Hi, my family and I will be returning to Paris next summer and want to do some day trips outside of Paris. We have been to Versailles already and loved it. My kids will be 12 and 14 on our next holiday. We want to spend 2 weeks based in Paris and do some trips and explore outside of the city. We would like some suggestions from people on this forum and any advice you might have. We would like to do a long day to Belgium from Paris as well, possibly spending a night in Belgium. We love the country, wineries, medieval towns, quant gardens, castles and any thing else you might suggest. We are very athletic, but wish to stick to public transportation.
Any advice, suggestions or any other comments are greatly appreciated. We will also be spending a week in Switzerland as well.
Thank you in advance
Tania
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
Go to Giverny and visit Monet's gardens and house - beautiful!
Take the kids to Chateau Thoiry just south of Giverny - amazing zoo and drive through safari park with a collection of animals collected by the family over many years. The lion enclosure is amazing...you can walk through a plexiglass tunnel and be face to face with them. Go at feeding time - it was a hit with my son when he was young!
Go to Vaux le Vicompte - great nighttime candlelight tours of the chateau and beautiful gardens.
Head down to Chartres and visit the massive cathedral.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
If you loved Versailles, maybe another chateau, such as Fontainbleu or Chantilly.
if you are athletic, and have fair weather, and love the old stuff, maybe the Fontenay Abbey coupled with a walk on one of France's walking trails trails. Here is how that could work.
Take a morning TGV to Montbard and take a cab to the Abbey, It's about 4 miles.. Bring lunch. When you have toured the Abbey take the walking path back to the train. The Grande Randonee 213a passes through some lovely countryside.
http://vps10941.ovh.net/~cdrp21/sites/default/files/fgr213a_fontenay_montbard.pdf
Montbard is largely charmless, so do not linger. But it might be good for a meal.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
Ina Caro's Paris to the Past describes a couple of dozen day trips you can do by train. It's organized chronologically not geographically, so you can focus on a historical period or architectural style if you want.
Besides those mentioned, St-Denis (reachable by Metro) has the "original" Gothic cathedral (actually a basilica) from the 11th century, plus the tombs of most of the kings and queens of France. And Reims, reachable by TGV, has another outstanding Gothic cathedral, where the kings were crowned, plus a Roman gate. Plus champagne of course.
Posted by
Noblesville, Indiana, USA
1406 posts
Visit Chartres for a day and night>
Posted by
Chicago
8550 posts
There are literally dozens of easy day trips within an hour of Paris: some obvious ones in addition to Versailles are Chartres, Giverny, Rouen, Reims and Auvers sur Oise. You can see some less well known ones we have done recently here:
http://janettravels.wordpress.com/category/day-trips-from-paris/
Paris is a great base for travel to many interesting spots in the region. Simms has a book called 'An Hour from Paris' which details some of the less well known ones i.e. not Versailles or Auvers sur Oise, but places like Crecy la Chapelle, Senlis etc.
It is a great way to vary a trip to the big city and you don't have to travel hours and hours to do this.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
388 posts
If you are sticking to public transportation, wineries will be tough without a car. However, towns like Reims have champagne cellars you can visit. Another daytrip (albeit long daytrip) is Normandy. You could take an early train to Bayeux (2 hours one way). The trip to and from Brussels can get expensive though. If you can commit to times and dates, try to buy those tickets online before you go as they may be a little cheaper (www.thalys.com or www.raileurope.com)