Things To Enjoy Outside the City Walls
The beautiful city of Paris has so many art galleries, shops, cafes and beautiful streets to discover that you could spend your entire holiday simply strolling through it and discover something new every day but don’t miss the chance to take a day trip outside of the city and visit some other nearby attractions. There are many great day trips just outside of the city which can easily be reached by public transit, car rental, shuttle or taxi. Here are a few day trip ideas from Paris to get you started:
Chartres
If you are interested in history and architecture you will love the small city of Chartres which is located in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. The main attraction of the city is the 12th century cathedral which is considered to be one of the most impressive examples of the High Gothic period of architecture. Take a walk through the town and see some of the old half-timbered houses.
Versailles
This wealthy city is located only 40 minutes west of Paris and is the home of the famous royal Palace of Versailles which was built by King Louis XIV. The Palace of Versailles is very important in history as the location of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which brought WWI to an end. The Palace is absolutely amazing, with elegantly landscaped gardens which stretch out as far as the eye can see and ornate hallways lined with priceless paintings, sculptures and antique furniture. Stop for lunch at the Place Du Marche which is an outdoor market overflowing with fresh cheese, fruits, meat and bread.
Giverny
Only 80km away from the city of Paris you will find the peaceful green gardens and water-lily filled ponds of Giverny, which was the home of the French Impressionist painter Claude Monet. He lived here between 1883 until his death in 1926. As you stroll through these gorgeous gardens you will recognized some of the scenes from his most famous and iconic paintings.
Disneyland Paris
Of course, if you are traveling with young children they are likely to be much more interested in Mickey Mouse than Claude Monet. Why not treat them to a day out at Disneyland Paris? This theme park is located just outside the city in the suburb of Marne-la-Vallee and it makes a great day trip. There are plenty of kid friendly attractions and rides and even a daily Disney parade.
While you are in Paris, make sure you take a day to enjoy these great day trips outside of the city for a little bit of something different.
There are many great day trips which can be easily reached from Paris. When you arrive, ask your Paris airport transportation about booking shuttles or taxis to these nearby attractions.
