That appears correct bout Chambord. That isn't usunual for local shuttle buses to only have runs frequently in eary morning and then later day. There is also a 2:10 pm going, it appears, you could visit Blois first if you did that one, and then do the 5:10 pm return. You'd just get back in Paris late. Or, you could just visit chateaux easy to get to on the train line, which would be Blois or Amboise.

As for Auvers, I've taken the train but I just took the RER C to Pontoise (really a couple stops before, st Ouen) where you then transfer to that local line H train. If you go from Gare du Nord, you kind of have to do the same thing anywayt, you have to transfer trains at St Ouen or Pointoise (the train to Auvers starts at Pontoise). So do whichever route is easier, if on the Left Bank, tyhe RER C probably would be. Returning, it leaves Auvers at 1:40, 2:40, 4:35 5:05 and 5:35 pm. GOing, there are runs every hour or so, the schedule is right on the website where you can see the map and you can put in two points in the search box to get the itinerary. Go to the transilien website.

THe total trip time is probably close to an hour, it could be 1:40 if you didn't time things right and had to wait for a train a bit, or even longer. the train from St OUen to Auvers is only about 10 minutes.

>>> I will be in Paris beging of june
I presume you are fully aware of the ongoing SNCF strikes impacting trips to either destination by SNCF trains on announced strike dates. Rail strike in France

I walked from St Ouen rather than wait for next train - just a few kms along the canal. Sweet!

I'm very well aware of that and I hope it will end until 1/6.

One place like combined with Auvers-sur-Oise was Conflans-Ste-Honore - at confluence of Seine and Oise (name of canal-river Auvers in on) - barge (peniche) central for the Paris area- zillions of barges docked and a church devoted to maritime folks and museum - right on RER C route from Paris and train to Auvers.

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

Thank you very much PalenQ. Your tips about getting to Pontoise are very useful. And thanks for the last input. I will look into it.

As for Chambord I'll take the earliest shuttle and hopefully 2 hours or so will ne enough to explore the Chateau.

Chambord is the biggest Loire chateau yet two hours should be enough. Try to spend some time in Blois too - really neat chateau in town and lively regional town itself.

HI Zvi,

Have you considered a visit to Auxerre?

Ira

Thank you very much PalenQ. Your tips about getting to Pontoise are very useful>

Well Christina did that but I'll accept credit!

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:
__________________________________________________ ______________________Provins (an authentic walled medieval town): AccueilTrains depart from Gare de l'Est. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte. __________________________________________________ ________________________
Ch teau of Chantilly (wonderful fairytale ch teau, famous art collection): Domaine de Chantilly Chantilly TourismeTrains depart from Gare du Nord and arrive at Chantilly-Gouvieux. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. __________________________________________________ __________________________
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 __________________________________________________ ___________________________
Reims (champagne tours, great historic cathedral, museums): http://www.reims-tourisme.com/Take TGV train from Gare de l'Est. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. Train tickets cheapest if purchased 3 months in advance. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
Epernay (champagne tours): Office du Tourisme Epernay - Pays de Champagne | Tourisme à Epernay et ses alentoursTrains depart from from Gare de l'Est. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
Fontainebleau (former royal town with famous ch teau): Château de Fontainebleau

http://www.fontainebleau-tourisme.co....php/en/Trains depart from Gare de Lyon arrive at Fontainebleau-Avon. Take Bus 1 from train station to ch teau. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte. __________________________________________________ ___________________________
Versailles (obvious): Official website - Palace of Versailles

Versailles Tourist Information CenterThere 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. __________________________________________________ _____________________________Rambouillet (Royal ch teau now Presidential palace, nearby forest for hiking/biking, pretty downtown. On the same rail line as Versailles and Chartres)
Rambouillet Tourisme - Site officiel de l'Office de tourisme de Rambouillet et Pays d'Yveline. Musées, hôtels, châteaux, randonnées près de Paris.
Château de Rambouillet
Trains depart from Gare Montparnasse. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules. Train ticket is Mobilis Pass zones 1-5 or Navigo Découverte. __________________________________________________ ______________________________
Ch teau of Vaux-le-Vicomte (the ch teau after which Louis XIV based his garden renovations for Versailles and IMO one of the most elegant ch teau in France): Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte - Vaux le Vicomte

http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/us...ormationTrains 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 ch teau website for info on transport between the train station and the ch teau. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
Rouen (small city, lots to do, wonderful cathedral, medieval old center): Rouen Normandie Tourisme & CongrèsTrains depart from Gare Saint-Lazare. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules. Tickets cheapest if purchased 3 months in advance. Last minute tickets cost 22.80€ each way (45.60€ round trip). __________________________________________________ ___________________________
Giverny (Monet's house and gardens): fondation claude monet HOME - fondation claude monet

