Daytrips from Paris: Tour or Drive yourself?

While staying in Paris for a week, I took several day trips out of the city on the bus. These providers were mentioned in Rick's books. I went to Chartre, Giverny and Chantilly. It was not very expensive and worth the no-hassle since I was there solo. I think it also helped to do the bus trip in the afternoon when I was worn out from walking. I think it was City something that I went with. Look on-line for the options that they offer. We have also driven all over in Normandy on another trip. One day is not enough time.

If you're only doing a day trip from Paris, use the bus or train. It will take you half a day just to get in and out of Paris. Consider Chartres, Auvers-sur-Oise, or Giverny, all train/bus accessible. If you want to go further afield, consider taking the TGV to Tours and getting a bus tour of the chateaux from there or taking the TGV to Caen and doing the D-Day sites from there.

If we were going to the Normandy area, we would like to go to the d-day beaches.

For the wine country, we just wanted to go somewhere that was relatively nearby but still give us that experience of being in the countryside.

I did Giverney solo on my first trip abroad. It definately gives you the feeling of being in the country, but it's not a huge chateaux and it's not the wine country, just a country house and the gardens are beautiful. I just followed Rick's plan and took the train.