Best Daytrips from Paris

It’s easy to fully pack your schedule during a few days in the City of Lights as Paris’ museums, restaurants, parks and galleries keep a traveler busy for days. But longer stays in the French capital warrant at least one daytrip outside the city to explore the surrounding regions, including jaunts to the following locations.

Versailles

This royal palace is typically a staple on any visitor’s “must-see” list and is an easy daytrip by car (45 minutes west of Paris proper) or by train (approximately one hour via the RER B or RER C lines). Allow for a full day to tour the expansive grounds that include multiple gardens and the palace itself.

Loire Valley

Two hours southwest of Paris sits a fairytale region where daytrippers can hop among centuries-old chateaux (like Chenonceau, Chambord and Amboise) in a few hours. The colorful college town of Tours is also worth a visit between or after castle stops.

Giverny

The inspiration behind some of Claude Monet’s most famous paintings can be felt from every corner of his former estate, one hour outside Paris. From water lilies to the Japanese bridge in the lush gardens, a stroll around the property is enough to inspire your own artistic pursuits.

Bretagne/Mont Saint Michel

The furthest destination from Paris on this list (approximately four hours by car) is the region of Bretagne on the westernmost tip of France. The country’s most-visited attraction outside of Paris, the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, is accessible during low tide when a sandy walkway offers access to the sky-kissing monument. During high tide, however, the structure resumes its isolation as an island.