Easiest way to Givency and Versailles from Paris?
 

Traveling alone. Very little French. What's some advice for taking these day trips?Unable to gleem this from readng previous postings....
TIA...uh, merci, I mean.

Sorry....Giverny.

Versailles is an easy train ride (on the RER, I think). The various options are rehashed here http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34493447

Give<b>rn</b>y (note spelling) is not really in the same direction. Also an easy train ride - - to <u>Vernon</u> - - and then a 5 minute cab ride.

Best wishes,

Rex

Agree with Rex. Here's a little info I've learned.
Giverny - check the train times though. There is a fast train and a slow train. The fast train is about 45 minutes. I think it leaves from Gare St. Lazare. Once you leave the train station there will be a bus stop and a taxi stand (and a place to rent bikes). If you take the bus, be sure you know the departure times for Giverny to Vernon and coordinate with the train schedule. You can always take a taxi back to town if you need to. It takes 2-3 hours to see the gardens and house. There is a lovely cafe nearby for lunch.

Here's the url for the France rail system:
http://www.sncf.com/indexe.htm

To get to Versailles, take the RER C to the Versailles Rive Gauche station.

Gare St-Lazare is the correct depature station to go to Vernon.

If energetic there is a great three-mile hike to Giverny from the town of Vernon - just cross the Seine bridge and then follow the path along the abandoned rail line to the sweet village of Giverny - goes along the Seine the whole way. This is the train line that Monet was once riding when he first saw Giverny and fell in love with it.

I think the easiest way to get to Versailles from Paris is to take the Metro to Pont de Sevres and then take the #171 bus which leaves from right in front of the metro exit. Its a pleasant bus ride and will drop you off right in front of the Chateau entrance.

RER line C is much quicker, can be caught anywhere along the Seine in Paris and dumps you only a few blocks from the castle entrance.

Thanks to all. This is just what i needed.