Versailles and Chartres Daytrip from Paris

Hi Vernon,
I have been to both Versailles and Chatres, but advise doing them on separate days to really appreciate them.
Apart from the Cathedral, Chatres is a beautiful town and you need to spend a day just wandering around.
For Versailles, I recommend getting there before opening as it gets crowded very quickly.
Happy travels.

Sounds like it's a bit of a stretch. Nothing worse that visiting a great sight and having to hurry too much. Believe it or not this is our fourth trip to Paris and we have never been to either Chartres or Giverny. Hoping to do both on this trip, will have a car before we head into Paris and will probably end up doing both while we still have the car. Last time we were in Paris was in 2003 and we blew through in a day and a half. The reason for such a short stay was that we wanted to see the rest of France, and had just been there in 2000 and 2001 both. Little did we know it would be so long before we returned. So, I don't want to shortchange Paris this time around.

If you have lots of time in Paris, separate days is best. If you have limited time, jam them both into one exhausting day and be done with it.

I think Chartres is the absolute best of the notre dame cathedrals and have been there a bunch of times, but I would not consider it essential for a first trip.

I've been to Versailles a few times, then when traveling with others I took them to the gates and wandered into the village to wait until they were done, now I walk them to the metro station and point at the system diagram. The place might make my list for something to do on an seventy-third trip.

If I were to visit both in one day, I would do it this way: Buy groceries for a picnic lunch before you leave Paris. Go to Versailles first thing in the morning and get there before the chateau opens. Spend the morning at the chateau. Eat your picnic lunch on the one-hour train ride from Versailles-Chantiers to Chartres. Visit the cathedral. See a bit of Chartres itself. Either eat dinner there or wait until you return to Paris.

The departure time for the last train from Chartres to Paris varies for weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. See the timetables at www.bahn.de. Click on the drop-down flag menu for English.

If you go to Chartres on a Friday, you can see the original labyrinth on the floor - the seats are moved so that visitors can walk it - very interesting. Doing both in one day would be too rushed in my opinion.

Both are worthy of separate trips unless you just don't have the time. We have been to Versailles twice and find that the late afternoon is more relaxed as all the bus trips are done and gone. We also have enjoyed staying overnight in the town of Versailles (at half the cost of Paris) to enjoy the evening fireworks and fountains display to music at the Chateau during the summer months. The town's various markets, shops, cafe and Cathedral St. Louis round out a lovely stay. We've had good luck twice at the Ibis Versailles, just across the street from the train station (Rive Gauche) that goes to/from Paris. Chartres was a wonderful day trip from Paris. The cathedral is a treasure combined with the town and cafes make for an enjoyable and relaxing day. You will even have time for dinner and an evening stroll once you return to Paris.

I read on this web site that the Chartres cathedral is currently undergoing restoration http://www.ricksteves.com/tms/article.cfm?id=210&extras=false

Has anyone been there this year, and can you let me know how obtrusive the scaffolding is?

I was just there on Thursday and I agree with others that in order to appreciate them go on separate days. Versailles worn me out. I spent a lot of time on the park and garden. Chartres is also very charming. In my opinion the cathedral much prettier than Notre Dame in Paris. I thought it was one of the loveliest cathedrals until I went to La Sainte Chapelle.