The Best Day Trips from Paris : Where to Go Beyond the City
Paris is so rich that many visitors never feel the need to leave. But the city sits at the center of one of France’s most historically and naturally remarkable regions, and several world-class destinations are within easy reach by train or car.
Versailles: The Palace of the Sun King
The Palace of Versailles, 45 minutes from Paris by RER C train, is one of the most extraordinary royal residences ever built. Louis XIV moved his court here in 1682, transforming a hunting lodge into a 700-room palace surrounded by 800 hectares of formal gardens. The Hall of Mirrors — 73 meters long, lined with 357 mirrors reflecting 20,000 candles — is the defining image of French Baroque architecture.
The gardens are best experienced on a weekday morning. The Grandes Eaux Musicales (fountains running to classical music on weekends April through October) turn the formal landscape into something theatrical.
Giverny: Monet’s Garden
Claude Monet lived and painted in Giverny for 43 years. His house and the extraordinary gardens he created — including the famous Japanese water garden with its wisteria-draped bridge — are now among France’s most visited tourist attractions. The gardens are at their peak in May and June. Visit on a weekday morning to avoid the worst of the crowds.
Chartres: Gothic Architecture’s Finest Hour
Chartres Cathedral, 90 kilometers southwest of Paris and accessible by regular trains from Gare Montparnasse, is widely considered the finest surviving example of Gothic architecture in the world. The cathedral is remarkable for its almost complete original stained glass — 176 windows covering 2,600 square meters.
Reims: Champagne and Gothic Grandeur
Reims, 45 minutes from Paris by TGV, is the capital of the Champagne region and home to one of France’s great Gothic cathedrals — where 25 French kings were crowned. The champagne houses — Taittinger, Pommery, Veuve Clicquot — offer cellar tours and tastings that descend into kilometers of chalk tunnels carved by the Romans.
The Loire Valley: Châteaux and Vineyards
The Loire Valley, 2 hours from Paris by TGV, is a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of Renaissance châteaux, vineyards, and rivers. The Château de Chambord, with its extraordinary double-helix staircase attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, is the grandest. The Château de Chenonceau, spanning the River Cher on a series of stone arches, is the most beautiful.
