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14 minutes readContents
- Château de Versailles
- Mont Saint-Michel
- Château de Fontainebleau
- London, UK
- Monet’s Home & Garden in Giverny
- Disneyland Paris
- Brussels, Belgium
- Reims
- Provins
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Château de Chantilly
- Rouen
- Auvers-sur-Oise
Top 13 day trips from Paris
French cities, towns, and countryside around the capital offer memorable day and weekend trips from Paris. There’s no shortage of things to do in France outside of Paris, from beautiful cathedrals to charming gardens, grand palaces, museums, and kid-friendly parks. You can also expand your itinerary with day trips from Paris to other countries. The UK, Belgium, and Switzerland offer world-class attractions across the French border.
Here are the top 13 day trips from Paris:
1. Château de Versailles
Where to stay:
How to get there: Ride the RER C train from Paris and hike for 10 minutes to the Château de Versailles.
Travel distance and time: Cover 14 miles (23 km) in 30-45 minutes.
The Château de Versailles proclaims French history and the extravagant opulence of the bygone era. It was the seat of government and residence of famous monarch rulers, from King Louis XII to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. This attraction spans 2,000 acres and features the Grand and Petit Trianon palaces and the Queen’s Hamlet, where Marie Antoinette entertained guests. A tranquil lake and a mile-long Grand Canal create the perfect setting for the palace’s beautiful gardens with flowers, trees, statues, and fountains.
Photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash
Around 10 million tourists visit this château annually to indulge in its opulence, just like former kings and queens. The interior features dazzling crystal chandeliers, gold, mirrors, ornaments, art, tapestries, and antiques. Each element enhances visual effects. Visitors can book a guided tour to experience this lavish château in all its glory, including the famous Hall of Mirrors, State Apartments, and King’s Bedroom. They can also join a guided bike tour around the château, the Queen’s Village, and local farmers’ markets.
Travel agents can deliver this experience to clients by booking train tickets and hotels with RateHawk.
2. Mont Saint Michel
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take a train from the Montparnasse station to Pontorson. Then, board a shuttle from Pontorson to Mont-Saint-Michel.
Travel distance and time: Cover 225 miles (362 km) in 2hrs and 58m.
Mont-Saint-Michel is a 7-hectare tidal island about one kilometer off France’s north-western coast. It has a mainland commune in Normandy near the mouth of the Couesnon River. This island receives around 2.5 million visitors yearly, making it France’s third most visited tourist site, after the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles. Why is Mont-Saint-Michel worth it?
Photo by Customerly on Unsplash
Mont Saint Michel is Normandy’s crowning jewel and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The gravity-defying Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey rises from a tiny island in a magnificent bay off the Atlantic Coast, setting a picturesque scene. In 1966, the abbey celebrated 1000 years since its founding. Worship on this site began in 708, over 250 years before the abbey’s construction started. Visitors can walk across the Bay of the Mont-Saint-Michel at low tide to reach the island and witness the landscape’s ever-changing light and reflections. Low tide exposes the bay’s rich flora, fauna, streams, and mudflats. Visitors can also visit shops, museums, and restaurants along the island’s winding village street.
3. Château de Fontainebleau
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take a train from Gare de Lyon to the Fontainebleau Avon station. Then, board the Aérial 1 bus to Les Lilas and alight at the château stop. The palace is a 2-minute walk from the bus stop.
Travel distance and time: Cover 42 miles in about 40 minutes.
The Château opens daily except on Tuesday, January 1st, May 1st, and December 25th. Its foundation manages the property and charges an access fee. You can buy tickets online for your clients via the foundation’s website to avoid last-minute surprises.
Fontainebleau hosts a magnificent palace and gardens. It is a popular tourist destination and a day trip from Paris, with over 500,000 visitors annually. Why should you offer it to your clients?
Photo by Sebastián Brito on Unsplash
The Château de Fontainebleau started as a hunting lodge and has attracted an unbroken line of French royals spanning 8 centuries. It was home to French rulers, including 34 kings and two emperors. Visitors can experience each ruler’s attention and restoration efforts. They can explore must-see rooms, including Marie-Antoinette’s boudoir, Napoleon’s Throne Room, and the Pope’s Apartment. These spaces feature elaborate ceiling paintings, beautiful art, antiques, door-top decorations, wall coverings, frescoes, hand-carved moldings, and artifacts.
4. London, UK
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take the Eurostar train from France’s Gare du Nord to London St Pancras International in King’s Cross.
Travel distance and time: Travel 214 miles (344 km) in about 2.5 hours.
London is the UK’s cultural hub and a popular day trip destination from Paris. This city’s history and attractions can help you quench the thirst of clients seeking something different from Paris. But is London worth it?
Photo by David Monaghan on Unsplash
Although London and Paris are different sides of the pond, the Eurostar train allows adventure seekers to explore these two major European cities within a relatively short travel time. This railway offers easy access to London’s diverse attractions, including Buckingham Palace, the Parliament, the British Museum, Big Ben, the Tower of London, and the London Eye.
