Day Trips from Paris -- Any Advice??
 

I am honeymooning in Paris in September. I would like to schedule a few day trips. Any advice??

Chartres is only about an hour south of Paris,and it has its wonderful cathedral. Giverny (Claude Monet) is close, also, but in a different direction.

Good morning, Jeff <BR>In addition to Chartres, I would add the boats on the Seine and Fontainbleau.....Versailles can sometimes be overwhelmed by tourists. <BR>RICHARD OF HICKORY HILLS, IL.....

Our last trip to Paris was great, and we enhanced our lives by doing the day-trip thing instead of standing in line at museums (been that route a few times). Chartres is an easy day-trip from Paris, and we used the latter half of the day for it after enjoying the organ music at Mass as St. Sulpice. We took the train from Gare Montparnasse. The next day we left early for Chantilly, also an easy train ride from Paris, only we went from Gare du Nord. After you get off the train you walk FOREVER to get to the grounds, but it is worth every step. Giverny is a wonderful full day trip, GO EARLY to beat the buses. Check the schedules the day before as these are not metro rides out to the locations. Also, browse a little in the gift shops there to buy a book or a few postcards for a little remembrance. <BR> <BR>Have a great time, sit back, and let the train do the work. <BR>

If you are interested in cathedrals you could do a half day trip to St. Denis, easily reached on the metro line. The cathedral is a short walk from the station and there is a shopping mall close by. St. Denis is one of the earliest Gothic cathedrals and was the burial place of the French royals for many centuries (not much to see re graves/crypt due to the French revolution).

Best Wishes! Chartres is absolutely wonderful; the earlier advice about the train is correct. Be sure to get the tour w/Malcolm Miller! He is superb! The little tourist info building near the cathedral can tell you when his next tour is. Just look for the very British academic near the entrance to the book shop-he collects the $ for the tour there. It wasn't too expensive and was more than worth it. Be sure to go look at the view at the back of the cathedral-Malcolm Miller's book is on sale in the book shop and it is excellent. <BR>Versailles is great, too. Go very early, well before 10:00 a.m. Versailles is closed on either Mon. or Tues, so check! There is a nice cafe downstairs. The apartments were too crowded for us to see much; I prefered the grounds anyway. Take the little train to the 4 main sights on the grounds. Don't miss the Petite Trianon and Marie Antoinette's Hamlet-each is perfectly lovely. Happy days!

Hi, <BR>If you have a car, you may also want to consider a quck trip to the Loire. Chenonceaux is one village and castle that I would recommend..very beautiful. Consider renting a rowboat for the lake/river the castle is on. You could then do a cross country ride to Chartres...countryside is very nice.

Hi, again. Forgot to tell you that the train from Paris to Giverny leaves from Gare St. Lazare. This is a station Monet painted many times. He would go many different times during the days, to get the light just right. Your ticket should be from Paris to Vernon. Get off at Vernon. Take a TAXI to Monet's home. Enjoy the home, visit the gift shop, visit the cafes behind the home, then take a taxi back to the train station well before your train leaves. Here is the reason. If you and all the other visitors wait for a taxi to the train station, you may risk missing your train because there are only so many taxis. Or just plan ahead to leave well before it looks like the crowds are leaving. <BR> <BR>I hope you are able to stay in Paris at least a week!

When you arrive in Vernon, tip the driver the usual and request that he/she pick you up at Giverny at a designated time in a designated spot.

If you have a car for one day: <BR> <BR>1) Chateau de Vaux-Le-Vicomte in the morning. Spectacular palace that Foquet <BR>built. I like it better than Versailles. <BR>2) Fontainbleau is a must in the afternoon. Another Palace. <BR>3) Have dinner in Barbizon, the painter's village. It's a treat. <BR> <BR>The whole time you'll be driving in the Fontainbleau Forest. Roundtrip is 100mi. <BR>from Paris. Take N19 to N104. <BR> <BR>I'll be doing it again in October. <BR> <BR>

Paris is a romantic city-we spent eight days in Paris last Oct. and did an overnight trip to the Loire Valley-rent a car-outside of Paris it is easy toget around! Read up on the Chateaus and Castles to see! <BR>have fun! <BR>