You can get mini-bus tours from Tours station that do the same but with different cheateaus - take TGV to Tours from Paris in about an hour.

The Blois options sound neat too.

Depending on the time of year, Vaux-le-Vicomte is not hard to reach by public transport and if you go to their website you'll find info about the shuttle bus between the train station and the château. Anyway, here's more info about day trips:

If you want to go to anyplace that requires a reservation for train tickets (all TGV trains and many Intercités trains) you'll need to buy them 3 months in advance to get the cheapest ticket prices. For some popular routes tickets may go on sale 4 or more months in advance and this is especially true for summer months.

The cheapest train tickets are going to be the local trains near Paris that have fixed prices so you don't need to buy tickets in advance and you can also wait for the best weather day to do a day trip.

Here is a brief list that summarizes many of the most popular day trips from Paris (within an hour and a half by train). With the exception of Reims, Troyes and Rouen I haven't included places that require advance train ticket purchase to get the cheapest train ticket prices. The rest of the destinations are all local trains with fixed prices. There are certainly many other day trips you could also do but this list covers most of the biggies:

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Provins (an authentic walled medieval town): http://www.provins.net/
Trains depart from Gare de l'Est. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte.
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Château of Chantilly (wonderful fairytale château, famous art collection): http://www.chateaudechantilly.com/fr/
http://www.chantilly-tourisme.com/
Trains depart from Gare du Nord and arrive at Chantilly-Gouvieux. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Senlis (beautiful small medieval town can be combined with a visit to Chantilly):
http://en.senlis-tourisme.fr/
Take train to Chantilly (see above). Take bus number 15 from Chantilly to Senlis. Bus schedules here: http://www.oise-mobilite.fr/index.asp
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Reims (champagne tours, great historic cathedral, museums):
http://www.reims-tourisme.com/
Take TGV train from Gare de l'Est. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices. Train tickets cheapest if purchased 3 months in advance.
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Epernay (champagne tours): http://www.ot-epernay.fr/
Trains depart from from Gare de l'Est. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Fontainebleau (former royal town with famous château):
http://www.musee-chateau-fontaineble...mmaire&lang=en
http://www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com/index.php/en/
Trains depart from Gare de Lyon arrive at Fontainebleau-Avon. Take Bus 1 from train station to château. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte.
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Versailles (obvious):
http://en.chateauversailles.fr/homepage
http://www.versailles-tourisme.com/en/accueil.html
There are several possible ways to get here by train from Paris. Easiest (least confusing) is to take RER C from Paris to Versailles Rive-Gauche. Use www.ratp.fr for train info.
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Rambouillet (Royal château now Presidential palace, nearby forest for hiking/biking, pretty downtown. On the same rail line as Versailles and Chartres)

http://www.rambouillet-tourisme.fr/

http://chateau-rambouillet.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/

Trains depart from Gare Montparnasse. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte.
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Château of Vaux-le-Vicomte (the château after which Louis XIV based his garden renovations for Versailles and IMO one of the most elegant château in France):
http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/
http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/useful-information
Trains depart from Gare de l'Est and arrive in Verneuil l'Etang. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte. See the château website for info on transport between the train station and the château.
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Rouen (small city, lots to do, wonderful cathedral, medieval old center): http://www.rouentourisme.com/
Trains depart from Gare Saint-Lazare. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules. Tickets cheapest if purchased 3 months in advance. Last minute tickets cost 22.80€ each way (45.60€ round trip).
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Giverny (Monet's house and gardens):
http://fondation-monet.com/en/
http://giverny.org/giverny/
http://giverny.org/gardens/index.htm
http://www.vernon-visite.org/index.shtml
Trains depart from Gare Saint-Lazare and arrive in Vernon. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices. Look at links above for info about shuttle bus to Giverny, or walking or renting a bike.
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Chartres (the famous cathedral and wonderful old medieval town):
http://www.chartres-tourisme.com/en
http://www.discover-chartres.com/

Malcolm Miller Cathedral Tours:

Daily tours of Chartres Cathedral from Easter until late October are at 12 noon and 2.45 p.m. Not on Sundays, and during the winter occasionally or on request.

E-mail address is [email protected].