As a travel agent, book train tickets with RateHawk so your clients can explore this magical wonderland. The platform simplifies booking with extensive train service coverage, flexible payment options, and a user-friendly interface.
Tourists can visit vibrant markets in Covent Garden, Camden, and Borough. The Portobello Road Market is perfect for antiques, crafts, and vintage clothing. Shopping enthusiasts can find high-end stores on Oxford Street similar to the Champs-Élysées, a shoppers’ paradise in Paris.
5. Monet’s Home & Garden in Giverny
Where to stay:
How to get to Giverny: Take a regional TER train from the Saint-Lazare station to Vernon. Then, ride a shuttle bus for 3 miles (5 km) from Vernon to Giverny.
Travel distance and time: Cover about 50 miles (80 km) in 1.5hr.
Photo by Baptiste RIFFARD on Unsplash
Giverny is a small Normandy village with less than 500 residents. Impressionist artist Claude Monet lived in his Giverny home for 43 years, from 1883 to 1926. During this time, Monet designed the property to his taste and adapted it to his family and professional life needs. Visit Giverny to learn about the life of a renowned impressionist artist. Tourists can tour the pink stucco house where Monet lived with his wife and six children. They can also analyze original furnishings to understand Monet’s life in Giverny.
6. Disneyland Paris
Where to stay:
How to get there: Ride the RER A regional train from the Châtelet station in Paris to Marne la Vallée/Chessy. Marne la Vallée/Chessy is a 2-minute walk from the entrance of Disney Parks.
Travel distance and time: Travel 19 miles (32 km) in 45 minutes.
Disneyland Paris is a top destination for families with kids. This park has attracted over 375 million visitors since it opened in 1992. In 2024, Disneyland Paris had 16 million guests. Why is it one of the best places to visit near Paris?
Photo by Soyoung Han on Unsplash
Disneyland Paris has a comprehensive lineup of programs. Visitors can choose their favorite experiences or bundled options, such as Disneyland Park with Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain Mission 2, and Walt Disney Studios Park. Each offering has unique kid-friendly activities, rides, and adventures. Children can play at the fantasy Magic Kingdom castle and enjoy Mickey and other lovable Disney characters, parades, and fireworks. Shows like Cars Road Trip, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, and Adventure Isle provide bonding opportunities for the whole family. The park also offers themed restaurants, shops, character dining, excursions, and meet-and-greet events.
7. Brussels, Belgium
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take a Eurostar train from Paris Nord to Brussels-Midi/Brussels-Zuid.
Travel distance and time: Cover 164 miles (264 km) in 1 hour 30 minutes.
Brussels offers rich cultural experiences a short train ride away from Paris. The Belgian city and EU capital had over 7 million overnight stays in 2023. Why?
Brussels offers diverse tourist attractions, including the Grand Place, the Magritte Museum, the Royal Palace, and the European Parliament. Its unique blend of modern and medieval architecture provides a contrasting experience to Paris’s landmarks. For example, the stunning Grand Place has guild and town halls. The Belgian city is also renowned for its chocolate, Christmas markets, and specialty stores. For example, Brussels hosts the Winter Wonders event at the Grand Place and city center in December. Guests can attend one of Europe’s best Christmas markets and indulge in chocolate tasting in Brussels.
As a travel agent or advisor, book hotels and Paris-Brussels train tickets for your clients using RateHawk.
8. Reims
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take the high-speed TGV train from Gare de l’Est in Paris to Reims. Some guided Champagne region tours provide electric bikes to help visitors experience the countryside, vineyards, and picturesque villages.
Travel distance and time: Cover about 80 miles (129 km) in 45m.
Reims is a city in northeastern France and the unofficial capital of the Champagne wine-growing region. It offers historic landmarks and easy access to champagne tastings and cellar tours. Cathedral Notre-Dame de Reims has hosted coronations for over 1,000 years. Over a million tourists visit this grand cathedral yearly to explore its stained-glass windows, Gothic carved portals, and the Smiling Angel.
Photo by Reno Laithienne on Unsplash
Reims has many Champagne houses, including Moët & Chandon, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Nicolas Feuillatte, Lanson, Mercier, and Mumm. These brands offer cellar tours and champagne tasting in the Loire Valley. Tourists can visit Champagne vineyards to appreciate farmers’ efforts and learn about the best food and champagne pairings. These vineyards are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
9. Provins
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take a train from the Gare de l’Est station to Provins.
Travel distance and time: Cover 58 miles (93 km) in 1hr 30m.
Provins is a town and a UNESCO World Heritage site in north-central France. This town is known for its medieval architecture, including the stone Tithe Barn and high ramparts with fortified gates. But is Provins a worthy day trip from Paris?
