Paris Day trips to Vaux-le-Vicomte and Reims

Hi,

If you are taking the regional trains, ie the TER trains, they don't sell reservations. You buy the ticket at the station. Reims is easy to do as a day trip, depart from Gare de l'Est, buy the ticket there.

We did Vaux le Vicomte on our own at a time when the shuttles were not running and so took a cab to the chateau and then they called us a cab for the return. We feared the worst on that since cabs require you to pay their entire trip from where called, but it was not crazy high when it arrived. You can see our trip here:
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/vaux-le-vicomte-our-last-chateau/
It was my favorite chateau experience and I highly recommend it. The grounds are spectacular and the whole place is uncrowded. Be sure to pay the extra 2 Euro to have access to the cupola on the dome -- wonderful view. We did not do the candlelight thing so I can't speak to that, but spent a lot of time at the chateau and loved the experience.

You can do Reims as a day trip, but it will be a loooong day and a rushed one to boot. A one night stay would be preferable. Train reservations not needed -- just get them at the station. Two restaurants come to mind. Across from the cathedral (which is interesting because of the Chagall glass) is Au Bureau with outside tables and is good for lunch. The other is Le Gran Café on Place Drouet d'Erlon. Great food -- ate there twice!!

We went to the Martel champagne place and found it to be very interesting. It is easy to get to (12 or 15 mins.) on the city bus from the area of the train station.

The Museum of the Surrender (?) where the peace treaty ending WWII is also well worth a visit.

Bing maps has very good bird's eye and street views of Reims that make it very easy to get the lay of the land before you even get there.

Reims is easy to do as a comfortable day trip from Paris, we did it a couple of months ago.
You book (advance reservation required, the sooner you buy the less it costs) the TGV (high speed train), it gets you from Paris to Reims in 45 minutes. Easy to book on the Capitaine website.
Book the 9am (approx) departure. Return at 6 or 7 pm and you're back in Paris by dinner time. Or you could book the return as early as 4 or 5 pm, depending on how many things you do in Reims and when you want to be back in Paris.

If you want more info on how to do Reims as an easy day trip from Paris, post again or send me a Private Message.

If you buy a TGV ticket to Reims on short notice, you'd expect to pay €30-38 per person, each way in second class. If you lock in nonrefundable tickets months in advance, prices can be half that amount. You're buying for a reserved date and time in either case, but with no deadline to purchase.

We have been to the candlelight evening at Vaux and I highly recommend it! The dinner is good and the atmosphere is simply magical...touring the house and walking through the gardens, all lit by hundreds of candles is truly memorable. We got lucky and a lightning storm rolled through while we were there which made it cross into the realm of a Hollywood movie!

I found Reims to be an easy day trip from Paris.

The candle lit evening at VLV is definitely worth it. I did not do the dinner. However I did stay nearby that night and then returned to the Château the next day to enjoy the gardens and the fountains in the daylight. I am happy that I visited in the evening and then again in the daylight..

"We got lucky and a lightning storm rolled through while we were there which made it cross into the realm of a Hollywood movie!"

Ah, as in The Man in the Iron Mask (which was filmed mostly at Vaux-le-Vicomte).

totally agree with Kent - Reims is a very easy and nice day trip from Paris. Kent actually helped with my planning - thanks Kent! and it was an absolutely wonderful day. I booked about 6 weeks ahead and got a great price for the train tickets. booked on capitaine.

nsosa5,
You're welcome! Glad that I was able to help you.