Chatilllon sur Loire, France - August 9, 2023: Cyclists ride on thefra cycle path along the Loire River in France.
Photograph: Shutterstock
Photograph: Shutterstock

The 13 best day trips from Paris

Your trip to Paris shouldn't end there - hop on the train and check out the best day trips out of the capital

Alix Leridon
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Paris is the best, obviously. There’s no doubt about that. But the summer can get painfully hot, and painfully touristy, and you might find yourself spending more time queuing outside Instagram-famous cafés than actually eating in them. 

Luckily, there’s a whole host of incredible places to discover near Paris, that you can get to via train, car or boat. Think sprawling champagne regions filled with vineyards, serene gardens and old architecture, and a ton of galleries for when you’ve had it up to here with all the fantastic galleries in the French capital. Here are the best day trips from Paris, picked by our editors. Profitez-en-bien!

RECOMMENDED:
🇫🇷 Where to visit in France
🏘️ Where to stay in Paris
📍 The best things to do in Paris
🏨 The best hotels in Paris

Alix Leridon is a journalist at Time Out ParisAt Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines

Best day trips from Paris

1. Versailles

How to get there: A 15-minute train ride from Montparnasse station

Even if you’ve been to Versailles and its château before, there’s always more to discover. The estate proudly displays its gold, fountains and mirrors over some 800 hectares – that’s twice the size of Central Park. Suffice to say, you need to get up early to cover it all (and avoid the crowds and busloads of tourists). At 8am, the most daring will have the park all to themselves. And if that doesn’t make you feel at home enough, treat yourself with lunch on-site at Ducasse’s Ore. Or opt for the more discreet (but highly recommended) Bistrot du 11, a stone’s throw from the bucolic King’s Kitchen Garden. For something really special, book tickets for the equestrian show La Voie de l’écuyère, choreographed by Bartabas and performed every Saturday and Sunday in the intimate Great Stables’ Manège. Sublime.

Check out Versailles Palace tickets and tours here.

2. Meudon

How to get there: A 10-minute train from Gare Montparanasse

Between Paris and Versailles, Meudon has risen in prominence since its historic airship hangar was transformed into the XXL cultural centre, Hangar Y. The place is really worth a visit (especially in summer): after the current exhibition, you can chill out in its vast park adorned with contemporary sculptures, have a drink at the open-air café, or sample the creative cuisine of chef Guillaume Sanchez in his restaurant overlooking the pond. If you set out early in the day, make a first stop at the Rodin Museum in Meudon, which is beautiful and less crowded than its counterpart in the 7th district. And if you still have some time, explore the vast forest of the town, just behind Hangar Y:  art and nature combined.

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3. Saint-Ouen

How to get there: A 13-minute ride on the Metro from Châtelet station 

For Parisians, Saint-Ouen is an integral part of Paris. While it used to be known mainly for its flea market, there are now plenty of reasons to spend the whole day there. And they’re quite varied: pool parties at the Mob Hotel with a weekday pool day pass, a food marathon at La Commune (the largest food court in Europe), a festive and sunny aperitif on the tracks of a disused station at Hasard Ludique (okay, this one is a bit of a cheat, but it’s just a stone’s throw from Saint-Ouen)… The town is full of authentic and picturesque spots, like the cultural centre Commune Image and the charming bistro Bonne Aventure. Go try it. 

4. Champagne

How to get there: A 45-minute train from Paris-Est to Reims 

If you have something to celebrate, head to the Champagne region. In less than an hour by train, you’ll arrive in Reims, the bubble capital known for its cathedral where many French kings were crowned. After confessing your weekend sins, move straight to the festivities by exploring the surrounding vineyards, before heading south to Épernay to visit some of the most beautiful estates in the region before bringing home a trophy (and a few bottles). Among the top-notch stops are the champagne brunch at Ruinart (every weekend at their house in Reims), the tour of the Moët and Chandon estate in Épernay, and watching the sunset from Vix Park in Avize, with its stunning view of the Côte des Blancs. Another option is to venture to the southernmost part of Champagne to discover more intimate, free-spirited and daring estates like Charles Dufour, Domaine de Bichery, and Vouette & Sorbée. These cuvées are all available at Garde Champêtre, the must-visit local restaurant led by Japanese chef Kazuya Miyashita.

