Hello fellow globe trotters! My fiance and I are going to Paris for six days this coming spring and was curious if anyone had any great day trips to take from Paris? I am a huge history buff and I really wanted to go see the Normandy region and the D-Day beaches but I feel like a half day or a day is not enough for that area. I also thought Versailles might be a great spot to check out. Anyone have any "must sees"?

Merci!

Rather than Versailles and the crowds, I'd recommend Fontainebleau, less than 40 minutes by train. I was there in early May this year and there were very few tourists, some residents enjoying the gardens and altogether peaceful.
http://www.musee-chateau-fontaineble...ip.php?lang=en

There also a big market a short walk from the chateau on Tuesday, Friday & Sunday. My look at the market: http://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/a-ma...-fontainebleau

Trains from Paris Gare de Lyon all day.

You're right that Normandy deserves more than a day trip.

My spouse and I divide over Versailles v Fontainebleau, but either makes a good day trip. I like Fontainebleau; she likes Versailles. Either is a good destination.


In fact, any of the chateaux in this slideshow would be worth a day: http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/f...paris#!1-intro

I agree with Fontainebleau vs Versailles, but you should pick what you think you'd like most. You can also do a day trip to Chartres, to see the fantastic cathedral (the town is also cool...I found it more residential than touristy).
We also loved taking a day trip to Giverney once in May. It was gorgeous. You can either book a trip via bus with a guide or do it on your own. Chartres, Fontainebleau and Versailles you can definitely do on your own.

With a week in Paris, I'd probably only want two day trips out of town.

Reims is a great day trip if into stunning cathedrals, cool regional towns and of course Champagne tours in the lavish Champagne houses and curing caves under them. Also the WW2 room in an old school where Allied generals planned the final assault on Berlin - desks and name tags and wall maps still in the same place they were.

Normandy yes is better than a day but with a day you could take the train to Bayeux via Caen and hookup with any of several minibus tours that take you to the most famous sites/sights-but why not stay overnight - time to see Bayeux Cathedral and Queen Matilda's famous 1066 Tapestry and perhaps rent a car or bicycles and do your own tour.

Long-distance trains can be booked in advance for possible discounted tickets - check www.voyages-sncf.com; for info on other day trips by train also www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Chartres, Giverny,auvers-sur-Oise, Reims, Provins, Fontainebleu, etc -so many so chose what interests you the most.

Fodorite Frenchmystique (not sure of name?) has a thread with a long list of all feasible day trips.

Versailles to me is for all purposes in Paris - just a short RER ride right to near the palace- and allow for more time than just the palace (which many find rather tedious if really crowded) and wander thru the vast park and grounds with so many neat things in them.

and the town of Versailles is cool too -few get over to the active town center with old Les Halles type iron market shed and market.

FrenchMystiqueTours

check this name for a wealth of info on Paris day trips and much more.

I agree about Normandy.

As for what day trip(s) to try to fit into (a mere ;-) ) 6 days in Paris, you have an enormous range of options and none of us can tell you which will best suit your interests and preferences. Consulting a good guidebook or two would serve you very well. The cost will be nominal in comparison to the cost of your trip (and might actually end up saving you money because of things you can learn from them), or you can go to your local library instead.

Chartres
Giverny
Strasbourg ( on the TGV)
Loire chateaux (by car)

A million other places, check some of the guide books to see what interests you most

Is this your 1st time in Paris? 6 days....does that mean 6 night [i.e. not counting travel days] Jet lag 1st day may limit activity level that day.

I could easily fill those other 5 days in Paris. You may only want 1 day trip. It depends on your likes, we really enjoyed both Giverny and Versailles. Try to go to Versailles so that you can see the fountain show.

