Paris is a dream destination… which is why it welcomes 30 million tourists every year. Luckily, if you need to get away from the hubbub, even just for the afternoon, there are loads of options at your disposal. Whether you want to hike through one of the region’s most majestic forests, visit an ornate cathedral or step into the shadow of some of France’s most famous artists, dreamy day trips are well within your reach. Here are seven of the very best.
Auvers-sur-Oise
Van Gogh's final resting place / Image: Adobe Stock
Vincent Van Gogh spent the last 70 days of his life in Auvers-sur-Oise, where he produced more than 80 paintings — and this town has done a magnificent job of preserving his legacy, transforming the village into a veritable living museum of the late artist’s work. Follow the well-marked trail to marvel at his Wheatfield with Crows or The Church at Auvers – just some of the paintings displayed at the exact point where he painted them. Be sure to pay him a visit at the cemetery, where he is interned with his brother, Theo. Weekend trains are frequent; during the week, head instead to Méry-sur-Oise, just across the Oise river.
45 minutes by rail from Gare du Nord (Auvers-sur-Oise)
Fontainebleau
The resplendent Château de Fontainebleau / Image: Adobe Stock
Over 30 monarchs spent time at the majestic castle of Fontainebleau – AKA Château de Fontainebleau – but this spot is as beloved for its exteriors as its interiors. The 130-hectare estate boasts a sprawling French-style formal garden as well as a lush forest, where hikers can meander along the four-kilometre loop joining the Gorges de Franchard and the Route d’Amédée, or scramble over the famous 25 moguls that dot one of the region’s most popular routes, beloved by mountain bikers and rock climbers.
45 minutes by rail from Gare de Lyon (Fontainebleau)
Giverny
Famous flora in Monet's garden / Image: Adobe Stock
Claude Monet spent four decades living and painting in the small Norman town of Giverny, so it’s no surprise it’s become a destination for lovers of Impressionism. Wander through his former home, where the painter’s amassed 18th and 19th-century Japanese prints coexist with some of his most beautiful renderings of the gardens. Wander through this lush oasis to soak up the ambiance of the lily pond and its Japanese bridge, rendered immortal by the artist himself.
1 hour 20 minutes by rail and bus from Gare Saint-Lazare (Vernon – Giverny/La Musardière)
Chevreuse
Promenade des Petits Ponts in Chevreuse / Image: Adobe Stock
Chevreuse earns its “Little Venice” nickname thanks to a network of 22 small bridges, located along a lovely walking path aptly dubbed the promenade des petits ponts. The small stone buildings typical of the former tannery district and town laundry facilities are way more charming than your average laverie. Take the Coubertin path to pass alongside fields of grazing cows and pay a visit to the Ferme de Coubertin, which sells house-made cheeses, yogurts and other products. Don’t miss a climb to a castle – Château de la Madeleine – which boasts beautiful views of the valley below.
45 minutes by RER (suburban rail line) from Châtelet Les Halles (Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse)
Epernay
Champagne vineyards / Image: Adobe Stock
Champagne effectively has two capitals, Reims and Epernay, and while the former is home to the cathedral where every French king was crowned, the latter is a must for any lovers of bubbly and history. Saunter along the Avenue de Champagne, which features outposts of the top Champagne houses, and be sure to visit the Musée du Vin de Champagne et d’Archéologie Régionale, whose archeology collection is truly exceptional. If you’ve got time, consider heading out into the countryside either by renting an e-bike at the tourism office (20 euros for a half-day or 35 for a full-day) to see where the magic is made.
1 hour 20 minutes from Gare de l’Est by Rail (Epernay)
Chartres
Chartres Cathedral at sunset / Image: Getty Images
The charming city of Chartres is above all known for its looming cathedral, which miraculously survived allied bombing in 1944. The Gothic edifice still boasts most of its original stained glass windows dating to the 13th century, known for their unique, irreplicable blue. Find out more about them — and the art of stained glass working — at the stained glass museum, which doubles as a cultural centre devoted to stained glass art, just a few steps from the cathedral itself.
One hour from Gare Montparnasse by rail (Chartres)
Vincennes
A bridge straight out of a fairytale in Bois de Vincennes / Image: Adobe Stock
You don’t need to go far for green space thanks to two forests – the Bois de Vincennes and the Bois de Boulogne – both located within Paris’ city limits. The Bois de Vincennes is home to four lakes, of which one, Daumesnil, boasts two picturesque islands (accessible by bridges), as well as an eponymous château – a former fortress dating to the 14th century. For a scenic jaunt to the forest from the city centre, take the Promenade Plantée, a former elevated rail line that has since been converted into a park, beginning at Bastille.
16 minutes from Hôtel de Ville by metro (Château de Vincennes)
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