This question is for those who have experience traveling in France.
We are taking a trip to France Tuesday, June 20th-Thursday, July 6th. We will be in Paris June 21st-June 26th & July 4th-July 6th. We would like to see both Versailles & Chartres. When is the best time to take day trips from Paris to both of those locations? Any other advice on visiting those sights? Thanks.
Avoid Versailles on weekends, when it will be much more crowded. I don't think that's such an issue for Chartres. Sunday services might either improve or interfere with your cathedral sightseeing, depending on how you like to experience cathedrals. I don't know whether Malcolm Miller is still giving cathedral tours, but if he is you should try to take one.
Both are easy train rides from central Paris (RER for Versailles, regular train from Gare Montparnasse for Chartres). Both deserve a full day imho.
For Versailles, the thing is to plan your visit and to minimize crowds. It's a big place. Are you interested in seeing the gardens, or just the palace?
One strategy is to arrive early and wait near the front of the line for the palace. Then visit the gardens or get some lunch in town and go home.
Strategy number two is to visit the gardens first. There's a city bus form the train that will drop you near the walk-up for the Petite Trianon at the other side of the grounds. Then you can make your way back to the palace and visit it in the less-busy afternoon.
For Chartres, Mr. Malcolm Miller leads scholarly tours (more like guided lectures) of the different aspects of the cathedral regularly. It is worth coordinating your visit to meet up with him. Typically there is one at noon, which implies a fairly early start to get to Montparnasse to catch the train.
The cathedral and old town (which is also charming) are perhaps a half mile or so from the station in Chartres
What we did in Oct 2015 was go early morning to Versailles from Paris with a small day bag. Keeping our main luggage in the storage room of our hotel in Paris.
Visit the chateau in the morning as it opens. Wander around the gardens till lunch time. Have lunch in a cafe in the gardens.
Take a train to Chartres from Versailles chantiers which is a longish walk from the chateau itself.
We reached Chartres and checked into the quaint hotellerie st Yves very close to the cathedral and visit the cathedral itself. Saw it all lit up at night. Had a great meal at the café serpents with views of the cathedral.
Wander around chartres in the morning and return to Paris in time for lunch.
I know most members in this forum hate one night stands at locations but this was very much worth it.
Have a great trip
Thank you for all of your helpful responses.