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5. La Marne à vélo

How to get there: a four-hour train or a scenic bike ride (details below)

If you love a getaway but are allergic to public transport, the region is full of bike-friendly paths, from the Véloscenie (which goes all the way to Mont-Saint-Michel!) to the Scandibérique. But our favourite might be the one that takes you to the guinguettes along the Marne, starting from the Bois de Vincennes (which is already a destination in itself). As you exit the park, take the Allée des Guinguettes to discover these charming spots and step back in time: musette dances, oilcloth tablecloths, boater hats, and a little glass of white wine at lunch. Stop by Gégène or Fifi for a dance, and then make your way to the Château de Champs-sur-Marne. If you get hungry, swing back through Joinville and detour to Le Petit Pont to enjoy its hidden terrace perched over the river.

How to get there: a two-hour bus from Porte Maillot to Grand Val. 

If the Impressionist movement celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2024, Giverny is at the heart of its origins. The village in Normandy was home to one of its most proud representatives, Claude Monet, who lived there for over forty years. Today, visitors come to see the painter’s house and studio, perfectly preserved, from its marvellous tiled kitchen to the private apartments. But the highlight is perhaps outside, in the gardens overflowing with flowers, especially the water lilies that inspired Monet’s endless Water Lilies series, the ultimate masterpiece of which can be admired at the Orangerie Museum in Paris.

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7. Le Doyenné

How to get there: a one-hour train from Bibliothèque François Mitterrand to Eglise

Not a region or a city, Le Doyenné is simply a restaurant – but not just any restaurant. Named Time Out Paris’s Restaurant of the Year in 2023, it’s the go-to spot for savvy Parisians looking to escape to the countryside. Here, you dine in stables that once served as the studio of Niki de Saint Phalle, just a stone’s throw from the Château de Saint-Vrain where Countess du Barry and the Borghese family once lived. That’s the setting. On the menu, a carte blanche that will take up a good part of your day, featuring seasonal cuisine that relies heavily on its own vegetable garden, offering one of our most memorable culinary experiences in recent years. You’ll want to stay, and luckily, they also offer guest accommodation: about ten rooms, all designed by the architecture studio Ciguë.

📍 Discover our 2024 rankings of the best restaurants in Paris

8. Fontainebleau

How to get there: a 40-minute train from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau - Avon

Royal France isn’t all about Versailles, you know. Before that was built, the medieval Palace of Fontainebleau was home to Napoleon III (nephew of the famous one) and Louis VII, and was known as the ‘Second Rome’ thanks to its suite of rooms decorated specially by Napoleon I for Pope Pius VII. Visitors should also take a look around Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, which was extravagantly landscaped by the same architect who worked on the Palace of Versailles. While in (second) Rome, head to the forest of Fontainebleau, with its large boulders and stunning views. There’s also 3000 or so species of mushroom here, if you were wondering. 

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9. Barbizon

How to get there: a 40-minute train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon and a 20-minute bus

Next to Fontainebleau, Barbizon is as charming to visit as it is to pronounce. This quaint village gave its name to a painting movement closely linked to French Romanticism, the Barbizon School, whose artists focused on faithfully depicting nature two centuries ago. Even today, many artists find refuge here to create, particularly thanks to the trendy guesthouse La Folie Barbizon, which hosts artists in residence each season. Start there and have lunch at its charming B&B restaurant, or opt for one of their picnic baskets to feast on in the nearby forest. Art lovers should make sure to visit the house and studio of Jean-François Millet, one of the founders of the Barbizon School, celebrated worldwide for his masterpiece The Gleaners.

10. Pantin

How to get there: a five-minute bus from Belleville 

It may not be the most picturesque town around, but it’s undoubtedly one of the top spots in Greater Paris for contemporary art and a haven for cool kids looking to party. Let’s start with art. First, visit the massive Thaddaeus Ropac gallery, where works by international heavyweights are displayed in a former boiler factory. Then, enjoy the free exhibitions at Magasins Généraux by the canal, where some great parties are regularly held. For an underground vibe and some fresh air, head to two of our favourite cultural and festive spaces: Cité Fertile and Jardin21 (on the border between the 19th district and Pantin). With a few drinks and some tunes, this is the spot for a real Parisian summer.

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