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Paris for a Week – Looking for a Day Trip Outside the City

Hello,

My wife and I will be staying in Paris for a week in the Spring. We will be relying on public transportation while there. I am looking for a day trip destination that we can travel to and back to Paris within the same day, while having enough time to enjoy ourselves while we are there. This will be our first time in France. It would be great to get out of the city for a day or two to see some more rural and tranquil parts of France. I look forward to the responses!

Thanks

Chartres
Reims
Versailles
Fountainbleau
Sens

Giverny is an easy train ride to Vernon, should be lovely in the Spring!

There are lots of threads on here about this, and while the search engine doesn't work for recent stuff, here is one example

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-422719-2.cfm

French Mystique Tours often gives long lists on this with URLs, and there is a URL in the above that should help you.

There are dozens you can do, so it depends on your interests. My suggestion is if you want "rural" and "tranquil" (most places aren't that tranquil near a big city, suburbs go for miles), I'd suggest Auvers-sur-Oise to the NW of Paris, you can easily get there by RER/suburban train and it is a small village where Van Gogh lived, but there is actually a few interesting things to see there. Just going to most rural towns isn't going to be that interesting, there is nothing to do there all day. see
http://www.tourisme.fr/697/office-de...s-sur-oise.htm
http://www.chateau-auvers.fr/

For rural feelins yes I second Christina's take on Auvers-sur-Oise and Giverny - quintessential French villages - others are largish cities but nice too - Chartres, Reims, Versailles and Provins, etc.

Recommend "Paris to the Past" - great book that describes day trips from Paris and why you would want to go there.

In Spring, Giverny would be a great choice and maybe Chateau Vaux le Vicomte.

I also loved Reims for the Champagne houses and the magnificent cathedral. Fontainebleu is also nice.

another vote for Monet's Giverny...we were there in early fall and it was still plenty colorful. Pleasant 45-50min. train ride and a little local bus picks up at Vernon station for the very short ride through the couuntry side to the site. There is a cafe' just across the street from the gardens. Check schedules, but if I recall, you catch the Vernon train at Gare St. Lazare. If its palaces you want, then Versailles and Fontainebleau would be your choices. Have a nice outing.

Just to make it easy for you and any others who search the "day trip from Paris" topic I'll re-post my day trip from Paris list:

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.
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:

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.
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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.
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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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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 Lyon and arrive in Melun. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5. Take taxi from Melun to château or in high season use the shuttle bus from Melun to château. See 2nd link above for further transport info.
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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.
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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.
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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. 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. If you are having troubles with the SNCF website you can try using a new ticket selling website called www.capitainetrain.com. 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 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). For these journeys it will be more cost effective to buy a one day Mobilis pass for 16.10€ 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. They are good for 60 days so you can buy it in advance if you want to be prepared. 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 before boarding a train be sure to stick it in the machine that validates tickets and it will punch your ticket.

Impreesive - awesomely impressive FrenchMuystique - but I do suggest you investigate Provins, a wonderful medieval old town, ramparted, and add to your list - very easy day trip from Paris.

Um, Provins is the very first destination on my list. ;)

I think it is fine to want to do a day trip, but I would suggest you make the choice and have all the particulars of how to do it at the ready, and loosely schedule it for the last part of your week in Paris--AND see if you really want to take a day out of the city. Be flexible.
You've never been before--you may want to stay more than you realize.

Will you have a full week in paris (7 days) or 5 days on the ground with a day of travel on each end? If you have 5 days, it would be very easy to fill that time in Paris alone; with 7 days, a day trip would be doable and probably a bit of a respite. Will you be looking for a tour company or doing it on your own? If you would look at a very long day tour, perhaps find something going to Bayeux and the D-Day beaches if you're interested in history. If your interest is more around chateaus, gardens, etc, then the above suggestions are fine.

Just knowing the number of sites in Paris, your time could be consumed there alone!

bookmarking

Not planning to return in the near future, but geez, I sure won't find a comprehensive list like FMT's when I need it. Thank you.

Wonderful thank you . I'm in the midst of planning our trip in May so most helpful.

Holy smoke, I think FMT's post just beat Stu's posts on the South of France and San Francisco!

