Best Places Near Paris to Visit

Is the hustle and bustle of Paris starting to wear you down? No worries. There are multiple great Paris day trips that will let you see a different side of France that you won’t find in Paris.

PROVINS

Provins is a quaint medieval city located about an hour and a half southeast of Paris and a wonderful day trip from Paris.

ROUEN

Another great Paris day trip is Rouen. This charming town is in the Normandy region of France, about an hour and a half north of Paris. You’ll find brightly colored half-timbered buildings, a gorgeous cathedral, and a fancy astronomical clock tower. Rouen is also known for being where Joan of Arc was executed and you can visit a tower where she was held (la Tour Jeanne d’Arc).

VERSAILLES

We couldn’t talk about day trips from Paris without mentioning Versailles. Versailles is located just southwest of Paris. Versailles isn’t known only for the beautiful and magnificent castle, but for its gardens too !

FONTAINEBLEU

If you’ve already visited Versailles or you’re just trying to avoid the mass of tourists there, Fontainebleau is an excellent alternative for a Paris day trip. Luckily, if you do happen to get a bit turned around, trains leave about every hour, so your trip will not be delayed by much.

MONT SAINT MICHEL

Mont Saint Michel is a magnificent island with a towering abbey, and wow, is it amazing! The oldest part of the abbey was completed in 1144.

Experiencing Mont Saint Michel as a day trip from Paris is a little difficult thanks to the distance but it can be done with proper planning. It is also one of the most visited monuments in France, so expect loads of people no matter what time of year you go.