Day Trips from Paris by train

Most rail routes in France lead from and to Paris, hence a swathe of other must-see locations are within easy reach by train from the French capital.
The suggested locations have been singled out for their particularly easy access, so hop on board and enhance your stay in the French capital and beyond.

Amiens is most famous for its stunning cathedral, but the city also offers an old-town atmosphere in its lovely Saint Leu Quarter - pictured above.

Other popular attractions include the former home of legendary author Jules Verne, which is now a museum, or you can take a boat tour of the unique floating gardens of The Hortillonnages

The station is located on the edge of a compact city centre, so all of the above attractions are within a 15 min walk.

• the cathedral
• the Saint Leu neigbourhood
• the Jules Verne house
• the Hortillonnages visitor centre

• Departure station in Paris: Gare Du Nord
• Usual frequency: 0 to 2 x trains per hour
• Typical journey time: 1hr 15 mins
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? No
• Reserved seats: No
• Other cities with trains from and to Amiens: Arras, Lille and Rouen

Travel tips:

• There's no need to book in advance to save more than a couple of €s, so you can be spontaneous and head of to Amiens in good weather.
• However, it's pretty much essential to look up this journey on SNCF Connect before heading to the Gare Du Nord, as there are gaps of more than hour between some departures - If you don't want to book at the station, tickets can be purchased on SNCF Connect.
• Some trains are non-stop to Lille, so are faster by more than 15mins, but the tickets are the same price as the slower trains.
• The trains typically leave from he Hall 1 at the Gare Du Nord, which the main street-level concourse.

Angers is known for being an access point for the Loire Valley but it is also one of the most historic cities in France, with multiple attractions to make a day trip from Paris worthwhile.

More details can be accessed on the website dedicated to the multiple museums and historic attractions in Angers.
They include:

• Angers Castle pictured above, which is home to the Apocalypse Tapestry, the world's largest set of medieval tapestries.
• the Jean-Lurçat Museum; it's historic collections along with the Museum of Contemporary Tapestry are housed in two buildings, one of which is The Saint-Jean Hospital, which dates to the 12th century, the key exhibit being Jean-Lurçat's "Song of the World" tapestry, which was his epic response to the Apocalypse Tapestry - closed Mondays.
• the 13th century Toussaint Abbey Church that houses the works of the artist Pierre-Jean David, known as David d'Angers (1788-1856) - closed Mondays.
• the Musée Pincé, dedicated to ancient Mediterranean, pre-Columbian, and Asian civilizations, which is housed in The Hôtel de Pincé, a major building of the Angevin Renaissance - open on Saturdays and Sundays.
• the Museum of Fine Arts - closed Mondays
• the Museum of Natural Sciences - which comprises both a showcase of local natural heritage, as well as the history of life and prehistory in Anjou housed in a former count's palace, which is in the city center; Plus the Gaston-Allard Arboretum that houses the botanical collections of the City of Angers - closed Mondays.

Plus an option for exploring part of the Loire Valley, when taking a day trip from Paris by train, is to take an afternoon tour by camper van - not available on Mondays.

Angers-St Laud station is conveniently located on the southern edge of the area of Angers most popular with tourists.
Hence all of the above attractions can be easily accessed when arriving in Angers by train.

• Angers Castle is located within a 10 min walk
• the Jean-Lurçat Museum can be accessed by taking a line C tram to the stop named Doutre Main, then it's a 5 to 8 min walk.
• the David d'Angers Gallery is a 5 to 10 min walk from station, it is close to the Castle
• The Musée Pincé can be accessed by making a 15 to 20 min walk, or by taking tram line C two stops to Ralliement, which is also the stop in the heart of the city's old town area
• the Musée Des Beaux Arts is an easy 5 min walk from station
• the Museum of Natural Sciences is by the tram stop named Centre De Congress, which is served by tram line A.

