Places you can reach in the morning and leave in the evening. Public transport first; the car only where it really helps.
Versailles
The royal palace of Louis XIV with its Trianon estate and vast gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site. An easy, frequent RER ride from central Paris and the classic Paris day trip.
How to get there
- Train · RER C (SNCF / Ile-de-France Mobilites) · 37 minFrom Saint-Michel Notre-Dame (RER C; also Invalides, Champ de Mars - Tour Eiffel)
Departures: every 15 min (weekdays and Sundays, daytime)
Fare: EUR 2.55 one way, Metro-Train-RER ticket valid in all Ile-de-France zones (checked 2026-10)
Ride to Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche, 10 min walk to the palace. Return trips 35-39 min. Times from the IDFM GTFS timetable for Tue 13 and Sun 18 Oct 2026. The palace advises buying a return ticket, as queues at the station get long.
- Train · SNCF TransilienFrom Paris Montparnasse (Transilien N) or Paris Saint-Lazare
Fare: EUR 2.55 one way, Metro-Train-RER ticket (checked 2026-10)
Montparnasse trains (lines N/U) stop at Versailles Chantiers (about 18-20 min walk); Saint-Lazare trains stop at Versailles Rive Droite (about 17-20 min walk). Duration not checked.
- Bus · RATP bus 171 · 30 minFrom Pont de Sevres (metro line 9)
Fare: EUR 2.05 one way, Bus-Tram ticket (checked 2026-10)
30 min without traffic, per the palace website.
What to see
- The Palace. State apartments of the royal palace; opens 9:00, last admission 17:45 (Apr 1 - Nov 1).
- Estate of Trianon. Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and Marie-Antoinette's estate; opens 12:00. The palace site advises going by car, bus or electric vehicle from the palace as it is far to walk.
- Gardens. Formal gardens, free to enter except on fountain-show and musical-garden days; close 18:30.
- Park and Grand Canal. Open every day; free for pedestrians and bikes.
Closed days
Palace and Trianon closed Mondays and on 25 Dec, 1 Jan and 1 May. Gardens and park open every day.
Best time to go
all year
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. A13 motorway closed in the Paris > Versailles direction from 16 Nov 2026 to 31 Aug 2027 (both directions from Jul/Aug 2027); the palace recommends public transport. Car entry to the park costs EUR 12.
Good to know
- Only the Passport ticket covers the Palace, Trianon and gardens and guarantees palace entry: EUR 35 standard (rate valid 1 Apr - 31 Oct).
- Paris Museum Pass holders must still book a free Passport ticket.
- Make sure you buy your RER ticket to Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche and buy the return at the same time.
Fontainebleau
A royal and imperial palace used by French rulers for centuries, set in a large park, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Quieter than Versailles, reached by Transilien train plus a short local bus.
How to get there
- Train · Transilien R (SNCF / Ile-de-France Mobilites) · 40 minFrom Paris Gare de Lyon
Departures: about every 30 min (some hourly gaps)
Fare: EUR 2.55 one way, Metro-Train-RER ticket valid in all Ile-de-France zones (checked 2026-10)
Ride to Fontainebleau-Avon, then bus line 3401 (IDFM Fontainebleau-Moret network) to the stop Chateau, 8-15 min, several buses an hour; the bus needs a separate Bus-Tram ticket (EUR 2.05). Return train 43-51 min. Times from the IDFM GTFS timetable for Tue 13 and Sun 18 Oct 2026.
What to see
- Grands Appartements. The historic state rooms; included in the standard ticket.
- Napoleon I Museum. Included in the standard ticket.
- Courtyards, park and gardens. Free to enter.
Closed days
Chateau closed Tuesdays and on 1 Jan, 1 May and 25 Dec. Open 9:30-17:00 Oct-Mar, 9:30-18:00 Apr-Sep. Park and gardens free.
Best time to go
all year
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here.
