joe19

We are going to be in Paris for six days in November, early in month. Would like suggestions for a day trip at that time of year. Was considering Anvers-sur-Oise but wasn't sure about November and having to transfer once on the train and time involved.
I've been to Versailles-did not like it all that much.
Thanks for any advice!

Joe

strass

People often mention Chartres. Also, my parents did a daytrip to Mont St. Michel (with a charter bus--a long day!) and really enjoyed it. That was in late September.

joearena99

I'm not sure if it may be too late in the season (early November), but a very nice day trip can be made to Giverny, home of Monet's Garden/Home. I don't remember the exact train, but I believe it took off from the Gard du Nord. From the train station at Giverny, a bus awaits the arrivals, and brings you right to the garden. We spent a full afternoon there, looking over the lily pond, walking the bridges and touring the home.

Robespierre

<b>Bayeux</b> makes a good day trip for a history wonk. The tapestry is a remarkable piece of French and English history. The museum where it's displayed is about a 20-minute walk from the SNCF station.

If you have relatives who fought the Nazis, the nearby invasion beaches and museums are worth a visit. Guided tours are a available at &euro;50-90 (depending on how far up the coast you want to go).

elaine

Hi
the Monet site closes at the end of Oct.

There are one-day organized trips to the Normandie beaches, if that interests you.

elaine

to clarify, I was referring to one-day bus tours from Paris and back

mooziecat

We were in Paris two years ago and would recommend a day trip to Giverny, Monet's home, which is spectacular or Mont St. Michel, hopefully with a stop in Dinan. It is a fantastic city with cobblestone streets and little shops. It was a highlight for us.

PalQ

Also Loire Valley, bullet train to Tours (up to 186 mph), one hour, to hook up with mini-bus tours of a half or full day to a couple of the finest fabled Loire chateaux. These mini-buses were discussed in detail recently if you search for the Loire. ACCU-DISPO one company. Or ask at a Paris train station for a SNCF (French railway) special. Chartres cathedral is superb, train 45 mins to within a few blocks of the cathedral. Also nice old town. Malcom Miller's tours of the cathedral are legendary and enlightening those Malcolm himself can be hard to take. Versailles of course is but 30 mins from paris. Auvers-s-Oise always great, Van Gogh, Cezanne and other Impressionists who held court here have their pictures reproduced at the venue they painted them. Ask at the train station for a ticket that includes train fare and entry to the local palace which houses an intriguing show showing the life and times of the Impressionists in the late 1800s. Yeh you change once but that is from one train to another on the same platform. Bayeux, Mont St. Michel long, long day trips but great. You can do you own day trip to mont st michel by taking the TGV bullet train to Rennes, then taking the bus from the train station that takes you right to the mont. But I'm afraid if you didn't like Versailles, with its wondrous gardens, I don't know what you would like. Maybe you were just herded throught he claustrophobic palace and missed the gardens, in which case I recommend you go again.

skatterfly

Since Giverny will be closed, then why not try Chartres? That's what we'll be doing this September for a day trip... taking the train out there, hopefully getting into a Malcolm Miller tour, and taking our time. I would guess that there are also bus tours there if that's to your liking.

~kat

avm

i would also vote for Chartres, since Giverney is not open in November. I have visited four times since 1968, and I wouldn't dream of going unless I could plan my visit to include Malcolm Miller's English speaking tour. At age 70, he is going strong, still studying the stained glass there. We find him incredibly knowledgeable and witty.
Enjoy! (PS He travels to the States periodically to lecture at universities---excellent there as well!)

PalQ

Malcom's Chartres tours are great but he's hard to stomach. We got there and waited - the sign said 50 francs (pre-Euro days) but we had but 10 folks gathered. He haughtily materializes stinking of wine after the lunch period and said that he had better things to do than take 50 francs from 10 people and unless we all agreed to pay him 100 francs, he would do better things - go back to the wine I guess. This is not to say his tours aren't fabulous - really gets the stones to speak, but I found his attitude hard to stomach. In any case, Chartres, the world's most spendid Gothic cathedral - the one that made the mold for many others and this delightful regional town make it a fabulous day trip.

epeterson324

Although I'm not certain if there is public transportation to the site, I'd recommend Vaux le Vincomte, near Melun, SE of Paris. The chateau and gardens were the inspiration for Versailles, much to the chagrin of its owner who was imprisioned by the king. We visited Vaux le Vincomte in early July, and I found it more interesting than Versailles - and it had the added bonus of no crowds. Check their website at www.vaux-le-vicomte.com.

indytravel

I would only go to Chartres on a bright, sunny day. Otherwise I'd go someplace else.

I was disappointed with the stained glass as the day I went was overcast.

pipestone

consider Reims (in Champagne) for a cathedral visit. perfect for rainy day. i found it to be a beautiful, peaceful change of pace. took the train to Reims..less than 2 hours as i recall (2 yrs ago..getting fuzzy)