a house fence, go down a lane on the left (let the^GR® continue straight ahead).

(11) At the crossroads, take the Sente des Grosses Eaux on the right. Go through a chicane and follow a path bordered by houses on the left and a large lawn on the right. You will come to a greenway; follow it to the right (a stabilised path for pedestrians on the left, a tarmac path for cyclists on the right). Continue straight ahead and note a sign indicating an upcoming fork to the left for Vernon station. At the crossroads, turn left. Cross the D5 at the pedestrian crossing on the right.

Red and white + yellow + green markings

(12) Then take the greenway (wide cement path) on the right and follow a secondary branch of the Seine on your left. Continue straight ahead, following the Seine, and note the Vernon collegiate church on the opposite bank. Walk along the sports fields and approach the bridge over the Seine.

Red and white + green markings

(13) Shortly before the bridge, turn right and go around a water treatment plant on the right. Follow the road that climbs towards the bridge.

Red and white markings

Keep left and take the bridge over the Seine. At the crossroads beyond the bridge, cross Rue Clemenceau at the pedestrian crossing.

No markings

(14) Follow Rue Clemenceau to the left. Take the^first right, Rue de la Boucherie, and immediately cross Rue des Érigots on the left. Take the next left, Ruelle Malot. At the end, turn right and walk past Vernon Collegiate Church on your left. At the corner, turn left to reach the church entrance.

(15) With your back to the church façade, take the street opposite and walk past the town hall on your right. At the end, first turn right then left to follow Rue du Soleil. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead under a porch. At the end of the street, climb a flight of steps and follow an avenue on the right.

Red and white markings

At the roundabout, take the^first left, Rue d'Albuféra, and continue straight ahead. At the end, turn right and walk along the railway line on your left. This will take you to Vernon-Giverny station (E).

To return home:
- TER - Towards Paris-Saint-Lazare or Rouen.
- Transilien - Line J, towards Paris-Saint-Lazare.

Train timetables and fares:
- To get to Bonnières station (S), visit the Transilien website. Ile-de-France fares (the Navigo card is valid between Paris and Bonnières).
- To depart from Vernon-Giverny station (E), consult the TER timetable or the Transilien website. TER fares (the Navigo card is not valid).

For motorists:
Both stations are located on the same section of line J: park in the car park of either station and take a single or return journey by train (TER fares).

Hiking boots recommended.

There are numerous bars, restaurants and shops in Vernon, between (14) and (E).

Detailed map required (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 19 September 2020.

Along the way:
- Beautiful views of the Seine and its hillsides.

In Giverny:
- Claude Monet Foundation: the painter's former home and flower gardens. At (8), turn left twice and you will quickly reach the entrance.
- Musée des Impressionnistes. At (8), turn left and then immediately right onto Rue Claude Monet. The museum entrance is at No. 99.
- Natural Mechanics Museum (9).
- Sainte-Radegonde Church (11th century, then 15th-16th century), visible from the path between (9) and (10).

In Vernon:
- Narrow streets and half-timbered houses.
- Notre-Dame Collegiate Church (11th-17th century) (15).