Having been fortunate enough to have lived in France and been to Paris more times than I have fingers and toes, for the first trip to Paris and getting the feel you want, Giverny, without hesitation. And if you are agile enough and the weather is decent, take the Fat Tire bike tour, which is all inclusive from Paris.

https://paris.fattirebiketours.com/t...dens-bike-tour

I did their Paris night tour a few years back, and it was so much fun!

Wow, so many great suggestions! I will review them all in detail. I would like to visit the Palace of Versailles. Which of the small towns mentioned would be feasible to combine with Versailles as a day trip. The small medieval towns sound the most interesting to me. Accounting for travel, we will have 5 full days in Paris, so I plan to only venture out one of the days and spend the rest of the time in the city.

Thanks again for all of the help!

I spent a day at Versailles and loved it, mostly because I enjoy history and looking at gilded rooms and ornate furniture. My two companions were a little bored but enjoyed walking through the gardens. I wish I had planned another day trip when I was in Paris - definitely bookmarking this page.

You can bike with FMT himself. He does tours in and around Paris that get great reviews. You'd get a bike ride and a tour of villages and beautiful countryside.

http://www.frenchmystiquetours.com/

VeeDubb, if you're not a regular on the France forum, you may not know about FMT's many photo reports of his travels by bike around Paris. Here are links to two of my favorites.

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...2936=undefined

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com/thread/4740

Thanks everyone. :)

VeeDubb - None of the small medieval towns I mention are on the same rail line to Versailles or could easily be combined with a day trip to Versailles. Versailles has 3 train stations and the stop Versailles-Chantiers is on the same rail line as Chartres so it is technically possible to see both on the same day but it would be a very long day. I suggest seeing those places on separate days.

If you want to combine a magnificent château with a medieval town then the Château de Chantilly and the town of Senlis could be combined on the same day. Senlis and Provins are the two best medieval towns near Paris and the nice thing about the château in Chantilly is it is never crowded but it obviously lacks the Louis XIV associations.

Honest, if you have only 5 days in Paris, you will be short changing the city if you leave. But as someone will point out, it is your trip and you can do as you want. I again suggest to keep it very flexible and do a day trip if you really feel you've had enough of Paris.
I don't think much can be combined with Versailles. I think someone sometime posted that they booked a tour that did Giverney and Versailles for a day.

I was going to say about the only possible combination with Versailles I can think of is Chartres. Well, you could go to Rambouillet which is on the same rail line as Chartres, but don't think it would be as pleasing to you. It does have a chateau and a few minor things of interest, but most of the commune isn't "Medieval", just like Versailles is not. You could visit Chartres if you only wanted to spend a couple hours at Versailles and got there right when it opened.

I would definitely take a day trip if I were in a city for five days, myself, and always have when in Paris for that length of time.

I dislike spending more than 3 days in a city when I am on vacation. Some people just want to see Paris because, well, it's Paris. After they've perused the major sites they want to leave and see elsewhere. I've been with many, many people who feel this way and who really enjoy a day outside of Paris to see the "real France" beyond the tourist sites.

In case it gets overlooked by VeeDubb here is what I said about Versailles/Chartres in my last post:

" None of the small medieval towns I mention are on the same rail line to Versailles or could easily be combined with a day trip to Versailles. Versailles has 3 train stations and the stop Versailles-Chantiers is on the same rail line as Chartres so it is technically possible to see both on the same day but it would be a very long day. I suggest seeing those places on separate days."

FrenchMystique - sorry about Provins - I started reading your list under the line not above it - good choice for number 1 - an Italian hill town right near Paris.

Here is a book suggestion. I have the book and have enjoyed reading it although I still have not used it for a day trip.

http://www.amazon.com/An-Hour-Paris-.../dp/1873429495

Another day trip I enjoyed which does not get much ink is to Conflans-Saint-Honore, peniche (barge) central with literally hundreds of active freight barges tied up here, at the meeting of the Oise and Seine rivers - the town itself has some low-key but neat attractions and a unique double-deck RER station.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflans-Sainte-Honorine

Consider Barbizon, home to many Impressionists at one point.

After 10 trips to Paris and many train trips outside the city I'll weigh in here.

The 1st choice---easiest and most impressive IMO is Versailles. I guess that's not rural and tranquil though but still my 1st choice.

