My love for Paris knows no bounds and I don’t mean it in the cliché “a bad day in Paris is still better than a good day anywhere else,” because I sure have had my share of bad days while living in the city, but I’ve grown to love it nonetheless.
I’ve had friends tell me they think Paris is overrated (mon Dieu!), and I always itch to beg to differ and plead with them to give me a chance to show them the Paris I know and adore. Because, to be honest, it’s the little things around the city that’s made me fall in love with it: the boulangerie just around the corner, the beautiful greenery at the local jardin, the accessibility of the metro, the unpredictable weather that always keeps me on my toes, the hole-in-the-wall restaurants and cafés to try, the culture lessons with unending museums and street artists…
While I may be overselling Paris right now, I also believe that the rest of France has something equally beautiful to offer. So, don’t take this list as a recommendation to escape from the City of Light; rather, may this guide serve as an opportunity to see more of France, all in a day trip or two!
Versailles
The first time I’d heard of Versailles was in my History class when we learned about the treaty, the Treaty of Versailles, that was signed in the Palace’s Hall of Mirrors to signal the end of World War I.
But, my first ever visit to the iconic Palace didn’t happen until my grad-school days in Paris, a decade later, where I also learned that: On the first Sunday of every month from November to March, admission to the Estate of Versailles is free! Score!
I’ve re-visited Versailles a couple of times since because, really, there’s just so much to take in! One simply cannot have enough of the Palace’s grandeur, its gardens, and the other royal residences on the property, such as the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon. (The latter was gifted by Louis XVI to Marie-Antoinette, and she preferred to reside in it for much of her time in Versailles.)
On one of my visits, my sister, Maha, and friend, Isable, were with me. We started our visit to Versailles by dining at the Angelina tea room on the first floor of the Palace. I suppose, we, mere peasants, wanted to take Marie-Antoinette up on her infamous offer — which, for the record, she actually never said — to “qu’ils mangent de la brioche” or “let them eat cake” for breakfast!
Also, if you find yourselves in Versailles in the summertime, hop on the opportunity to row a boat around the lake as well as rent a golf cart to drive around and make the most of the property — it’s well worth it!
GETTING THERE
I’ve tried different ways to get to and from Versailles: I mainly took the RER line C (yellow line) and hopped off on the stop Versailles Château - Rive Gauche. The palace is about a ten-minute walk from the station. Another time, I’ve taken an Uber with my friends from our hotel in Paris (located close to the Trocadéro) for about 25 euros.
Giverny
If there’s one name that’s going to make you want to head out 80km west of Paris for a day, between the months of April and October, it’s going to be none other than Monet. For over forty years, the father of French Impressionist art lived in the French village of Giverny, where he built his iconic pink home and bright-hued garden.
Monet’s garden is his works of art brought to life, his legacy in the flesh — alive and touchable. Smell the flowers and delight in the colors of spring; from the Japanese bridge in his water garden to his flowerbeds with thousands in bloom, the beauty brought to life by the artist with a green thumb is just unbelievable!
I love water, but I also love flowers. That’s why, once the pond was filled with water, I thought of embellishing it with flowers. I just took a catalogue and chose at random, that’s all.
Claude Monet
My visit to Giverny with friends happened to be in the month of May when the weather was absolutely pleasant to walk around the garden.
GETTING THERE
We decided to head to Giverny on our own, as opposed to joining a private tour. We boarded the train from Gare Saint Lazare to Vernon-Giverny station. During the months when Monet’s house and gardens are open to the public, a shuttle bus is available right outside the train station to take visitors to the site.
Fontainebleau
Versailles speaks of the vast wealth, power and influence of one king. As the dwelling of an unbroken line of French sovereigns - 34 kings and two emperors, to be exact - Fontainebleau is the surprisingly harmonious expression of eight centuries of royal life; a palace that has been lovingly maintained embellished and enriched by each successive ruler.
jeniffer landon on francetoday.com
“Another weekend, another château.” In some ways, I think this is how I’d describe the two years I spent living in Paris! It was a fine Sunday when my mom and I, along with some grad-school friends, decided to take a trip to Fontainebleau. Upon setting foot on the vast property, which also served as a hunting lodge, it’s easy to see why Napoleon preferred it to all other palaces in France.
Despite being one of the largest French royal châteaux with 1,500 rooms, there still exists a lighter, more relatable air to Fontainebleau. Perhaps, it’s the stories that run through the walls from over the four centuries of being inhabited: like in the chapel, where royals wed and kings baptized; the rooms where notable figures were born; and, the very site where Napoleon abdicated the throne before being exiled. Ahh, the stories they’d tell if walls could talk!