To Angers by train from Paris

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare Montparnasse
• Usual frequency: 11 to 15 x trains per day
• Typical journey time: 1hr 25 mins - 1hr 45mins
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? Yes
• Reserved seats: Yes
• Other cities with trains from and to Angers: Le Mans, Lille, Nantes, Saumurs and Tours

Travel tips:

• Because substantial savings can be made by booking in advance, you will see the departure and arrival times when looking up the journey - Though typically there will only be two departures by TGV InOui train leaving Paris between 09:30 and 12:00.
• Ouigo TGV trains are typically cheaper than the regular TGV InOui trains, but taking a Ouigio TGV to Angers typically requires departing Paris before 07:45.
• Cheapest of all is to take a non-high speed Ouigo Classique train from and to Paris Austerlitz, but the journey time is more than three hours each way - When available the depature is before 07:15, with a return leaving Angers after 19:15.

No doubt attracted by its attractive location on the banks of the River Oise, this town on the edge of Paris became an artist's colony in the mid to late 19th century,
Vincent Van Gogh spent the last year of in Auvers-sur-Oise and both he and his brother Theo have their graves in the town's cemetry.
A small museum is dedicated to the time that Vincent spent in Auvers.

Other artists who painted while resident in the town include Paul Cézanne, Camille Pissarro - whose view of Auvers can be seen above, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and Norbert Goeneutte and Charles-François Daubigny, who also has a museum in the town dedicated to his life and work.

Auvers-sur-Oise is served by Transillien the commuter rail network in the Paris region, but it is on a line which doesn't go from and to central Paris.
So if it will be convenient to travel to and from Auvers-sur-Oise by using the Gare Du Nord, you will need to look up the journey before heading to the station, As the connections on to Auvers-sur-Oise can be made at three different stations - which differ according to the specific departure taken.

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare Du Nord,
• Usual frequency: Monday to Friday = 1 or 2 x connections per hour; Sat / Sun = 1 x connection per hour
• Typical journey time: 1hr 5 mins - 1hr 15 mins
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? No - Plus Day Passes, Navigo Découverte and Paris Visite cards cover the journey.
• Reserved seats: No

If travelling from and to the Gare Du Nord won't be particularly convenient, the alternative is to take the line C of the RER on a train heading to Pontoise and then connect at the station before Pontoise, named Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône - Take care not to leave the train at the very similarly named station, Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône-Liesse.
The time between trains at Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône can be as short as 4 mins.

The RER line C has multiple stops on The Left Bank (south) bank of The Seine, including Invalides and the Musée D'Orsay - Plus it has multiple stops on the western side of the city centre including Avenue Foch and Neuilly–Porte Maillot.

Two factors have combined in recent years to enhance the possibility of exploring stunning Bordeaux on a day trip from Paris by train:

1. The two cities are now in effect connected end-to-end by an exceptionally fast high-speed rail line.
2. Trams connect Bordeaux-St Jean station to the city centre.

Within a little over three hours from leaving a hotel in central Paris, you can be experiencing one of Bordeaux' numerous highlights, such as:

• the Bassins des Lumiéres
• La Cite De Vin
• the Water Mirror - pictured above
• the art museum, Musée Mer Marine
• Darwin

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare Montparnasse
• Usual frequency: 0 - 2 x trains per hour
• Typical journey time: 2hr 15min
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? Yes
• Reserved seats: Yes
• Other cities with trains from and to Bordeaux: Nantes and Toulouse

Travel tips:

• Because substantial savings can be made by booking in advance, you will see the departure and arrival times when looking up the journey - Though typically there will only be three departures by TGV InOui train leaving Paris between 09:00 and 12:00.
• Ouigo TGV trains are typically cheaper than the regular TGV InOui trains, but taking a Ouigio TGV to Bordeaux typically requires departing Paris before 08:30.
• Though a Ouigo train back to Paris typically leaves Bordeaux shortly before 17:00 / 5pm; It's possible to book a trip to Bordeaux by a TGV InOui train and then return to Paris by Ouigo - and vice versa.

