Day trips from Paris?
 

My husband and I are going to be spending a week in Paris at the end of May. We'd like to do a few day trips from the city. We're planning on doing Versailles and Disneyland, but we're unsure what all else is easily accessible from Paris. I think we'll be using train transportation. We may rent a car, but I'm not sure yet. We'd really like to check out a good vineyard or two. Any suggestions of trips within a three hour trek from Paris? We'd be very grateful!

There is so much to see and do in Paris that with only a total of a week for your trip, I'd not plan on more than two days out of the city.

There are several you can take - Chartres, Chantilly, Rouen and more. But my favorite was Rouen. It's about 45 minutes each way via train. The city has much to see. If you would like my day trip report, please e-mail me at [email protected].

Not a winery, but the champagne caves in Reims are nearby, about 1 or so by train from Gare du Nord. Taittenger has an English tour with tasting at the end. Plus, Reims has a beautiful cathedral.

Drop me an e mail and I will send my daytrip file--numerous places reachable by train.

[email protected]

St. Germaine en Laye is also nice, has good shopping and a beautiful chateau with gardens. It is accessible by RER. But I agree with Nancy, Reims seems to make a perfect day trip from Paris. Takes about an hour, Is easy to get to and around in, has interesting sights and lots of history, and provides a very different experience than Paris.

Versailles is very easy, taking RER-C to the Versailles Rive Gauche station, then walking.
Fontainebleau is also quite easy - I think it was a 'regular' train (SNCF) not the RER but I could be remembering wrongly. At the train station in F. go out front and wait for the bus to Chateau - get off right in front of the Chateau. Catch the bus to go back to the train at the same stop. The town is also very nice to stroll for a couple of hours...

I can add a few more attractions to the list. Giverny is one. You can take a tour, of which there are many, or you can take the train from Gare St. Lazare to Vernon. Then either ride the local bus or take a taxi.

Fontainebleau is another. It is one of the easiest free lance trips to a major attraction imaginable. Take the train from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau. A city bus goes directly to the front gate of the chateau. The chateau itself is a hodge podge of architecture, but the interior is lavish. Napoleon of course lived there during his days as monarch.

Vaux le Vicomte is a third attraction. For this masterpiece of the integration of architecture, engineering, interior decorating, and landscaping, I recommend a tour from Paris, or private vehicle. The chateau is near the town of Melun, but an expensive taxi ride is the only practical way to get there from the train station -- about 20 e each way. Melun itself is on the rail line to Fontainebleau.

The designers and architects of Vaux are the same three men who were requested by Louis XIV to create Versailles. Although Versailles is much larger, and incredibly more grandiose and lavish, Vaux as a total entity is more artistically accomplished.

I think, however, that the others have a very good point when they say that Paris has a lot to offer. After 3 visits encompassing 13 days, I still have several unseen attractions on my long list.

The out of town attractions are worthwhile, however. It just takes a long time to see everything of major status in and around Paris. The selection then become a function of personal priorities. Had you rather see Roeun or Musee Marmottan?

Hi daisy,

Would you really rather visit Disneyland than the other wonderful places listed above?

Chartres definitely. Not only is the cathedral magnificent, the old town area down the hill and to the rear of the cathedral is very quaint and original.
Not mentioned in the other responses is the moated castle/palace in Chantilly, an easy nearby trip.
Recommend against the car. Difficult traffic and very sparse parking. Trains will take care of all your needs.

Disneyland is nice, but while you are in France I would advice you to rent a car and to see the Loire region: Chambord, Cheverny, Blois, Amboise or other castles: 1 1/2 hour from Paris.

Let me clarify a few things:

Regarding Versailles. It is 50 minutes from Paris by RER (line C) or by train (Station: St Lazare). The RER runs from M: Invalides or any stop on RER Line C5 to the Versailles Rive Gauche station. The RER trains depart every 15min and cost 5 Euro round-trip. When you take the RER to Versilles remember to buy the proper ticket (the standard ticket for the metro & busses is not good for the outskirts/suburbs of Paris).


Château de Fontainbleu is about 45 minutes from Paris? Gare de Lyon train station. This place is less crowded than Versailles.

Chartre. This is where there is a beautiful church called Notre Dame which makes the church by the same name in Paris seem tiny and boring. This town is the place to go if you like stained glass.