Good to know
- Standard ticket EUR 17 (reduced EUR 15) covers the Grands Appartements and the Napoleon I Museum.
- Last admission is 16:15 from October to March and 17:15 from April to September.
Chantilly
A chateau surrounded by water, home to the Musee Conde, France's second collection of old-master paintings after the Louvre, plus the 18th-century Great Stables. 25 minutes by TER from Gare du Nord.
How to get there
- Train · TER Hauts-de-France (SNCF) · 25 minFrom Paris Gare du Nord
Departures: irregular: about every 30 min at peaks, gaps of up to about 80 min midday; fewer on Saturdays
Fare: Pack TER Chantilly EUR 27 adult (EUR 1 under 12): return TER from Paris Nord plus 1-day chateau ticket (checked 2026-10). Single TER fare not verified 2026.
Ride to Chantilly-Gouvieux (23-36 min). From the station: free bus 645 or DUC from platform A1 (about 10 min), weekend tourist shuttle at 10:07, or walk about 20-25 min. Times from the SNCF GTFS timetable for Tue 13 and Sat 17 Oct 2026.
- Train · RER D (SNCF / Ile-de-France Mobilites) · 50 minFrom Paris Gare du Nord
Departures: few direct trains (10 on Tue 13 Oct 2026)
Fare: not verified 2026 (Chantilly is outside Ile-de-France)
Slower than the TER; times from the IDFM GTFS timetable.
What to see
- Musee Conde. Old-master paintings and drawings collected by the Duc d'Aumale (Raphael, Poussin, Ingres and more) and the library with the Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.
- Grand Apartments. Period rooms of the princely residence.
- Great Stables and Horse Museum. 18th-century 'palace for horses'; commented equestrian demonstrations last 30 min (14:30 on the day checked).
- Park and Hameau. French gardens and the Anglo-Chinese garden with the Hameau (1773).
Closed days
Closed Tuesdays; annual closure 4-22 January. Chateau 10:00-18:00 on the day checked.
Best time to go
all year (annual closure in January)
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. 40 km from Paris via A1/A3 (exit Chantilly) or D316/D317. Paid parking P1 near the chateau, EUR 5 per car.
Good to know
- The Pack TER (train + entry) is usually the simplest ticket from Paris.
- Check the day's programme on the chateau site for guided tours and equestrian demonstrations.
Reims
Coronation city of the French kings, with a Gothic cathedral listed by UNESCO, and the capital of Champagne with cellar visits at the big houses. About 46 minutes by TGV.
How to get there
- Train · SNCF TGV INOUI · 46 minFrom Paris Est
Departures: 8 direct trains on weekdays, 6 on Saturdays (Oct 2026)
Fare: not verified 2026 (TGV fares vary by date and booking time)
Arrives at Reims (central station, in the city centre). Weekday departures checked: 07:39, 08:28, 10:28, 15:42, 17:28, 18:28, 20:58; returns until 19:00. From the SNCF GTFS timetable for Tue 13 and Sat 17 Oct 2026.
What to see
- Notre-Dame Cathedral. Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned; free entry, open daily from 8:00.
- Palace of Tau. Former archbishop's palace, part of the UNESCO listing. Opening hours not verified.
- Former Abbey of Saint-Remi. Part of the UNESCO listing.
- Champagne house cellars. Cellar visits at houses listed by the tourist office, e.g. Veuve Clicquot, G.H. Mumm, Ruinart and Lanson; book ahead.
Closed days
Cathedral open every day from 8:00, free entry (short closures for services/events).
Best time to go
all year
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Reached by the A4 (Paris - Strasbourg); park-and-ride sites at the city entrance and about 2,800 spaces in central car parks.
Good to know
- Book champagne cellar tours in advance and plan around the limited TGV times.
- Reims has two stations: Reims (centre) and Champagne-Ardenne TGV in Bezannes, linked by tram; direct Paris trains use the central one.