The 8 Best Day Trips From Paris for Couples, According to a Local
You've marveled at the Eiffel Tower, cruised the Seine, picnicked in the most scenic parks, and now you're ready to see more of France without having to spend too much time traveling. Whether you want to rent a stylish ride and road trip through the nearby wine countries or hop a short train and be in an entirely new region in a few hours, we've pulled together some of the best day trips from Paris.
If you're looking for Paris proposal ideas, why not pop the question while touring the Palace of Versailles? Curious to see the gardens that inspired Monet's Water Lilies series? Plan a visit to his home and studio in Giverny. Complete your ultimate couples getaway in Paris with the addition of one (or a few) of these day trips to some of the most popular wine regions, villages, and castles in France—plus hidden gems that even your Parisian friends are keeping secret. Sure, Paris has plenty to keep you busy no matter how many times you've visited the capital (after living here for five years, this author still comes across new discoveries), but for inspiration for other nearby places to visit, we've compiled a list of the eight best day trips from Paris for couples.
Loire Valley Day Trip from Paris
Castles and wine? Sign us up! The Valley of the Kings is one of the most romantic day trips from Paris, offering couples plenty to see and do, whether they prefer something active like cycling through the vineyards or a hands-on activity like a cooking class. Of course, you could turn the outing into a gourmet one indulging in a Michelin feast paired alongside the region's spectacular wines, or spend the day château-hopping on a tour from Paris (less than $200).
41250 Chambord, France
Giverny Tours from Paris
Art lovers won't want to miss the gardens and home ($62) of impressionist painter Claude Monet in Giverny, which you can visit on a guided bus tour ($98) from Paris. Stroll around the village streets popping into galleries, tea shops, and impressionist art museum Musée des impressionnismes Giverny ($12) before exploring the studio and house where the artist lived and worked for more than 40 years. After crossing off highlights like the Japanese water garden with its heavily photographed, wisteria-covered bridge, head over to a spot once frequented by the artist himself (along with other masters like Renoir and Cézanne): Ancien Hôtel BAUDY, a bistro-style boarding house-turned-restaurant that serves traditional French fare on a tree-filled patio that's the perfect perch on a sunny day.
99 rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny
Strasbourg Day Trip from Paris
The beauty of Paris is that it places travelers within a quick train ride of the country's most picturesque regions, like Alsace. In an hour and 45 minutes, you'll be admiring capital city Strasbourg's half-timbered homes from the 16th and 17th centuries lining the streets of the "Petite France" quarter along the water. Architecture aficionados will certainly get their fill here, where you'll find everything from 13th-century rampart remains to charming covered bridges and the Strasbourg Cathedral, carved with hundreds of sculptures (it's worth booking a tour ($34) to hear the history of the second-most visited cathedral after Notre-Dame). Nearby, France's oldest Christmas market ($28) takes place each winter with hundreds of twinkling wooden chalets that have earned Strasbourg the nickname of "Capital of Christmas."
Place de la Cathédrale, 67000 Strasbourg
Versailles Tours from Paris
The Palace of Versailles is a one day (or half-day) trip if you plan in advance. Book a private and tailored guided tour ($476) with skip-the-line admission tickets so you don't waste your morning waiting. With an art historian as your guide, you'll whisk around the palace's highlights like the Hall of Mirrors and gorgeous gardens ensuring you see the best sights and learn more about the history, too. For royal treatment, book a full-day VIP tour ($672), which includes a transfer via Mercedes-Benz from Paris, visit to Marie Antoinette's private hamlet, and three-course lunch at La Flottille, a brasserie overlooking Versailles's Grand Canal. Couples who want to stay overnight should consider splurging on a stay at Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle. After all, who can boast that they've spent the evening at Versailles?
Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles, France
Champagne Tours from Paris
One of the easiest day trips from Paris, Champagne is a quick 45-minute train ride from the city. Book one of the many Champagne tours from Paris to visit the vineyards and cellars of major maisons like Veuve Clicquot ($570) or Moët & Chandon ($558), or plan your own tour to one of the region's most important villages, like Aÿ, where you can visit independent, family-owned Champagne AYALA ($115) for a guided tasting of three exclusive vintage champagnes from the wine library. If the weather is nice (it shifts in seconds in Champagne), make your way up to AYALA's rooftop for one of the best views over the region. Another spot with fantastic views: the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, where you can pause for lunch or a glass of champagne on the terrace overlooking the vines before indulging in a massage at the urban spa that also—you guessed it—looks out at the vineyards.
1 rue Edmond de Ayala, 51160 Aÿ
Normandy Day Trip from Paris
One of the highlights of a trip to France, Mont-Saint-Michel rises above a bay flanking both Normandy and Brittany. A popular pilgrimage since the early 8th century, the abbey-topped island—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is crowned with medieval-era monastic buildings, museums, restaurants, and shops lining the steep winding village street. If you're visiting in summer, the abbey is illuminated with lights and music, and there are classical concerts throughout the year. At low tide, slip off your shoes and stroll along the coast through the bay on a guided walking tour ($17).
L'Abbaye, 50170 Le Mont-Saint-Michel, France
Sceaux Day Trip from Paris
Despite being a short RER ride from the center of Paris, the tiny town of Sceaux is something of a secret compared to well-trodden locales like Fontainebleau. The French-style gardens of Parc de Sceaux were designed around the same time as Versailles, and the 180-acre park has plenty that will sweep you away while cycling or strolling, from flower beds by famed landscape designer Le Nôtre to a lake filled with waterfalls and fountains. If you're looking for a scenic place to propose, pop the question here in springtime during cherry blossom season, when the grove of century-old Japanese cherry trees is filled with cotton candy-colored flowers. Oh, and there's a château-turned-museum, too, if you want a cultural fix.
38 Avenue Alphonse Cherrier, 92330 Sceaux
Burgundy Day Trip from Paris
While Burgundy isn't as close to the city as other destinations, it's still entirely possible to plan a day trip in the dreamy wine region known for stellar pinot noir and chardonnay. The direct train is a little over three hours and drops you right in Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy—so no need to worry about renting a car for the day. If you're looking for that Beauty and the Beast moment, the old city encased in fortified walls really has that feel (you'll be strolling saying "bonjour" to everyone before you know it). Reserve lunch at Caves Madeleine, where you can sample spruced-up versions of regional dishes served alongside wines from one of the best cellars in town. Spend the rest of the day shopping along cobbled streets or cruising through the surrounding vines in a vintage vehicle ($335). You can also set off on a wine tasting tour ($224) along Burgundy's "Champs-Élysées" on the Route des Grands Crus in Côte de Nuits. If you're visiting on a Saturday, the weekly market unfolds in the center of the city, offering a taste of farm-fresh products and fantastic fromage.
Beaune and Dijon, Burgundy