Trains depart from Gare Montparnasse. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Compiègne (château with museums, wonderful old town. Can be combined with a visit to the château of Pierrefonds): http://www.compiegne-tourisme.fr/
Trains depart from Gare du Nord. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Château of Pierrefonds (Magnificent fairytale looking château. Reconstructed in the 19th century but magnificent nonetheless. Can be combined with a visit to Compiègne):
http://www.pierrefonds.monuments-nationaux.fr/
http://www.pierrefonds-tourisme.net/
http://www.compiegne-tourisme.fr/Le-...errefonds.html
Take train to Compiegne (see above). There are shuttle buses from Compiegne to Pierrefonds but they are infrequent. Use www.oise-mobilite.fr for bus info. Easiest means of access is taxi from Compiegne to Pierrefonds. The tourist office in Compiegne will assist with taxi service.
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Troyes (lovely small medieval city):
http://www.tourisme-troyes.com/
Trains depart from Gare de l'Est. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Auxerre (lovely small medieval city):
http://www.ot-auxerre.fr/
http://www.burgundy-tourism.com/page...erre-1034.html
Trains depart from Gare de Lyon. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Laon (medieval hilltop town with a spectacular cathedral): http://www.laon-tourism.co.uk/
Trains depart from Gare du Nord. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Crépy-en-Valois (charming little medieval town with 12th century châteaux, abbey ruin, quaint streets, nice park)
http://www.valois-tourisme.fr/ot_cre...nglish_version
Trains depart from Gare du Nord. Use http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ for train schedules and prices.
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Crécy-la-Chapelle (small charming renowned artists village): http://www.cc-payscrecois.fr/Crecy-la-Chapelle,203.html Trains depart from Gare de l'Est. Transfer at Esbly to the next train for Crécy. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte.
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Moret-sur-Loing (charming walled medieval village/artists village):
http://www.msl-tourisme.fr/index.php/francais/accueil
Trains depart from Gare de Lyon and arrive at Moret-Veneux-les-Sablons. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte.
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Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh and other impressionist art history):
http://www.auvers-sur-oise.com/heading/heading899.html
Trains depart from either Gare Saint-Lazare or Gare du Nord. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules and prices.
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Rueil-Malmaison (château of the Empress Josephine and a nice old downtown. On the RER A line and could be combined with a visit to Saint-Germain-en-Laye):
http://www.chateau-malmaison.fr/en
http://www.rueil-tourisme.com/EN/
Take RER A to La Défense and then bus 258 to Château de Malmaison. Also possible to take RER A to Rueil-Malmaison and then walk 1.5km to 2km to old downtown and then to château. Bus number 144 also available from RER station to get to downtown then walk to château. Use www.ratp.fr for transport info.
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Saint-Germain-en-Laye (former royal town with a wonderful château now home to the national museum of archaeology. On the RER A line and could be combined with a visit to Malmaison):
http://www.ot-saintgermainenlaye.fr/en/
http://www.ot-saintgermainenlaye.fr/...of-archeology/
http://musee-archeologienationale.fr/
Take RER A from Paris to Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Use www.ratp.fr for train info.
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Barbizon (famous artists village, can be combined with Fontainebleau):
http://www.barbizon-tourisme.fr/
Trains depart from Gare de Lyon and arrive in Fontainebleau-Avon. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte. It is necessary to take a taxi from Fontainebleau to Barbizon.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: When using the http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ website here are a few tips. When entering Paris as your arrival or departure point you will notice a drop down menu appears when you start to type the word ''paris''. Select ''Paris (all stations – FR)'' and this will automatically bring up the correct train station in Paris for your journey. Be sure to uncheck the box marked ''Direct Trains'' to see all options.

If you are redirected to the RailEurope then try again and select ''Antarctic'' as your ticket collection country to avoid being redirected to the RailEurope website. The RailEurope website usually doesn't show all the trains and shows higher ticket prices. Be sure to also look at other ticket purchase options. You can also use the German rail site www.bahn.de for schedules but it will not give train ticket prices.

These are the most popular day trips and all are worthwhile but there are many other less popular and equally worthy day trips. I could easily list a couple dozen more but only if what's on this list doesn't interest you. A good guide book for the Île-de-France region should give you more ideas.

You'll need to take a train from Paris to do these day trips. For info on trains in Paris and the nearby suburbs (métro and RER trains and those TER trains that operate within zone 5) use the website www.ratp.fr. Use the interactive map on this website to plan your trip: http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk. Parts of this website are in French so you can use an English language companion site www.vianavigo.com. You can also use www.transilien.com for métro and RER trains and those TER trains that are part of the Transilien network. Some TER trains on the Transilien network go beyond zone zone 5. It's a personal choice as to whether you prefer using the RATP or Transilien website.

A great website to learn about the Paris métro/bus/RER network is www.parisbytrain.com.

For trains that go further beyond the Île-de-France and/or outside of the Transilien network use the website http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ A great website to learn about trains in France (and Europe) is www.seat61.com if you have any train questions/problems.