So many great replies. This is very helpful! I am considering extending my trip by two nights. I would stay in Paris for 6 nights and then stay in one of the rural towns for 2 nights. I could also do a day trip to Versailles one of the days that I am in Paris. Which of the rural towns/areas should I stay in for lodging? Lodging recommendations would also be much appreciated! Which areas would it be best to stay in to see as much as possible outside of of Paris. I will be flying in and out of Charles de Gaulle. My wife loves champagne and it would be great to visit a region and vineyard where it is made.

Thanks again and I am looking forward to the responses!

If you really like Champagne, Reims or Epernay would be the place to go. They are close enough for day trips, though.

If you really like the impressionists, you could stay overnight in Giverny although two nights may be a bit much.

FMT, it is interesting that you say that. I just enjoyed trip number 17 to France, last month. Up until a few years ago (when Judy, here on Fodors) started inviting me on their family and friend trips to Paris) all of my trips to France were basically about visiting France, with a few days for Paris at the beginning and a few days at the ending - to fly in and fly out.

In traveling with Judy, I've now had two trips which were almost entirely Paris focused - in 2012 I was there 8 nights with them, and in October (last month) I was in Paris 16 nights. I have greatly enjoyed both types of visits and there is really something to be said for picking one spot and really getting to know it - seeing the same cafe waiters, and cheese shops, etc etc.

I am especially grateful that I've managed to see so much of the rest of the country, though. There is so so much to see in France. I think I've visited over 30 departements!

" Which areas would it be best to stay in to see as much as possible outside of of Paris. I will be flying in and out of Charles de Gaulle. My wife loves champagne and it would be great to visit a region and vineyard where it is made."

With only two nights outside of Paris you won't have time to see very much and the other thing you'll need to consider is that in the rur

Epernay and Giverny look really beautiful and I do really like the impressionists. Would it make more sense to stay at the apartment hotel the entire 8 nights and take day trips? It is located close to the metro. Is there a week-long discount pass I can buy that can be used for the metro around Paris and the trains for day trips to places outside of the city?

Darn, I got cut off. As I was saying......

With only two nights outside of Paris you won't have time to see very much and the other thing you'll need to consider is that in the rural towns public transport connections are limited.

If it is champagne you want then I'd agree that Reims or Epernay are the places to go. Reims is a decent sized city so not a rural town and Epernay is a town but I wouldn't really describe it is rural. There are direct train connections between Reims and Epernay so you could stay in one place and visit the other.

Reims does have direct connections to CDG from the TGV station a few km outside the city but you'd want to make sure there are trains to CDG at a time that is convenient to arrive at the airport with enough time to get your flight. If you stayed in Epernay you could go through either Reims or Paris to get to CDG, though Paris would likely be easier.

If you are looking for lodging you can always look at the tourist office website for any town as they usually list most, if not all, available accommodation in their respective towns.

http://www.reims-tourism.com/

http://www.ot-epernay.fr/

And the regional Champagne region website is an excellent resource:

http://www.champagne-ardenne-tourism.co.uk/default.aspx

The following website is hosted by a poster on Trip Advisor who as far as I've seen is the most knowledgeable poster in regards to the Champagne region:

http://www.champagnediscovery.com/

I've got other suggestions I could make but you'll need to consider how you'd get to CDG from wherever is suggested if you do your visit at the end of your stay. Alternatively, you could arrive at CDG and head right to your base outside of Paris so that the second part of your vacation is in Paris and you won't have to worry about connections with CDG.

The most charming towns outside of Paris that I would recommend for overnight stays (where you would also have a transport connection with other places) are Senlis, Chartres and Moret-sur-Loing. Senlis has a direct connection by bus to CDG with a 30 minute travel time. From Senlis you can also visit the Château de Chantilly. From Chartres you could visit the Château de Maintenon (the château owned by Louis XIV's wife and where the wedding reception for their marriage was held). From Moret you can visit Fontainebleau or go for a nice walk or bike ride along the canal that runs through town to some adjacent and pretty rural towns.

I haven't mentioned Auvers-sur-Oise or Provins because they really don't h

Darn it, it happened again......

I haven't mentioned Auvers-sur-Oise or Provins because they really don't have direct public transport connections to other places worthy of a visit.

