There are some really amazing villages and chateaus that are perfect day trips from Paris by train if you have the time! The Eiffel Tower may be amazing, but sometimes it’s nice to get outside of the city for a day.
Facts about Paris
Currency: Euro
Population: 2,211,297
Major airports: Charles De Gaulle (CDG), and Paris Orly (ORY), There is also Beauvais but it is about a 2 hour bus ride from Paris
Tipping: Service included in meal and drink price. Ask for une carafe d’eau if you want tap water
Day trips from Paris by train
Paris is an amazing city, but if you would like to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city you should definitely check out the surrounding area! There are many day trips from Paris for any type of traveler to explore.
1. Versailles
Chances are, Versailles is already on your list to visit! Inside of the former French palace you will find incredible architecture and artwork, as well as the living quarters of French monarchs such as Marie Antoinette.
It really is an amazing palace, although if I’m being honest, my favorite part is the garden! It’s MASSIVE and you could spend hours getting lost in there. I love wandering through the fountains and imagining how many French bureaucrats used to spend their days here. There is also a pond where you can rent a rowboat and relax in the sun.
Price
Versailles has separate entrances for the gardens and for the palace.
Tickets to the entire estate (palace and gardens) cost 21.50 euros or 28.50 euros, depending if there are fountain shows that day or not. You can still visit the Palace of Versailles by itself (without the gardens), which will cost 19.50 euros.
How to get there
Take the RER C (train that runs through Paris) towards Versailles and get off at Versailles Château Rive Gauche. There are other stations, as Versailles is its own city, but this station is really close to the palace!
2. Fontainebleau
If you would still like to visit a chateau but want to avoid the crowds at Versailles, consider visiting Chateau de Fontainebleau! This chateau also housed many French monarchs and, similar to Versailles, you can see where they took up residence. The main difference is that Fontainebleau is both cheaper and less crowded!
Price to visit Chateau de Fontainebleau
Entrance to the palace is 12 euros, which includes the visit of the chateau and the Napoleon museum. The parks and gardens of the palace are free everyday.
How to get there
There is a train from Paris that takes about 40 minutes and leaves from Gare de Lyon. There are normally trains every hour, sometimes every half hour!
Besides the chateau, the town of Fontainebleau is very popular with Parisians due to its greenery and abundance of hiking trails. Rent a bicycle while you’re there to explore the town and the surrounding area.
3. Giverny
Giverny is definitely one of the best and most popular day trips from Paris. Giverny is famous for being the birthplace of Claude Monet and the inspiration for much of his artwork. You can visit some world class art museums there, as well as Claude Monet’s house where he lived and died, complete with the gardens. It’s lovely to see in the different seasons, as the flowers start to bloom around the pond in early spring, and the trees are filled with beautiful colors in the fall.
Price to visit Monet’s house
The entrance to the house when purchasing tickets on-site is 11 euros. If you book ahead of time on the website the price will be 12 euros, so not much of a difference!
How to get there
Without a car, the way is a bit more complicated but not impossible! You’ll need to take a train from Paris’ Gare Saint-Lazare station to the city of Vernon. From Vernon, a taxi will take you the rest of the way. The train takes about 45 minutes so in total, Giverny is about an hour from Paris.
4. Chantilly
Chantilly is another cute little village with a massive chateau and gardens. However, it’s very different from Versailles and Fontainebleau, plus a bit farther from Paris. You’ll have a bit more of a local French experience if you go to Chantilly.
Fun fact: Did you know that the French called whipped cream “Chantilly”? Try a crêpe with chantilly while you’re there!
Price of the Chateau de Chantilly
The price to visit the palace and gardens is 17 euros. To visit only the garden, it’s 8 euros.
How to get there
There is a train from Gare de Nord every hour. The station that you are looking for is called Chantilly – Gouvieux. Total journey time is approximately 30 minutes. By car, it’s about an hour so it’s definitely an easy getaway from Paris by train.
5. Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris is the only Disneyland park in Europe, so people from all over come to visit! If Disney is your thing, it’s definitely worth visiting Disneyland Paris park! The park isn’t exactly inside Paris, but it’s simple to get there. Be sure and arrive early to avoid some of the crowds.
How to get there
The RER A train connects Paris with Disneyland. You can find the RER A at a number of stations in central Paris, and then you will need to head east towards Marne-la-Vallée. For more detailed information and ticket prices, check out this guide to Disneyland Paris.
6. Champagne
Champagne is the very famous wine region in France, and it’s fairly close to Paris. If you’re going to visit Champagne, I highly recommend having a car or a guide to take you through all the fields and wineries. The region’s main city is Reims, so you can still do some champagne tasting there. However, the more authentic experiences are definitely outside the city.
How to get there
The best way is definitely to rent a car so you have the freedom to see the different wineries. However, if this isn’t an option you can always take a train to Reims (1 hour) and either visit the massive houses inside the city, or take a tour to see a bit of the wineries.
7. Provins
Provins is a beautiful, medieval village not far from Paris. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, as it is said to be the backdrop of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast! You can take some time to walk through the cobblestone streets and imagine that you’ve stepped back in time. Climb the hilltop at Caesar Keep for a beautiful view of the city and landscape.
How to get there
There’s a train that leaves hourly from Paris Gare de l’Est. The train takes about an hour and 20 minutes.
Enjoy your time away with the best day trips from Paris!
