Day Trip from Paris
Oct 14th, 2009, 06:56 PM
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You can get a train to Vernon (around 20 Euro's RT) then a bike Ride to Giverny 6 euro's/day (Monet's Garden's) The train ride is approx. 35 minutes. This is a beautiful trip and the Gardens and house of Monet were Exquisite. You can do this as a 1/2 day trip or take the full day. I did this trip this summer (1st time on a bike in 20 years eek. We had sooooo much fun and only took 1/2 day.
Oct 15th, 2009, 06:05 AM
#3
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You might like Auvers-sur-Oise
http://www.auvers-sur-oise.com/
For instruction on how to reach Auvers-sur-Oise by train
http://www.transport-idf.com/frontal...ault&langue=en
http://www.auvers-sur-oise.com/
For instruction on how to reach Auvers-sur-Oise by train
http://www.transport-idf.com/frontal...ault&langue=en
Oct 15th, 2009, 06:25 AM
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You could spend the better part of the day at Versailles. The Gardens and outer buildings are worth a visit.
Reims is another. Famous cathedral..and champagne.
If you do a search here, there are quite a few threads with other suggestions.
Reims is another. Famous cathedral..and champagne.
If you do a search here, there are quite a few threads with other suggestions.
Oct 15th, 2009, 11:21 AM
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If you are going in the spring, I vote for Giverny. It's unbelievable! (...and you can do it in less than a full day.)
Otherwise, Versailles for half-day (indoors mostly in winter) is good.
Chartres is very nice, too -- unless you are all "cathedralled out" from Notre Dame et. al.
There is so much to do in Paris, that I don't recommend more than one full day out of the city if you are going for a week.
As Vttraveler said, it's largely a matter of taste.
SS
Otherwise, Versailles for half-day (indoors mostly in winter) is good.
Chartres is very nice, too -- unless you are all "cathedralled out" from Notre Dame et. al.
There is so much to do in Paris, that I don't recommend more than one full day out of the city if you are going for a week.
As Vttraveler said, it's largely a matter of taste.
SS
Oct 15th, 2009, 04:44 PM
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Rouen. What I really liked about my day trip there was the variety of things to see. I left at approx. 9:00am and returned at approx. 5:00pm. Three beautiful churches plus just wandering thru the city and along the river (many stops along the way). I have a report on Rouen if you're interested. [email protected]
Oct 18th, 2009, 05:29 PM
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Lutetia, could you give some more info about going to Provins. I am considering it for a day trip from Paris in November. I can't seem to find train schedules. Do you need to book in advance? Do you need to change trains? What did you do while you were there?
Thanks
Thanks
Oct 19th, 2009, 06:56 AM
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Paris to Provins-
SNCF train from Gare de l'Est to Longueville. Either continue or change from there to Provins. 1.25 hours.
Try to go on a sunny day and be sure to walk around the outside of the town ramparts. The countryside surrounding the town is lovely.
I also recommend the book, An Hour from Paris, by Annabel Simms. It contains lots of practical information, walking maps and great discriptions of what to see in 20 destinations. It is one of the best travel investments I have ever made.
SNCF train from Gare de l'Est to Longueville. Either continue or change from there to Provins. 1.25 hours.
Try to go on a sunny day and be sure to walk around the outside of the town ramparts. The countryside surrounding the town is lovely.
I also recommend the book, An Hour from Paris, by Annabel Simms. It contains lots of practical information, walking maps and great discriptions of what to see in 20 destinations. It is one of the best travel investments I have ever made.
Oct 19th, 2009, 07:18 AM
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Seconding An Hour from Paris, which we found really helpful. I wish it had more pictures, but it's a great, compact book that lays out your options for day trips.
We also found Provins charming. The ramparts were great, but the town itself and the area around the town were lovely. It's not an awe-inspiring place like Versailles or Chartres, but we enjoyed the contrast between Provins and Paris quite a bit.
We also found Provins charming. The ramparts were great, but the town itself and the area around the town were lovely. It's not an awe-inspiring place like Versailles or Chartres, but we enjoyed the contrast between Provins and Paris quite a bit.
Oct 19th, 2009, 08:32 AM
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Stay loose, choose where you might want to go, hve all the info for travel, and THEN see if you still think you have time once you are in Paris. If you have been several times previously, then a day trip may be fine. I often find a week filled in the city all by itself.
Oct 19th, 2009, 09:44 AM
#17
IMO, it depends how many times you,ve been to France(or Europe in general). If you've never been, Versailles is someplace you will never forget, absolutely stunning, and very easy to do from Paris. You can walk from the train station to Versailles in about 20 min. Some of the others require additional transportation when you get off of the train so a little more planning.
