Sure you want to spend time in Paris, but you might also want to make a day-trip from Paris. There are lots of interesting places to visit in the area.

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...

The line to enter the Château de Versailles...

Chartres

Though not as well known as Notre-Dame de Paris, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres is thought by many to be even more beautiful—especially its splendid stained glass. You can visit it on a day trip or, better yet, overnight. 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 full-day excursion. 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. More...

Disneyland Paris

Travel purists may dislike it, but Disneyland Paris delights 16 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. More...

Château de Chantilly

Chantilly is about a half an hour north of Paris, reachable by TER train or the RER. The château houses the second largest collection of antique paintings in France (after the Louvre). With grounds by Le Nôtre and even a Museum of the Horse, it's a fun day trip. More...

Château d'Écouen-
Musée Renaissance

The Château d'Écouen-Musée de la Renaissance is a lovely château about 32 km (20 miles) north of Paris. Known for its tapesties, tiles, and furnishings, it makes a great day trip. More...

Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Just to the west of Paris, reachable by RER A, is the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Its château, birthplace of Louis XIV, is home to the National Archaeology Museum, with 30,000 artifacts. Debussy was born here and there is a small museum honoring him. More...

And then there are places that are somewhat farther away. While you might prefer to spend more time in these locations, you can have an enjoyable visit in a day.

Loire Valley Châteaux

The châteaux near Paris are fine, but the Loire Valley has hundreds more, all different. Whether you go for a day or a week, you must go! More...

Normandy D-Day Beaches

To fully experience historic Normandy and its D-Day beaches you'll need several days, but if your time is limited, you can actually make a quick visit in a day from Paris. More...

Mont St-Michel

Yes, you can zoom out to the island castle-monastery of Mont St-Michel by fast train and bus, visit for the day, and be back in your Paris hotel room at night. More...

Mont St-Michel, Normandy, France.

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