Provins’ centuries-old, well-preserved landmarks offer a peek into a bygone era. 13th-century residents built La Grange Aux Dîmes merchant house and the Saint-Jean’s gate and ramparts to protect their town in the Middle Ages. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views from La Tour César, a 12th-century tower built to protect the former Earl’s Palace. They can also explore Les Souterrains de Provins’s underground galleries with centuries-old wall inscriptions.
Photo by Miguel Umann on Unsplash
Many tourists are enticed by half-timbered houses along winding streets and the Tithe Barn, which hosted annual trade fairs when Provins was a medieval trading hub. Did you know the Croix d’Or in Provins is the oldest inn in France? This eatery has been serving meals since 1270. Provins hosts entertaining shows, including the June medieval festival.
10. Geneva, Switzerland
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take the high-speed TGV Lyria train from Gare de Lyon to Geneva. Then, find connecting trains to reach other Swiss Alps destinations. For example, the Geneva-Zermatt train covers 112 miles (180 km) in 3 hrs.
Travel distance and time: Cover 604 kilometers in 3hr 15m.
Switzerland is renowned as a snowy wonderland. It offers memorable day trips from Paris in winter. As of August 2024, Switzerland’s yearly tally was 7.04 million tourists and 33.66 million overnight visitors. Why is it enticing?
Photo by Dino Sabic on Unsplash
Most tourists visiting Switzerland from Paris travel through Geneva. This Swiss city lies at the southern tip of expansive Lake Geneva. It is surrounded by the Alps and Jura mountains, offering the perfect introduction to the Swiss Alps’ dramatic views and scenic landscapes. Its iconic Christmas markets attract merrymakers during the winter holidays. Visitors can extend their tour from Geneva to other snowy wonderlands like Lausanne, Zermatt, and Bern. Luckily, top-rated Swiss attractions are interconnected with high-speed trains. The Bernina and Glacier Express offer Europe’s most scenic train rides. Switzerland is the go-to country for memorable day trips from Paris by train.
11. Château de Chantilly
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take a 25-minute TER train from Gare du Nord to Chantilly-Gouvieux station, then a short walk or taxi ride to the château.
Travel distance and time: 50 km (1 hour by train).
Chateau de Chantilly is the home to one of France’s finest art collections, outside of the famous Louvre. An exquisite Renaissance château surrounded by moats and lush forests, lovers of art, nature, and grand gardens.
Photo by Svetlana Gumerova on Unsplash
Visitors can explore the lavish apartments in the chateau, walk through the grand gardens designed by André Le Nôtre and be entranced by seasonal blooms, and Musée Condé’s rare manuscripts and paintings. The chateau also has Great Stables nearby with an equestrian museum hosting live horse shows that are both elegant and impressive.
12. Rouen
Where to stay:
- B&B HOTEL Rouen Centre Rive Gauche
- B&B HOTEL ROUEN Parc des Expos
- Rouen: Superbe appartement CHU Rouen
How to get there: Take the 1 hour 30 minutes SNCF train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Rouen-Rive-Droite.
Travel distance and time: 135 km (1.5 hours by train).
Rouen, the Capital of Normandy and the city where the famous Joan of Arc met her fate, is a place of medieval charm, half-timbered houses, Gothic churches, and vibrant markets.
Photo by Todor Andonov on Unsplash
A fantastic day trip outside Paris’ bustling streets, Rouen is one of the best destinations for history buffs, art, and architecture lovers. In Rouen, travelers can see the inspiring Rouen Cathedral (painted by Monet), walk the cobbled streets of the old town, and explore the Historial Jeanne d’Arc museum.
13. Auvers-sur-Oise
Where to stay:
How to get there: Take the RER C or a local train from Gare du Nord to Valmondois, then transfer to another train to Auvers-sur-Oise.
Travel distance and time: 35 km (1 hour by train).
Art lovers, students, and history lovers will love a day trip out of Paris to Auvers-sur-Oise, the picturesque village of Vincent van Gogh.
The final home of Vincent van Gogh, this village is steeped in artistic heritage and rural charm. In Auvers-sur-Oise, travelers can visit the famous artist’s modest room at the Auberge Ravoux, explore the church he painted, and the wheat fields where he spent his final days.
Photo by Is@ Chessyca on Unsplash
Travelers can also explore different impressionist-inspired sites hosted by the village and walk through tranquil walking paths. This is a slow-paced experience for travelers who want to immerse themselves in a calming experience outside Paris.
Deliver memorable day tours from Paris with RateHawk
Savvy tourists ache for new attractions and memorable adventures. This top 13 list of iconic day trips from Paris can help you meet your clients’ evolving needs. Analyze each destination and choose the best places to visit around Paris. Adventures require adequate planning, including accommodations and transportation. As a travel agent or advisor, use RateHawk to book train tickets and hotels for your clients.
At RateHawk, we help travel agents, advisors, and agencies deliver unique tourist attractions to their clients. Our platform allows you to access European train tickets, hotels, flights, transfers, and car rentals.
To deliver memorable Paris day trips to your clients, join RateHawk today!
Cover image: Photo by Evgeni Tcherkasski on Unsplash
