Day trips from Paris

Chartres, Versailles.

This is a frequently asked question on this forum, and here are links to many discussions of this subject, full of information, in just the last year

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Vaux le Vicomte! It's in Rick's Paris guide.

Rouen, Giverny, Reims, Dijon, and closer to Paris and very accessible by RATP, Le Chateau Malmaison of Empress Josephine.

London, Brussels, Disneyland Paris.

You can see Fountainbleu and Vaux le Comte on the same day trip by train to Melun & then take bus to Fountainbleu. A shuttle runs between the two at certain times of the year but we were there in mid ( no shuttle)& took taxi to Vaux--well worth the effort and expense.

Mike,

Principal sights not to be missed in the Ile-de-France region around Paris are: Chantilly, Saint-Denis (cathedral catacombs), Versailles, Chartes (great cathedral and neat little town), Fontainbleau & Vaux-le-Vicomte (both doable with in one day with rented car or RER/taxi combo), and Le Bourget airport for their world-class Aeronautics and Space Museum (we gave them the Apollo 13 capsule before the movie brought it the attention it deserved).

If you want to venture into Normandy, Rouen makes a great day trip. It's just over an hour from Paris' Gare St. Lazare and features a wonderful old city core.

Have a Nutella crepe for me - Ed

Take the train to Beaune. Leaves early. Explore the town, visit wineries... rent a car for the day and drive 30 minutes on the beautiful back roads to Chateauneuf-en- Auxois overlooking the very lovely Burgundy canal. Eat there at the little creperie , walk around the medievil village, drive back to Beaune..return the car, train back to Paris.

Reims - cathedral and champagne-tasting tours (book ahead)

St Denis basilica by metro (1/2 day)

Giverny is a 1/2 day visit but eats up most of a day because of transportation (train, then bus). The gardens are beautiful - check the website to see what is in bloom when you are in Paris. It may not be worth your while.

Another vote for Dijon capital of Burgundy or Beaune if you are wine lovers. If you don't have time to rent a car, stay in Dijon (1h40 from Paris)
My last guests from Boston wrote "True, the city of Dijon is not featured in Rick Steves'France guidebook, but it is a place with much on offer, including fine dining and a tour-worthy historic core."
Go to the TO near the train station and ask for "the Owl's trail" brochure (2.5€) and then follow the brass triangles on the floor to see the most interesting sites in Dijon. Happy travels!

Thanks to all of you. Ed, I will definitely have a Nutella crepe for you, and probably two or three for me.