Versailles
The vast Château
de Versailles, extravagant home
of the Sun King, Louis XIV, and its sprawling
parks and grounds, are a must-see for any visitor
to Paris. A short RER train ride gets you there,
and you can spend as little as two hours or
as much as an entire day. More...
Chartres
Though not as well known as Notre-Dame
de Paris,
the Cathédrale de Notre-Dame de Chartres is
thought by many to be even more beautiful—especially
its splendid stained glass. You can visit it
in a long afternoon. More...
Giverny
Claude Monet lived and painted in Giverny,
75 km (47 miles) northwest of Paris, for 43
years, and many of the period's greatest
artists visited and worked here as well.
You can see his gardens, house, and more in
a half-day or a day. More...
Fontainebleau
Not as grand as Versailles,
but with an even deeper, more eventful history,
the royal Château de Fontainbleau on the outskirts
of Paris makes an excellent half-day excursion.
Disneyland Paris
Travel purists may dislike it, but Disneyland
Paris delights 50 million visitors a year,
most of them French. Like California's Disneyland
and Florida's Disney World, it can happily
fill far more than a day, but considering
the cost of admission you probably don't
want to go for less than a full day. It's
very easy to reach by train or bus.
Here's a good place to check tours and prices.
