day trips out of Paris

I'm kinda partial to Fontainebleau ;) The chateau and the gardens are beautiful. If you have a car, there are some incredibly amazing places to go within the surrounding forest, including a place where you hike through a pine forest and arrive in the desert. (Seriously, you have to see it to believe it.)

In addition to Versailles and Fontainbleau, my two favorites are Vaux le Vicomte and Giverny but they aren't south of Paris. Why only south?

Versailles is a great side trip from Paris. Very easy; if I recall, something like 45 - 60 min train ride. Check Rick's France travelbook, he includes all of the info you need for visiting Versailles. So much to do when you get there, too; after the tour inside (we took the self-guided audio tour), you can spend hours wandering around the extensive gardens and fountains; beautiful. Makes for a great day outside of Paris, and super easy, too. Another easy day trip is Fontainbleu, another beautiful castle. If I recall, my trip was a few yrs back, Rick also has this in his book. If you don't already have it, def get it: his are THE BEST guidebooks in the bix, imho! Have a great time.

Chartres, no matter what direction it is Reims/Champagne- ditto-

Another vote for Chartres. Aside from the cathedral, where I did both morning and afternoon tours, the town is a pretty place to just wander around.

To put it bluntly, if you're within five hundred miles of Chatres and don't see the cathedral, you should be tossed in the jug.

Chartres is about an hour SW of Paris by train from Gare Montparnasse and well worth it. The cathedral is a short walk from the station. The town around the cathedral is interesting and fun to explore. Versailles is unique but very crowded. I haven't been to Fontainebleau in many years but it should be less stressful though somewhat further away.

Another vote for Chartes and Vaux Le Vicomte. I had a fantastic time at Vaux, I may actually like it more than Versaille. The grounds are AMAZING, and the Chateau is spectacular. I had never really heard of it before but I was knocked out by it. There is a reason that it is used in so many movies. Look it up.

Another vote for Chartres. We were in Paris in April and went to Versailles, which was a zoo and gave me the overall impression of being run-down. If I had it to do again I would go to Chartres instead.

I'm going to suggest you visit the Loire Valley. The l locatio of so many chateaux are lovely and the history may grab you. You'll see Versailles in a different light. In fact, I'd suggest a car and an overnight visit to see a beautiful part of France.