I'm trying to decide between Troyes and Provins as a day trip from Paris (mid March). I've searched and read the comments, also visited all the appropriate websites - and they both sound great! So help me decide please. I would probably not do any museums but would just walk around and soak up medieval atmosphere. One of my major aims when traveling is photographing the sites - so which one is more picturesque?

And if it's a tie based on photogenic/atmosphere than I'll go with whichever one is easiest to get to. The sncf site lists numerous direct trains to each (about one and a half hours - sound right?). Is the train station in the heart of town or is there much of a boring walk involved (to either town)?

Which one would you do, and why? Thanks

Easy for me to decide. I'd go to Provins because I've been to Troyes. I like to try new places.

If topography makes a difference Troyes is flat, flat, flat. You won't get any dramatic shots overlooking the town or looking up at the town. I believe Provins has some higher areas.

On the other hand, Troyes has a couple of interesting museums and a fine Gothic cathedral with beautiful stained glass windows.

indytravel - you say Troyes is flat. How big is it? I know everyone walks at different speeds but for example, how long did it take you to walk from the train station to the center of town? How long to walk from one end of the "center" to the other? How much time did you spend there? Thanks

I spent 3 nights in Troyes back in April of '02. I got in earlier on Saturday then I expected. I was able to see most of what I wanted to see by Monday noon. This included 3 churches and 5 or 6 museums and wandering the old town. Monday afternoon I took a day trip to Bar-sur-Aube. A pleasant, sleepy, little town to walk around but nothing earth shattering or stunning.

The old town of Troyes is very compact. It's just a few feet to walk from the rail station to across a main boulevard to enter the old town area. From the rail station to the center of town is probably a half mile. At a very leisurely site seeing pace I could walk it in about 20 minutes. If I were on a mission I could do it in 10.

One end of the center to the other is about a mile. I walked it several times as my hotel was very near the train station. The width of the old town is about a half mile. Interestingly the old ramparts that surrounded the city which are now boulevards are in the shape of a champagne cork.

There are six or seven churches in the old town area. Only the cathedral and basilica were open daily. The others had mass schedules posted on them when they would be open. Otherwise you'd have to schedule entry with the tourist office. By the way the tourist office is very conveniently located to the right of the train station as you exit it.

The old town is beautiful to walk through, lots of half timbered buildings. The little alley rue des chats (I think) is very narrow and has the leaning buildings almost touching at the top.

Thanks indy, just the kind of info I was looking for. Sounds like a nice place. Now if someone who has been to Provins could offer up a similiar description maybe I could finially make up my mind. Thanks again.

I did a day trip to Provins with two kids (then ages 13 & 11) when I home exchanged north of Paris in Montmorency.

Montmorency is north of Paris and we had a car, so I can't comment on the trains.

In the summer, Provins has jousts on the weekend. The kids really enjoyed that--even though my son booed the bad guy so much that the guy came into the audience to "attack" my son. He will never live that one down.

In March, I am sure they do not have the jousts and, for the record the jousts may not even happen in summer any more because our friends the jousters went on to a better gig the last time we heard (at Europa Park in Rust, Germany, near Strasbourg and Alsace).

Having said all of that, Provins is a small old town with walls. We did not have time to explore it because the main part of our day was taken up by the joust. By the way, if you ever see a joust in Europe, take a close look at the "armour". It is often American football pads sprayed different colors (the bad guy gets black ones, etc.).

I have never been to Troyes, so I cannot comment on that.