There are several beautiful day trips that travelers can take from Paris that are well worth the visit. One such place is Versailles. Set about 15 miles outside of Paris, it is easily reachable by car, bus tours that leave from major hotels and the train. Visitors can tour the “Palace and Chateau de Versailles” and see first hand all of its grand offerings. The famous Hall of Mirrors is not to be missed. Surrounding the Palace of Versailles are extensive gardens that are masterfully crafted and cared for. Beautiful statues and fountains dot the gardens as well. Versailles is truly a delight for anyone to explore and certainly those with an interest in gardening and history.
The “Palais de Fontainebleau”, located roughly 40 miles south of Paris, was once the home of Napoleon and his wife, Josephine. Smaller than the Palace of Versailles, Fontainebleau can be a good place to start exploring French royal history. Fontainebleau offers tours of the gardens and the palace itself. Room by room descriptions make it easy to learn about the history of this beautiful structure. The gardens at Versailles are much more extensive so if you only have one day, keep this in mind when choosing your day trip.
There are so many beautiful and rustic towns surrounding Paris, it can be fun to just get in the car and explore. With cafés and bistros in most places, you will certainly not be lacking for something to eat. Try some of the fabulous French Baguette sandwiches that the French enjoy or pick up some items at the local store for a fresh picnic as you explore. Some towns that are highly recommended as day trips from Paris would be Provins, Chartes, Rambouillet and Chantilly. Each has wonderful charm as well as restaurants, shops and cathedrals to explore. Chantilly even has a racetrack.
Euro Disneyland is roughly 20 miles from Paris and reachable by car, train or shuttles from the airports. This theme park is large enough to warrant a full-day for exploring. There are rides, a railroad, race cars, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, live musical shows and so much more. One of the main draws is Big Thunder Mountain. If you are a roller coaster fan, you will not be disappointed.
If you like animals, there is a small zoo located in Thoiry known as the “Chateau et Parc Zoologique de Thoiry”. Here you can see giraffe, elephants, tigers, lions, alligators, camels, llamas and much, much more. The animals roam free over 300 acres and you can drive your car through the grounds. There is also a Chateau which draws visitors that you can explore as well.
Giverny, the home of the famous French painter, Claude Monet, offers tours of the home he lived in and the absolutely breathtaking grounds. The home was left to ruin for a long time after his death, but has now been restored to utter beauty. It is reasonable to assume that Monet garnered inspiration from the gorgeous gardens surrounding his home. Giverny is roughly 50 miles from Paris and can be reached by train, car or bus tour.
This is only a small sampling of the many delights that the environs of Paris have to offer. Depending on your interests, you can plan varied day trips to please everyone in your group.