Paris and many of the places nearby in Île-de-France are divided into zones, numbered 1 through 5. Paris is in zone 1 and areas outside Paris are in zones 2 through 5. Some of the destinations I mentioned are in zone 5 (Provins, Fontainebleau, Moret-sur-Loing, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Crécy-la-Chapelle, Barbizon). If you have purchased the Navigo Découverte Pass then it will cover your travel within all 5 zones. The Paris Visite Pass for zones 1 to 5 will also cover these destinations but this pass is often not good value for the money and is only worthwhile in certain circumstances. If you do not have these passes then for these journeys it will be more cost effective to buy a one day Mobilis pass for 17.30€ for zones 1 through 5. This will be cheaper than the point to point tickets round trip. Plus, this pass is good for unlimited travel on all public trains and buses for one day in zones 1-5. Buy it first thing in the morning before your first métro ride and it gets you to your train station, your round trip tickets, any buses you need to use at your destination and any traveling you'll do in Paris when you return. Before you use the ticket make sure to write your name and the date on the ticket. You can buy these passes from the ticket machines in métro/RER stations. The machines have an English language option. If so, look for the one day Mobilis pass option. When you get to the screen that lists your zones to choose from press zone 1 and then press zone 5. You can also buy them at any ticket counter. You can buy these in advance of your journey since it's not valid until you write your name and date on it and validate the ticket on your first métro/RER trip or at the train station. If you buy the ticket at a main line train station then before boarding a train be sure to stick it in the machine that validates tickets and it will punch your ticket. Click on the following link to see a photo of the composting machine for Mobilis Passes and other Île-de-France tickets: http://parisbytrain.com/paris-trainm...ationpunching/

Yes awesome info from FrMystiqueTours

Malcolm Miller Cathedral Tours

Is the old cranky geezer still alive - hope so as his tours make the Chartres cathedral cold stones come to life - and he, being at times abrasive with group members IME - is also part of the lure.

Thanks Pal.

The cranky old geezer was going strong in June, 2014.

If i went back, I would try to hire him for a half or full day tour. I have heard him lecture at a university in the US, and he is amazing.

FMT

We want to visit the Chateau and park in Sceaux, and also visit the rose garden at l'Hay les Roses. The Michelin Green Guide is a little vague. The village of Sceaux is reached by RER B2. The park is reached by RER B4. Do we just go to the park? Is there anything interesting in the village of Sceaux? Where is l'Hay les Roses, and how do I get there from the park??

Stu Dudley

Thank you FMT. Such a wealth of information!

You're welcome aussie10.

Stu - I'll have more info for you later when I'm at my computer but I would take rer b to gate de Sceaux and then do a little walk through the old downtown in Sceaux which is very nice but quite small so doesn't take long to explore. I'm pretty sure there are some nice restaurants and food shops there. L'Hay les Roses is the town next door and the rose garden is about 1.5 to 2km from Parc de Sceaux (I've biked through both towns). I'm sure there are buses that go there and the route planner at ratp.fr will likely give info. Never been to the rose garden but I've been to Sceaux and its park and they're quite nice. Will try to give more info later.

Thanks, FMT. Our trip is more than a year from now - so no big hurry.

Stu Dudley

FMT - ever do a trip out to Joinville-le-Pont> and walk along the Marne's northern bank and see all the gingerbread houses and few remaining guignettes?

Plus the fairly new Tremblay Park on the old golf course -full of follies - and in Joinville a tunnel linking Marne and Seine - great for peniche watching?

I used to camp a lot in TCF Joinville-le-Pont so knew the area well - lots of old stone houses, etc.

Stu - I'll come back in a day or two but for now I'll just respond to PalenQ.

PalenQ- Um, I live in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés and am more than intimately familiar with Joinville-le-Pont, the not so new Park Tremblay, the campground in Joinville, all the guinguettes (http://www.tourisme-valdemarne.com/a...inguettes.html), Créteil, Nogent-sur-Marne, Bry-sur-Marne and pretty much every place on the banks of the Marne river from the point at which it converges with the Seine near Paris right out to Noisiel, where one could visit (taking the RER A) the Château de Champs-sur-Marne (http://www.chateau-champs-sur-marne.fr/) and the Cite Ouvrière in Noisiel, which is possibly a future UNESCO heritage site due to its association with the adjacent Menier Chocolate factory (http://www.ville-noisiel.fr/Visites-de-Noisiel). So yeah, I've kinda done a few walks along the banks of the Marne, which is absolutely gorgeous but pretty much completely overlooked by most people even though it's only a short ride from Paris on the RER A. I won't even get into how beautiful the banks of the Marne river are if anyone should ever take the RER A to La Varenne Chennevières because that would just make people jealous of where I live.

Well FMT I have to go back to the area and explore more!

Merci bien!

Bookmarking. This thread is a wealth of info! Thanks!