Best Day Trips from Paris

Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, Gardens of Versailles, the Seine river… We could go on and on. Paris is one of the most visited destinations of the world and it takes days to see only the surface of what the City of Light has to offer. However, if you’re lucky enough to spend enough time there to actually do it, you might want to explore the area around the Fashion Capital as well, so check out what’s not to miss and which are the best one day trips from Paris!

1) Giverny

Giverny lies on the right, or north, bank of Normandy’s mightiest river, close to the town of Vernon. Only an hour away from Paris, this small village moves at a tranquil pace, just as it did when Monet lived and painted there from 1883 until his death in 1926. In his family home he produced some of his masterpieces, including his well-known water lily series, Les Nymphéas. Today, his magical gardens and the nearby Musée des Impressionnismes are one of the most enjoyable day trips from Paris, drawing around half a million visitors each year.

How to get to Giverny:

• By train: The Vernon-Giverny station is located on the train line from Paris to Rouen and Le Havre. Trains to Giverny start from the Paris-Saint-Lazare train station. Check out the schedule.

Giverny Garden

2) Versailles

Versailles used to be the residence of King Louis XIV and, at the time, the seat of the French government. It’s an extravagant place with magnificent Hall of Mirrors and royal throne, as well as the location where the World War II was ended by signing of the Treaty of Versailles. You can spend the entire day in and around the palace and still not see everything. However, make sure to stop by at the spectacular chapels and chambers of the main chateau, lakes of the gardens, the Queen’s Farm, the Grand and Petit Trianon and the Galerie des Carrosses (reopened in 2016). Come as early as possible, the queues can be extremely long.

How to get there:

• By train: Take the RER C and select Versailles-Château – Rive Gauche as your destination. One way trip costs €7 and takes 30 minutes.

Latone fountain in royal residence Versailles

3) Normandy

150 km from the French capital, you’re given to enjoy a slice of history. Start your day trip with a visit to Caen Memorial, devoted to illustrations and short movies about the Second World War and the Normandy landings in June of 1944. Have a lunch there as well, and then head to the Pointe du Hoc, a German defense position that was taken by the US soldiers during the War. Next stop is the American cemetery of Saint-Laurent, the resting place of almost 10 000 fallen soldiers. Don’t forget to visit the Omaha Beach Visitor Center, which describes the American operations on the famous beach in June 1944. Before returning to Paris, stop at the Canadian Memorial at Juno beach and Arromanches to see the remains of the artificial landing harbor that was built by the Allies in less than 15 days.

How to get there:

• By train: This is the best option to visit places and cities in Normandy. TGV trains leave from Paris’ Gare Saint Lazare several times a day. The French rail network SNCF provides daily and regular links from Paris: Paris-Evreux: 1 hour, Paris-Rouen: 1hour 30min, Paris-Caen: 1 hour 45min, Paris-Le Havre: 2hours, Paris-Alençon:2 hours 30min.

Rouen

4) Domaine de Chantilly

The Domaine de Chantilly is probably one of the most enjoyable day trips north of Paris you could try. The property was the home to Henri d’Orléans, the Duke of Aumale, who amassed one of France’s greatest collections of precious books, paintings and decorative arts. Today you have a chance to visit the fantastic chateau’s galleries, impressive suites, stroll the gardens and check out the equestrian museum. And don’t forget, after an exhausting day of exploring, give yourself a treat and try out a Chantilly cream-based dessert, it’s a must.

How to get there:

• By train: It takes 25 minutes to reach Chantilly-Gouvieux by TER from Gare du Nord. From the station, the most direct route to the château is a 30-minute walk along a well-signed but sometimes muddy path.
• By bus: Alternatively, it takes a few minutes longer to follow the main roads through the town, or you can hop on the free DUC bus which leaves 5-10 minutes after most trains. Entry tickets to the Domaine include the château, museum and gardens; separate grounds-only entry is available.

5) Amiens

Another gem north of the French capital, Amiens situated itself in the Picardy region. The city is home to the tallest cathedral in France, the mansion where Jules Verne spent a big part of his life and to beautiful floating gardens, or as the French call them, ‘hortillonnages’. So, start your tour with the visit to the gigantic cathedral and try to find the Weeping Angel statue. Also, you might want to check out Jules Verne’s house and museum, which are not too far from the train station. If you’re lucky enough to visit during the spring or summer, then a stroll through the series of small, man-made canals which created a maze of little islands is a must.