It may be cold for the gardens, but Marie Antoinette's little houses are worth venturing out to, and the inside of the palace is just gorgeous.
I agree with some that there is so much to do in Paris that a week (especially if your counting the day of arrival and departure which brings your week really down to 5 days) will make you wish for more time.
November? Your trip is coming up fast----have a wonderful time!!
It may be cold for the gardens, but Marie Antoinette's little houses are worth venturing out to, and the inside of the palace is just gorgeous.
I agree with some that there is so much to do in Paris that a week (especially if your counting the day of arrival and departure which brings your week really down to 5 days) will make you wish for more time.
November? Your trip is coming up fast----have a wonderful time!!
Oct 20th, 2009, 11:54 AM
#18
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isabel,
Provins is a wonderful day trip (a real change of scenery from Paris) and so easy to get to, You just take a suburban train from Gare de l'Est. You don't need to reserve train tickets, though you do need to check train times (www.ratp.fr) as there only a few set times per day and not all of them are direct.
Here's a tip: get a 1-day Mobilis for Zones 1-6 from any RATP ticket counter. When I went in 2008, Provins had just been added to the RATP's Zone 6, so you can use that ticket to get there and back, plus any other transport in Paris on the same day.
It's the same price or cheaper than buying a return ticket for just Paris-Provins (around 16 euros round trip).
My train left around 8:15, and arrived shortly after 9 a.m, as I recall.
If I'm not mistaken, we changed trains on the way there at Longueville (10-minute wait between trains on the same platform), but not on the way back.
There's lots to do and see. For example, there's a 15th-century tower, the "Tour César," guided tours of some underground galleries where they used to process wool, a museum depicting the "foires de champagne" (the important trade fairs that were held in Provins in the Middle Ages), another local musem, the six or so km of fortified walls, some ancient churches, and mostly, the lovely old town itself.
There are falconry shows (I did not attend, but they are quite popular).
It's amazingly well-preserved (Provins suffered no damage during WWII) and really like stepping back in time (especially when you get there early).
That said, I went in the summer, and enjoyed walking around and soaking up the atmosphere.
If you go during a cooler season, there are plenty of cafés and restaurants where you can warm up.
When you get off at the station, you need to cross the street, go over a small foot bridge, and keep walking straight ahead, and you will eventually reach the "Ville Haute" (which is the old part of town). It's about a 10-15 minute walk.
I recommend Provins to anyone who is looking for day-trip ideas.
Provins is a wonderful day trip (a real change of scenery from Paris) and so easy to get to, You just take a suburban train from Gare de l'Est. You don't need to reserve train tickets, though you do need to check train times (www.ratp.fr) as there only a few set times per day and not all of them are direct.
Here's a tip: get a 1-day Mobilis for Zones 1-6 from any RATP ticket counter. When I went in 2008, Provins had just been added to the RATP's Zone 6, so you can use that ticket to get there and back, plus any other transport in Paris on the same day.
It's the same price or cheaper than buying a return ticket for just Paris-Provins (around 16 euros round trip).
My train left around 8:15, and arrived shortly after 9 a.m, as I recall.
If I'm not mistaken, we changed trains on the way there at Longueville (10-minute wait between trains on the same platform), but not on the way back.
There's lots to do and see. For example, there's a 15th-century tower, the "Tour César," guided tours of some underground galleries where they used to process wool, a museum depicting the "foires de champagne" (the important trade fairs that were held in Provins in the Middle Ages), another local musem, the six or so km of fortified walls, some ancient churches, and mostly, the lovely old town itself.
There are falconry shows (I did not attend, but they are quite popular).
It's amazingly well-preserved (Provins suffered no damage during WWII) and really like stepping back in time (especially when you get there early).
That said, I went in the summer, and enjoyed walking around and soaking up the atmosphere.
If you go during a cooler season, there are plenty of cafés and restaurants where you can warm up.
When you get off at the station, you need to cross the street, go over a small foot bridge, and keep walking straight ahead, and you will eventually reach the "Ville Haute" (which is the old part of town). It's about a 10-15 minute walk.
I recommend Provins to anyone who is looking for day-trip ideas.
Oct 20th, 2009, 03:12 PM
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We just got back from Paris. One Saturday we took the RER A to Maisons Lafitte. It is a very nice town that is based on the horse. We went to the racecourse,walking from the station through very upscale neighborhoods and passing horse stables and children on horseback. There is a chateau, Maisons Lafitte and a main street area with small stores and cafes. It was a nice outing. A couple of years ago we did something familiar in the opposite direction. We took the train to Chantilly where we also went to the racecourse and walked past the chateau.