Fontainebleau and Compiègne are a bit larger but still quaint and would also give you transport connections to other places.

However, of the places I just mentioned only Senlis has a direct connection to CDG.

"Epernay and Giverny look really beautiful and I do really like the impressionists. Would it make more sense to stay at the apartment hotel the entire 8 nights and take day trips? It is located close to the metro. Is there a week-long discount pass I can buy that can be used for the metro around Paris and the trains for day trips to places outside of the city?"

Logistically it makes more sense to stay in Paris the whole time and do day trips. However, I think it would still be a nice experience to spend a night or two outside of Paris. You'll have to weigh the pros and cons and make that decision yourself.

The only transport pass you could buy for Paris and some of the destinations mentioned would be a Navigo Pass for zones 1-5 but those are only valid from Monday to Sunday so whether or not it would be a good bargain for you depends on your arrival and departure dates. The Navigo pass will only work for those destinations that are within Île-de-France so it will not work for Giverny or Epernay. Look at the last paragraph of my first post for info about those places that lie within zone 5.

http://vianavigo.com/en/tickets-and-...avigo-semaine/

I'll suggest spending some time learning about public transport and passes in/around Paris so here is some info about that:

To learn how to get around Paris by métro/bus/RER use www.ratp.fr. Here is a link to a route planner:

http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ra...herche-avancee

Here is an interactive map of the system:

http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk

Since parts of this website are only in French you can also use www.transilien.com or www.vianavigo.com. Via Navigo probably has the most complete English website. Keep in mind that all these sites are time and date sensitive and they will use Paris time, not your local time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that they all default to the next available departure. So you may get one route that looks very complicated (multiple métro/bus connections) but scroll forward through the next few departures and you'll often find the simplest connections for your journey.

To learn about the various types of transport passes look here:

http://vianavigo.com/en/tickets-and-fares/

A good website to learn how to use public transport in Paris is www.parisbytrain.com. It will likely answer any of your questions about what is the métro, what is the RER, what kinds of tickets you need, how to buy tickets, what kinds of passes are available etc.

Based on the very helpful links and information provided, along with the research that I have done, I have narrowed down our trip to focus on the following. Please let me know your thoughts:

Extend the trip plan so that we 8 full days to spend in France (accounting for the two additional travel days)
Stay in Paris at the same apartment hotel for all 8 nights
Focus on seeing Paris for 4 of the days that we are in France
Use public transportation exclusively
Take day trips from Paris to the following locations outside of the city for the remaining 4 days
Day trip 1: Epernay and Reims (champagne tours) – Should we try to combine these in the same day?
Day trip 2: Provins (authentic walled medieval town)
Day trip 3: Versailles
Day trip 4: Giverny (Monet house and gardens)

Thanks

I think that itinerary looks fine. The only thing I would say is that if you want to do Reims and Epernay on the same day then you need to know that the TGV runs between Paris and Reims and you need to buy those tickets 3 months in advance for the cheapest prices (use www.capitainetrain.com). The trains that run between Reims and Epernay and Epernay and Paris are local trains with fixed prices so you can buy those at the train station on your day of travel. You can also check schedules and prices for that journey on www.capitainetrain.com.

I also think doing both Reims and Epernay on the same day will be a very full day so if you do it leave Paris early and study the train schedules to know when you can make connections. I'd also say start with Reims because that ticket requires booking and if you overstay in Reims you can just take a later train to Epernay or back to Paris.

One other note about trains to Reims is that the TGV arrives at either Reims Gare (direct train arriving in the center of Reims) or the Champagne-Ardenne TGV terminal, which is 8km outside of Reims center. From there you take the local train (?or a tram?) to the stop Reims Gare in the center of Reims. You can book that transfer all on one ticket.

To check train schedules and prices for Giverny you can also use www.capitainetrain.com. These are fixed price tickets so no need to buy in advance. The trains arrive in Vernon and you take a shuttle bus from there to Giverny.

Bookmarking for some AMAZING information!! I clicked through on the two bike tour options and was intrigued. FrenchMystique couldn't tell from your website if you had biking options for younger riders 8,11,14.

Thanks sfmaster. I don't discuss my business here on the forums but you can contact me through my website and I can tell you about some options for you and your kids. :)