Giverny : Monet's Village

Giverny area Gardens including

accueilTrains depart from Gare Saint-Lazare and arrive in Vernon. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. Look at links above for info about shuttle bus to Giverny, or walking or renting a bike. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
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 oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. __________________________________________________ ______________________________
Compiègne (ch teau with museums, wonderful old town. Can be combined with a visit to the ch teau of Pierrefonds): Office de Tourisme de Compiègne - AccueilTrains depart from Gare du Nord. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. __________________________________________________ _________________________
Ch teau of Pierrefonds (Magnificent fairytale looking ch teau. Reconstructed in the 19th century but magnificent nonetheless. Can be combined with a visit to Compiègne): Château de Pierrefonds

pierrefonds-tourisme.net

http://www.compiegne-tourisme.fr/Le-...errefonds.htmlTake 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. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
Troyes (lovely small medieval city): Troyes Champagne TourismeTrains depart from Gare de l'Est. Use Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
Auxerre (lovely small medieval city):

Office de tourisme d'Auxerre et de l'Auxerrois dans l'Yonne en Bourgogne

http://www.burgundy-tourism.com/page...034.htmlTrains depart from Gare de Lyon. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
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.___________________________________________ ____________________________________Crépy-en-Valois (charming little medieval town with 12th century ch teaux, abbey ruin, quaint streets, nice park) Office de tourisme du Pays de Valois depart from Gare du Nord. Use oui.sncf.com or trainline.eu for train schedules and prices.___________________________________________ ____________________________________Crécy-la-Chapelle (small charming renowned artists village): Office de tourisme du Pays Créçois - Crécy-la-Chapelle 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._______________________________________ _____________________________________ __________________________________________________ _____________________________Moret-sur-Loing (charming walled medieval village/artists village): http://www.msl-tourisme.fr/index.php.../accueilTrains 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. __________________________________________________ ___________________________
Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh and other impressionist art history): http://www.auvers-sur-oise.com/heading/heading899.htmlTrains depart from either Gare Saint-Lazare or Gare du Nord. Use www.transilien.com for train schedules and prices. __________________________________________________ ___________________________
Rueil-Malmaison (ch teau 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 Accueil | Office de tourisme de Rueil-Malmaison RER A to La Défense and then bus 258 to Ch teau de Malmaison. Also possible to take RER A to Rueil-Malmaison and then walk 1.5km to 2km to old downtown and then to ch teau. Bus number 144 also available from RER station to get to downtown then walk to ch teau. Use www.ratp.fr for transport info. __________________________________________________ ____________________________
Saint-Germain-en-Laye (former royal town with a wonderful ch teau 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. __________________________________________________ __________________________
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. __________________________________________________ ___________________________
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/

Sorry about the messy format of the previous response but that's how Fodor's formatted the word doc I copies and pasted from.

I'm terribly sorry. I got confused. Many thanks of course to Christina!!! For some reason I can post only twice in 24 hours nor can I edit my posts and I got confused with all the good advises of you all.

PelenQ - I was in Blois last December and loved it !! Really
besutiful.

Ira - I haven't been to Auxerre yet. Maybe next time.

Thank you too Frenchmystique . this is an old post of yours and I've seen it before. It was very useful.

FMTours - better info than any guidebook!

Wow! Topping! We will be in Paris next fall and this is wonderful info!

Which you could have saved without topping.

Thank you FrenchMystiqueTours, that was very detailed information. Maybe the best I have seen in a long time. I love Paris and when we are there we mostly stay in the city. But maybe next time, we will take one of the day trips. Thank you!

I once again suggest that you get Annabel Simms' wonderful two books on Paris day trips. Searching her name on Amazon will turn them up quickly.