Since 2019, there’s also been an Arab touch to the French Palace with the restoration and renaming of the theatre from Napoleon III theatre to Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Theatre. (source)
GETTING THERE
Our party rendezvous-ed at Gare de Lyon to catch the train to Fontainebleau-Avon. There are multiple time slots to choose from, and the train ride takes less than an hour.
Coastal Towns of Deauville, Trouville, and Honfleur
One does not have to venture all the way out to Nice in order to dip one’s toes in sand and lounge by the beach! The coastal towns of Normandy offer the same effect and are much closer to Paris.
My friends and I secured a rental car from Paris and drove for just under two hours until we reached the picturesque port town of Honfleur. At the center of the town, the Vieux Bassin is home to a number of docked yachts, many of which belong to English visitors, who had taken the trip across the water (the region is so close to England). There’s certainly something endearing about this quaint cobblestoned town and the freshness of the breeze it offers!
Our next stop was a brief drive away to Trouville-sur-Mer, an alluring seaside town with striking architecture — it’s easy to see what caught Monet’s eye back in the day to serve as inspiration for a number of his paintings. What caught my eye, though, was all the seafood restaurants… such fresh, tasty goodness!
Right next door to Trouville is the famous town of Deauville, jokingly referred to as the 21st arrondissement of Paris because of how popular it is for weekend and summer getaways from the city! This tiny resort town has a more fashionable air to it and tends to attract affluent members of society, both in the past and present.
Deauville was conceived for fashionable pleasures… Grand hotels in the Anglo-Norman timber-frame style, smart bathing facilities and a stylish racecourse catered to elegant Parisians.
Normandy tourism website
Coco Chanel opened her first fashion boutique in Deauville back in 1913, marking the first of a long string of premium ships in the town. Another attraction is the Casino Barrière Deauville for visitors who want to try their luck at slot machines and table games.
For those who prefer to keep things simple, the colorful umbrellas of the sandy beach will beckon you to lounge and catch your breath as you nap to the sound of the waves or the laughter of children flying kites. Before you leave, try some of the delectable flavors the Häagen-Dazs outlet here has to offer!
Whether it’s a day trip or you end up spending the night at one of the seaside resorts, Normandy is certainly a region you cannot miss out on! I also shared my time at Mont Saint-Michel, another must-see in Normandy, here.
Provence
Before I delve into the nitty-gritty bits of this day trip, I feel the need to come clean with two disclaimers: First, the region of Provence no longer formally exists. Today, it is referred to as the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, which includes major cities like Marseille, Nice, and Avignon, among others. So this guide focuses on the lesser-known areas of the region.
Second disclaimer: While this entire post was meant to be all about day trips from Paris, venturing into the Provence region would actually require at least one night away from Paris. So, consider this more of a side trip, but I promise you: it is worth the trouble!
It was late in July when my friends and I decided to spend a night in Provençal to catch a field or two of lavenders! Our first stop was Valensole, where we drove down to the town center for lunch, all while keeping an eye out for the lavender fields. We found them 2,500m from the center, right off the highway, in what is known as Plateau De Valensole. It was here where we, literally, stopped to smell the flowers!
On our way to Manosque, another commune in the region, we stumbled upon a meadow of sunflowers, and, of course, had to stop to capture some photos! I can’t pin the exact location of the field, but it was along the D907 highway.
We, then, spent the night at Gréoux-les-Bains, in Villa Borghese, a simple hotel that is perfect for an overnight stay amidst the natural backdrop of the region.
The next morning, shortly after check-out time, we headed to the famous village of Gordes. We also visited the Notre-Dame de Sénanque Abbaye to access the lavender field that is within the 12th-century property. (Note: Although we were able to enter the field during our visit, access today to these lavender fields is forbidden in order to preserve the harvest.)
Following a brief lunch stop, we headed to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for our final site. Our purpose? The Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausolé, known for having taken in Vincent Van Gogh in 1889. Van Gogh self-admitted himself for a year at the monastery turned asylum. It has also been said that his painting, Irises, was brought to life here.
By sundown, we were on our way back to Paris via a train from Aix-en-Provence, and having tucked under our belt quite an eventful side trip to the French countryside.
GETTING THERE
It was a 3-hour train ride from Paris Gare de Lyon to the university city of Aix-en-Provence. From there, we rented a car and drove a little over an hour to Valensole, our first stop.
While Paris will always be a favorite, France, as a country, has so much to offer! I hope this guide sets you off on a trail to discover the rest of the country through day trips, which will always, always be a good idea!
Lots of love and travel miles,
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