People from all over the world come to Paris, known as the “City of Light.” This makes sense since it’s one of the world’s great towns. But tourists who want to learn more will spend a day outside of Paris seeing some of France’s other famous sites. The French city is a great place to start your trip to see anything, from cathedrals to theme parks to battlefields.
9 Amazing Places to Visit in Paris
1. Loire Valley Châteaux
The Loire Valley is a beautiful area known for its beautiful scenery, historic towns, and vineyards. It is about two hours by car or one hour by train from Paris. The valley’s most popular feature is its many chateaux, which are spread out among the green hills. The French royalty built these chateaux, which range from large country manors to defense fortresses and fancy palaces. Chambord, Amboise, Rivau, Chinon, and Chenonceau are some of the most well-known chateaux.
2. Normandy Beaches
A lot of people from Paris love to take day trips to Normandy to see the sites of D-Day. A lot of people know June 6, 1944, as the day that tens of thousands of Allied troops arrived on the coast of France, ending the Second World War. To get to Utah, Omaha, Juno, Sword, and Gold beaches in Normandy, troops had to wade in while being shot at by the enemy. Travelers can walk on these holy grounds and also visit the graves, where rows and rows of crosses mark the final resting places of those who died that day.
3. Monet’s Garden at Giverny
Impressionism was a style of painting that started in France with Claude Monet. It was mostly about nature. Going to Monet’s Gardens at Giverny is the best way to understand this trend. The well-known artist moved to the town after taking the train through the area. He started to grow a lot of different kinds of plants and soon started drawing them. Soon, more artists came to live in the village. You can visit the large grounds from April 1 to November 1. They are only 76 km (47 miles) from Paris.
4. Reims & the Champagne region
Gourmets, people who like to sip espressos at a sidewalk café, and people who want to try some of the famous champagnes from the area will all enjoy Reims. Reims is in the middle of champagne country, just 45 minutes by train from Paris. More than 321 million bottles of champagne are made there every year by 319 farms. But the champagne and food are just a taste of what Reims has to offer. The magnificent Gothic church is the real draw. People think of the church as the French version of Westminster Abbey in England. It is where many French kings and queens have been crowned. Some of the etched glass windows were made more recently by Marc Chagall.
5. Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris is the second Disney theme park to open outside of the United States. Fans of Disney parks will not want to miss a day trip there. Back when it was first opened, Disneyland Paris was called Euro Disneyland. It has the same themed areas, friendly characters, shops, and hotels as other Disney parks. About 12 million people visit Disneyland Paris every year, making it one of the most popular vacation spots in Europe. It’s easy to get to the park because it’s only 30 km (20 miles) from Paris in Marne-la-Vallée.
6. Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky island in the middle of huge mud flats, just off the northwest coast of France in Normandy. The tidal island is important because it has many important medieval buildings that are stacked on top of each other, and the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is the main draw. With a causeway, the island is linked to the shore. At low tide, a muddy sandbar looks like it could be crossed on foot, but tourists are strongly advised not to do so because the strong waves make it dangerous. There are no direct trains from Paris to Mont St. Michel, but you can take the train to Pontorson and then take the bus for the last part of the trip.
7. Palace of Versailles
There is a lot of wealth in the Palace of Versailles, which is what most people think a palace should be like. In the early 1600s, the house was first used as a hunting lodge. But it quickly became a famous place for French royalty to live. Most people think of the palace when they think of Queen Marie Antoinette, but her pleasures cost her life during the French Revolution. A great day trip from Paris that includes interesting statues, art by Leonardo da Vinci, the Hall of Mirrors, well-kept grounds, and wide paths.
8. Chartres Cathedral
People think that Chartres Cathedral is one of the most inspiring churches in the world because of its tall, ornate spires that reach into the sky. The first church was built in the 9th century, but it burned down two hundred years later. Flying buttresses and other architectural styles that were new at the time that the church was built are still used today. People from all over the world come to the church to honor a tunic that is said to have been worn by the Virgin Mary. In addition to the amazing architecture that stays true to the original, the stunning stained glass windows are something that tourists won’t want to miss. It takes about an hour and a half to get from Paris to Charters by train.
9. Palace of Fontainebleau
The Palace of Fontainebleau gives people a chance to learn more about French history. The palace is just over 40 km (30 miles) from Paris and is built on land that used to be a royal forest. It has 1,500 rooms that are all decorated in French style. Fontainebleau has been around since the 12th century. During the centuries that followed, rulers added to it, making it more luxurious. During the French Revolution, the estate was sold to raise money for the revolution. As soon as Napoleon became ruler, he began to fix things. People can enjoy the museums’ wealth of goods, but they can also ride in a horse-drawn carriage around the grounds or get in a hot air balloon to see it from above.
