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Day Trips from Paris in late May/early June

My 9 year old daughter and I will be in France for just under a month. We will be spending a week in Paris, a week on the Atlantic coast with friends, another week in Paris and then a week driving around Provence with another friend.

We have been to Paris many times. I usually get the Paris Museum Pass and the list of free City of Paris museums and go nuts. Last trip, we saw many of the lesser visited museums (e.g. Ars et Métiers, Vie Romantique, Petit Palais, Victor Hugo and Architecture) and loved them. We will have Navigo passes for the weeks we are in Paris and will be in the 16th.

Given we have quite a bit of time in Paris - we will do the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame towers (less obligatory now that the fine mesh prevents clear photos), Sacre Coeur, Arc de Triomphe which my daughter insists are de rigeur - we would like to do day trips. We've done Versailles, Fontainbleau, Giverny and Disneyland. I've previously spent time in Normandy. Mont St Michel is magical but I feel it's too far for a day trip. We previously spent time in the Loire but don't want to do a day trip there either.

We enjoy walking, poking around antiques markets and bookstores and eating. What other day trips should we consider? Thanks!

Posted by
9436 posts

Of the day trips not on your previously done list, one of my favorites is Vaux-le-Vicomte. Mamaison is very good (Josephine's home). Two others are Provins and Chantilly.

Have you been to either of the two flea markets in Paris? Both are really good.
Clignancourt is huge, Vanves is small.

Posted by
12313 posts

I think Chartres is a great choice. It's an easy train ride from Paris.

You can get to various sites in Normandie (Rouen, Caen, Bayeux, maybe Honfleur) directly by train from Paris, but you would have to make sure you can get a decent direct train both ways to make it a good day trip.

Posted by
1175 posts

Don't overlook London via the Eurostar. Take an early train over and a late train back for a full day enjoying London's landmarks. Sleeping on the Eurostar over and back make it a delightful trip, if you are so inclined. Your 9 year old might enjoy the adventure.

Posted by
6713 posts

Chartres would be my top choice. Reims is another possibility. Also St-Denis for its historic basilica, the first example of Gothic architecture and where most of the French kings are buried (in whole or in part). I agree that MSM is too far for a day trip.

Ina Caro's Paris to the Past describes a lot of day trips by train.

Posted by
8532 posts

There are literally dozens of wonderful less well known towns, villages, chateaux in the Ile de France; we always try to visit a couple on each trip. You can see a handful of recent ones we have done here:
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/category/day-trips-from-paris/
Some other obvious ones that are terrific include Auvers sur Oise where Van Gogh lives out his days, Provins with its medieval fortress and activities, Malmaison, Josephine's chateau, Rouen which has lovely churches and an entirely different architecture from Paris -- just so many. Simms has a book called 'An Hour from Paris' which has 20 trips easily done by train in an hour or less. And if you haven't seen Chateau Vincennes or Basilica St. Denis these are two sights on the Paris metro that I would definitely put at the top of the list. It is also to rent a little boat on the lake at the Bois de Bologne and row around with the Eiffel tower in the distance.

Posted by
4132 posts

Monet in Paris (the water lilies and the Marmaton) plus Rouen, or Giverny and Rouen if you are energetic, makes a great combination, especially if Monet's cathedrals will be back at the Marmaton.

I agree with you about MSM. If you run out of ideas for day trips the second week, why not spend a few days in Normandy, with a night at the Mont?

Posted by
289 posts

Thank you for your fabulous suggestions!

I was just reading about Rouen - that is on the list as are Chartres, Vaux-le-Vicomte and possibly Reims. We likely will go to Giverny. Last September, the volume of river cruise passengers made the gardens unbearable. But I love it. We usually walk one way between Vernon to Giverny. It's quite easy and picturesque. We did go to the Jardin d'Acclimatation one year - rides were bad but the waterpark and puppet show were a hit. I am looking forward to seeing the Louis Vuitton museum.

We will be flying into London and spending a few days before taking the Eurostar to Paris. It's usually cheaper to arrive in London and leave from Paris (difference in departure taxes). It certainly would be a long but doable day trip!

Merci beaucoup!

Posted by
289 posts

Special thanks to Janet: I just checked out your blog and loved it!