Paris day trips

So, you’ve seen what Paris has to offer. If you’re my hairdresser, you’re yawning. You’re bored. You’re so over it. Another delicious crepe with a perfectly-made espresso at a charming cafe table on the street across from a 16th-century cathedral? Pah-lease. Find me something to do.

Well, fine. Here are some great day trips when Paris is your home base. You could even ride your high horse to some of these. But let me tell you, they’re tricky to get through those metro ticket-takers.

Some of Versaille's mesmerizing gardens

1. Versailles. You can’t miss it. It’s just a 30-ish minute ride on the longer metro line (I think it’s like, B? Or C?). Fab in any season, but if you’re coming in late spring or summer, I’d skip the palace and go straight to the gardens. You can spend all day there, just moseying around, picnicking with some swans, canoeing down the canal or biking around like a maniac. The palace is gorgeous, and you really should see it, but it was so packed this past July I felt bad for subjecting Fiance to it. You can’t really stop and look around, you just have to mooooove when the crowd moooooves (those extra “o”s were to indicate my feeling of cow-itude). You might be able to amuse yourself by cutting off, then slowing down to frustrate some old lady who bodychecks you, but you’ll be glad to get outside. If you’re there in the off seasons, take the extra guided tour through the King’s apartment and Opera house. Spend some time in gilded finery.

Just two of Rouen's thousand spires

2. Rouen. My home for a few months, Rouen is a great little city heavy on the Norman influence. It’s all kinds of Norman. It might even be the capital (of Normandy). Great little streets, a beautifully Gothic cathedral with an unlucky history (quite nearly destroyed by bombs in both World Wars), nice shopping, great cafes. Stop by the Place Jeanne d’Arc to see where Joan of Arc was burned alive! Toasty! About an hour and a half train ride from Paris.

3. Giverny. In the spring or summer, Giverny is a beautiful little town in northern Normandy bursting with blooms. Just a short train from Paris to Chernon, then a shuttle to Giverny, about an hour total travel. Giverny is famous as Monet’s final home, where he cultivated beautiful gardens just to paint them. You can stand on the Japanese bridge from his water lily paintings. The light is so soft, you might literally become a mere impression of your former self. And, hey! It’s on a train line that continues to Rouen, so you can get a two-fer.

4. Loire Valley. I know there are a number of tours that pick up and end in Paris, with trips to a couple of castles and maybe some wineries. My verbose thoughts on the Loire Valley with just three of the amazing chateaux here.

Pointe du Hoc, with Omaha in the background

5. D-day Beaches. This is a little bit of a stretch–two hours by train each way–but if you don’t have time for a proper visit to the Norman coast (I recommend staying in Caen, where there’s a beautiful abbey, 9th century castle/fortress and a fantastic World War II museum), it’s really an amazing experience that I think is worth it. On this past trip of mine, I was really nervous we weren’t going to be able to work out the details for a day trip–I knew Fiance would love it–but thankfully, we did. There are tons of private tours, just find one that suits your budget and schedule. They usually pick you up at the train station in Bayeux with a minivan, and the tour group usually consists of only that van-full. Guides are passionate about the history of D-day and love answering questions and giving you lesser-known facts. Our trip this time started at Pointe du Hoc (left as it was after the war, with bomb craters, turrets and bunkers), then went to Omaha Beach, and finally to the American Cemetery. Very powerful and awe-inspiring, though it can be a bit surreal when you see people playing with dogs at Pointe du Hoc or taking boats out on Omaha. But it’s a sign of long-fought-for healing.

Any other good day trips from Paris? We considered scooting over to Belgium, but didn’t have enough days. Hope this has satisfied you that there is, actually, plenty to do when visiting Paris.

MORE: Thoughts on Paris, France and traveling.