We're travelling to Paris for the first time for 5 days. We'd like to see some of the amazing castles of Loire Valley, but it seems like most tours take up an entire day. And we're not sure if we want to give up a whole day in the city... Does anyone recommend these tours? Any other good options? Maybe Versailles?

Hi
With 5 days in Paris you won't run out of things to do. I haven't done the whole day Loire trip, but someone I know recommends it if all you can do is oone day, and if the weather is good so you can appreciate the grounds.

Other popular daytrips that you can easily do on your own, are Versailles, Chartres, Fontainebleau, Vaux-le-Vicomte, and Giverny. Any of these will take up most of a day, at least 2/3 anyway.

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Lolly, how wonderful! I just returned from my first trip, loved Paris, and hope I can always remember the thrill and adventure I had there my first time - I hope your first trip is as great as mine was.

Others here obviously have a lot more experience and can give excellent recommendations. But, speaking as someone who's been only once - and for only four days - I'm glad I didn't give up one of my days for Versailles, or anything out of Paris.

Prior to leaving, I had said if I'd had even another day, I might have considered this, but looking back on it now, I don't know that I'd even consider it with five days; then again, maybe I'm just greedy and want as much of Paris as I can get.

There is just so much to see and do, you can fill far, far more than five days anyway. But, along with all the activities be sure to allow time to just enjoy the city - sit in a park with a newspaper, walk as much as you can, just those little things that in my "real world" aren't readily available.

If you have the budget & want to maximise your sightseeing you can hire a car &driver with your concierge,approx $900.00 day.Seems like a lot but you see more in a shorter period of time.

There aren't really many side trips outside Paris worth doing that take up less than a day. There are a couple closer to Paris and where you don't have to be driving around to different locales a lot, though.

There are bus excursion trips to Giverny that are only half day, I think. I don't think you can do that on your own in a half day given the train schedules, though. YOu could probably do Versailles in a half day as you aren't as bound by train schedules and it's closer. Something on the RER would be the best if you want to spend part of a day. I did like St-Denis, also, and you could do that in part of a day as it's right on the metro line, but that isn't going to be radically different terrain than what you see in Paris (main attractions are museums and the basilica). St-Germain en Laye is another example you can do easily by RER, but won't give you major advantages over Paris nor the countryside nor small town thing.

Chantilly is a nice castle, if that's what you want to see, but you can't do that in part of a day, either.

My husband and I did a one-day tour of the Loire Valley castles: Blois, Chenonceaux, & Chambord only. I guess that was alot as it included lunch. It was great and worth the price.