Day Trips from Paris over Holidays,
 

I've been in Paris two or three times and I'll be spending the holidays there.Any ideas for sites I might have missed. Also, any day trips from Paris. I am not sure how severe the winters are but I should be able to make some day trips.

>Any ideas for sites I might have missed.<

Perhaps if you gave us some idea of what you have already seen and do not wish to revisit......

Versailles
Fountainbleu
Vaux-le-Vicomte

Further afield is Honfleur which I have done in a day if you dont mind a two hour drive each way. Lots of people like Giverny but I dont think ti would be that great in the winter.

Giverny is a wonderful day trip but the gardens will not be in bloom so you might miss the beauty of the place. Chartes, as another one and of course Versailles

Giverny isn't even open in winter.

I would be good to know where you've been. Lots of good places and ideas which you may know about if you had to choose the other times. I just went to Reims for the first time on my last trip, and was very pleased. It does not depend on winter so that would be a good idea (of course check out the champagne cave openings if that's an interest -- I did not even do that and found plenty to do in a day).

Some problem might be reduced hours during holidays, anyway, though. Not in general, but lots of places will be closed on the actual holidays themselves. Some things that typically only appeal to people in warm weather have reduced hours or are closed in winter, also (like some Loire chateaux have reduced hours, Giverny of course, etc).

Hi Actor,

I'll be in Paris also and from the website it appears that Chartres is open at that time.

In years past I've been to the Loire Valley and to Versailles. Both were very good with small crowds and decent weather.

Hope we have good weather,

==Mike

Chartres is definitely worth it. You might want to check, however, to make sure that Malcolm Miller will be there to give his fabulous English-speaking tour.(He travels some in the "off-season". Last year, he was just back from Egypt.)

Also, there is always Versailles, though it was unbearably crowded last year, even with the museum pass.

Giverny is an April-October treat.

So where is Actor?

Hiya Gang:
Thanks for the great imput. I am ashamed to say that I realized how little I have seen in Paris. The first time was as a soldier right after the war and I wont go into that. I haven't anyplace other than Paris...except when we landed in Le Harve back in the forties, and a train ride across France in a forty and eight train cars..which means it held forty men and eight mules.
I will be reporting to everyone of what I have seen.

Again a load of thanks.

Wow, what a difference in Paris ! and probably not one mule in sight :)
You will feel like you have never been there..what a great way to compare - from those days to now.
Have a wonderful time, UncleArt!

Ira, my father signs in from time to time. Somehow he has two names Actor and FAMOUSUNCLEART. He does not know how this happened but it has. Thanks for all the advice.

Hi yea,

Whichever name he uses, I hope he enjoys his visit.

Ira,
Art will have a good time wherever he goes; he loves to write about his journeys and post his pictures. He has been to Paris several times before but he has never been to Caen and Omaha Beach. He was a soldier in WWII so I think it would be very moving for him. I was overwhelmed with emotion when I went. Thanks for your help.

Normandy would be a great day trip. You could go by train, tour or rented car. This would be particularly of interest to a history buff. In the village of Bayeux nearby are 900 year-old tapestries and nice places to lunch, e.g., Lion d'Or.

I have not visited there in winter but understand they are not too bad and, being on the coast, do not get all that much snow. Please check with one of the weather sites.

When you enter the American Cemetery you will never forget the sight of 10,000 Crosses and Stars of David laid out in perfect symmetry , all facing the United States.

Anthony

Thanks Anthony, I was in the first division but did not, luckily, land in Normandy but heard a myriad of stories about it and it is time for me to see the place that only lives in verbal memories.

Auvers-sur-Oise has a wonderful walking tour. It is the town where Van Gough last lived. You would recognize many of his famous painting subjects in the town. You can see the famous wheat field (where he shot himself), and the graveyard with his tombstone. In town you will find the church he painted and Dr. Gachet's house. The "Auberge Ravoux" or "House of Van Gogh" has an excellent bistro. We had one of the most memorable meals there!

Another nice daytrip is Chantilly, especially if you are interested in horses. The most amazing stable you will ever see (it outshines the castle of the same site) is there. The lady of the house believed that she would be reincarnated as a horse. It's an important center for horse breeding and racing in France. It's a beautiful town known for their "Chantilly" (whipped cream), and lace. From the train station, you take a lovely wooded path to the castle estate. We toured the castle, grounds, stable, and we also watched an equestrian demonstration. We finished the daytrip with a cafe and sweet with the famous "Chantilly."

Rouen makes an interesting daytrip. You can tour the tower where they kept Joan of Arc (Jean d'Arc) before burning her at the stake (there is a modern church with an eternal flame at the site). You can also gaze upon the cathedral made famous by a series of paintings excuted by Monet. He painted the same view of the facade with the rose window under different lighting and atmospheric conditions.

In Chartre: there is a small house near the famous cathedral known as "Pique Assiette." An eccentric of the town collected all kids of junk (mostly old/broken pottery) and created an amazing mosaic all over his home and garden.

In Giverny: There is a small compound of artist studios. The courtyard garden is open free to the public. It's right in the center of the village, but hardly anyone goes in. The double gate is swung wide open to the main street, but everyone seems to walk on by. It's a small,cozy little cottage garden.

All of the above trips can be daytrips by train from Paris.

P.S. Oh yeah, wherever you decide to go, be sure to inquire ahead of time about winter hours and possible closure! :-)

Hey Slo Pug:
Terrific day trip ideas. espcially Auvers sur Oise...I am a middling sunda painter and would love to see it.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to making my daytrips.
One reason I love Fodors

FAMOUSUNCLEART: Being an artist, you will definitely find a trip to Auvers-sur-Oise worthwhile. If it is truly a daytrip, leave as early as possible to take advantage of the daylight and of possible winter hours. When I visited in the mid-nineties, the town was not touristed heavily (compared to other famous French towns). We had planned to spend the night (I wanted to stay somewhere not normally on the tourist trail). It was so NOT geared for tourists, I found it difficult to find us a place to stay (the locals said most tourists visited Auvers merely as a day trip and not as an overnight). I was persistent, and we finally found a small 2-room B & B which was actually an old dairy farm (long story). It was in town, walking distance from the center, and near the trail I previously mentioned. If you go, make sure to walk the trail (I "Think" it had informational signs with pictures of the painting Van Gogh painted of the spot....I BAD: my memory is failing; I don't know if the signs were actually there or if I'm having phantom memories).

Again, Slo Pug, you are not slow and I appreciate the good advice. I wasn't planning to bring my water colors but I might change my mind and try using them..I have these small portable sets they might fill the bill,
Again, many thanks