How to get there:

• By train: Amiens is 1 hour from Paris (more than 20 daily return trips).
  The high-speed TGV train station of Haute Picardie is just 20 minutes away.

Amiens

6) Mont Saint-Michel

Right on the border of Brittany and Normandy, you’ll find the legendary, UNESCO-protected Mont Saint-Michel. A tiny medieval island, fully accessible only at low tide, with a huge monastery at its peak, is a big part of French history, dating back to the year 708, when as legend has it, the Archangel Michael appeared and ordered a monastery to be built at the top of the island. For centuries, the site served as a strategic stronghold both for the Britons and the French. At one point, it even served as a prison until 1863, shortly after which it was declared a historic monument visited by more than 3 million people each year.

How to get there:

• By train: There is a TGV that runs from Paris’ Gare Montparnasse to Rennes. It costs about €55.80 and takes a bit over two hours.
• By bus: From Rennes, Keolis buses run to Mont-St-Michel four times a day, and most departures line up with the arrival of the TGV in Rennes. The ride takes about an hour and 20 minutes.

Mont Sant Michel

7) Lille

Lille or Rijsel in Flemish is perhaps France’s most underrated major city. Once a grimy industrial metropolis, its declining-industries-based economy has transformed Lille into a cultural and commercial hub. Among numerous attractions, the highlights of the city are an attractive old town with a powerful Flemish touch, three renowned art museums, great shopping opportunities, excellent dining options and a vibrant, student-driven, nightlife. Also, don’t be too surprised by the friendliness of the Lillios, they’re so proud of it that they often mention it.

How to get there:

• By train: There are many train departures a day, starting from €10. The journey takes less than 2h.

• By bus: There are 46 departures a day on the route from Paris to Lille. The journey is 3h long and costs approximately €15 per direction.

View of Lille with belfry, council hall and Paris’ gate

8) Loire Valley Castles

Visit Loire Valley and see three castles for the price of one. This central region of France is home to the lovely Chenonceau Castle, rebuilt during the 15th century after the original castle was destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War, the privately owned Chateau de Cheverny and probably the most magnificent of the three, the Chateau de Chambord, the largest castle in the valley blending traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The admission to the entire valley is 14€ for adults and 11€ for children.

How to get there:

• By train: All the castles are two to three hours from Paris by car along the A10 highway and can be accessed by train by taking the TGV to Tours, then changing to a regional line or one of the many tourist buses.

Chambord Castle

9) Fontainebleau

Versailles is not the only centre of happening when it comes to Royal France. Before that, the medieval Palace of Fontainebleau served as a home to Napoleon III and Louis VII, and was also known as ‘Second Rome’ for its suite of rooms decorated personally by Napoleon I for Pope Pius VII. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is another is another place to see while you’re in the area, so you can enjoy the work of the same architect which worked on the Palace of Versaille. Annually, 300 000 people visit its royal palace and another 11 million guests enjoy the lovely paths of its bordering national forest.

How to get to Fontainebleau:

• By train: Take the Transilien “R Train” with final destination of Montereau or Montargis and exit at the Fontainebleau-Avon stop. On weekends only there is a special stop made for accessing hiking & rock climbing/bouldering in the forests of Fontainebleau. The train stop is named Fontainebleau Forêt and runs only in the outbound direction from Paris Gare de Lyon train station towards Montereau/Montargis, once an hour at 8:19, 9:19, 10:19, 11:19, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only. Once there, take the ‘Ligne 1’ bus destined for Les Lilas, descending at the ‘Château’ stop. One way ticket is €9.
• By coach: PARISCityVISION runs tours to Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte castles from Paris, departing from the agency located at 2 Rue des Pyramides 75001 Paris.

Chateau Fontainebleau

10) Chartres

With a visit to Chartres Cathedral, experience some classic French gothic architecture. The cathedral is a 12-th-century wonder added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list for its astounding level of preservation. The cathedral is considered by some to be the most beautiful cathedral in France and is notable because it demonstrates all the elements of Gothic architecture. It is also one of cathedrals in France that has survived intact through many generations. The medieval city around it is just another reason to make a short getaway to this charming town.

How to get there:

• By train: Take a regional train from Paris Montparnass. One ticket is €15 per direction. See the schedule.