Plan to spend all 6 days in Paris--it IS your honeymoon and you will want to stroll, stop in a cafe, and see LOTS there. BUT have one day trip all planned with its itinerary and if you see a day to give to it, do so.
Even Versailles is a 3/4 day trip really, but as a history buff, that could be it for you. Normandy is 14 hour day trip, but it "can" be done. Take a tour from Paris if you do that would be my advice.

Yes this will be our first time in Paris. We are here 6 nights and then heading to Ghent/Bruges for 3 nights. I think one day trip would be plenty as there will be plenty to do in Paris. Mainly looking for something outside the tourist crowds so maybe Versailles isn't the best option. The more I read about it the more it sounds like they kind of move you through like cattle. Fountainbleau seems like a more low key option if I we are interested in seeing a palace. Also, Giverny looks beautiful! That might be a neat option as well. Thanks for all the help!

If you have 6 nights in Paris, you have just 5 full days. We spent 10 full days in Paris and couldn't tear ourselves away for a day trip. So yes, plan which day trip you would like, then see if you want to leave Paris.

I like day trips to say Chartres or Reims or cities because you not only see some famous place but can savor a regional French town that will be much different than Paris.

Versailles is so close to Paris that again I think it to be a part of Paris and missing it is like missing the Louvre- it is much more than the palace - again the gardens and also a regional town.

But one day in six out of Paris IMO is a good idea -see something of a more real France.

Giverny (Vernon) and Vaux Le Vicomte would also be great options. Vaux Le Vicomte was the "inspiration" for Versailles and was built by the same architect and landscape that created Versailles (and also landed its owner, the Finance minister, in prison.

Paris to the Past is a book full of day trips by train from Paris and the significance of each destination.

As much as I love Giverny, beware the CROWDS! The multitude of tour groups make it horrible. Take another look at Loire Valley, beautiful and low key. I did it by small group minivan tour I found through Viator.

Vaux le Vicomte is hard to reach by public transportation - need to take train and then taxi.

Second the recommendation of "Paris to the Past". But many of her "day trips" are to destinations that deserve more than just a day: e.g. Loire Valley, Dijon.

Speaking of books by Ina Caro (Paris to the Past), an excellent companion read is her earlier 'The Road from the Past: Traveling through History in France'.

Also, has anyone mentioned 'An Hour From Paris', by Annabel Simms? a nice smaller format for we who like to bring them along.

All available on Amazon.

It's actually possible to visit several chateaux in one day without renting a car. We did this several years ago, taking a train to Blois and then using their shuttle service, Navette 41, to visit the chateaux.

The shuttle stops at three chateaux, and there is also a chateau at Blois, so you could in theory visit four chateaux in one day if you don't stay more than two hours at any one of them.

The first two shuttles leave from Blois station at 9:30 and 11:30, making stops at Chambord, Cheverney, and Beauregard before returning to Blois.The third and fourth shuttles begin at Chambord and continue to Cheverney and Beauregard, and the fourth and fifth begin at Cheverney and continue to Beauregard. You can get off at any of the chateaux and then take any other shuttle to the next you want to visit. All return to Blois, stopping at the chateau as well as the train station.

Another shuttle, Navette Azalys, goes just to Chaumont-sur-Loire, with a morning departure and an afternoon departure, with a final pickup at Chaumont. If you go in the morning, you'd have a minimum stay at Chaumont of five hours.

You can see the brochure with all the shuttle timetables here:

http://medias.tourism-system.fr/9/f/...e_la_loire.pdf

When we did this, the shuttle was a passenger van, but now it seems they have a full-sized bus. The driver wasn't a tour guide, but she did describe some of what we passed, and stopped several times for photo ops.

There are also excursions of various lengths, on the Eco shuttles, which are passenger vans, leaving from Blois station, visiting chateaux and wineries. I haven't taken any of these, so I can't comment. They don't have the hop-off, hop-on option that the Navette 41 has.

Finally, you can rent a car at the station, or get a taxi to take you where you want to go. A description of all that's available is here:

http://www.bloischambord.com/organis...que/transports