France is home to many gloriously pretty chateaux, but Chantilly is comparatively accessible by train from central Paris.
The chateaux also houses the Musée Condé which is one of the most important and popular art collections in France.

The station, which is named Chantilly–Gouvieux is located more than a kilometer from the entrance to the chateaux - which is closed on Tuesday.
A course for horse-racing is located between them, so the distance is longer than walking the full length of the home straight.

It can be a good idea to avoid visiting the chateaux on days on which race meetings will be taking place.

Though buses go from and to the station with line / route 'DUC' providing the most frequent link - takes buses heading to Chateaux / Grille d'Hônneur.
Though at weekends a few additional 'Navette' shuttle buses are also available.
However, the bus timetable is irregular and buses don't meet every train; Despite the additional weekend services there can be gaps of around an hour between bus departures, so it can be a good idea to consult the timetable - on the 'from Chantilly station' tab.

The train service

Two rail services connect central Paris to Chantilly; neither of which require the booking of tickets in advance to save money, so you can be spontaneous.

(1) There is an hourly service by RER line D trains heading to Creil - most line D services terminate at stations before Chantilly–Gouvieux.
The RER Line D trains go from and to Gare de Lyon and Châtelet–Les Halles and Gare Du Nord.
The journey time from the Gare Du Nord is 50 mins.

(2) Some of the regional TER services from and to the Gare Du Nord also call at Chantilly–Gouvieux - The trains will be heading to Amiens*. Compiegne* or Creil.
There are trains in most hours, but the timetable is irregular - there are usually no departures between around 11:10 and 12:45.
The journey time from the Gare Du Nord is 40 mins.
*= some trains heading to Amiens and Compiegne don't call at Chantilly–Gouvieux.

Travel tips

• The rail journey from and to the Gare Du Nord, including both the RER and TER trains can be looked up on SNCF Connect
• If the Gare Du Nord will be convenient, it's a good idea to target the TER trains if the timings suit: They're faster, can be accessed from the street-level concourse - and won't be any more expensive.
• The timings of the RER trains from and to Châtelet–Les Halles and the Gare De Lyon can be looked up on the Transillien website.
• If possible avoid connecting between RER line D and Metro lines 7 and 11 at Châtelet–Les Halles, the interchange routes are exceptionally long.

Charming Chartres and its iconic cathedral have exceptionally easy access from Paris by train.
The journey typically takes between 60 and 75 mins and Chartres station is adjacent to the town centre - the cathedral is within a 5 to 10 min walk.

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare Montparnasse
• Usual frequency: 1 x train per hour
• Typical journey time: 1hr 5min - 1hr 15min
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? Yes*
• Reserved seats: No
  *= at the time of looking up this journey, SNCF Connect, was offering a promotion with tickets available on some departures for only €10 when booking ahead.

Travel tips

• the trains, which will be terminating at Chartres or Le Mans, depart from the main Hall 1 concourse at the Gare Montparnasse.
• all trains to and from Chartres also call at Versaille-Chantiers station, where connections are available with trains on RER line C.
• If you will want to spend an afternoon in Chartres, there is usually also a Ouigo Classique train that departs from Paris Austerlitz shortly before midday - it is typically cheaper than the trains from Montparnasse and it arrives in Chartres shortly after 13:30.

The stunning former residence of kings, Fontainebleau, can be easily accessed by train from central Paris.

Every 30mins Transillien trains on the R network depart from the Gare De Lyon and head to Fontainebleau - Avon station
The final destination the final destination of the train will usually be Montargis or Monterau.

Book tickets when you're at the Gare De Lyon - though Day Passes, Navigo Découverte and Paris Visite cards cover the rail journey.

The chateau is located at the opposite end of Fontainebleau town from the station, so the walk will take around 30 to 40 mins.
However, local bus route/line 1, direction Les Lilas, provides an onward connection that typically has 3 to 5 departures per hour.
Note that the chateaux at Fontainebleau is closed on Tuesdays.

The end-to-end journey by bus and train will typically take around 1hr 15mins

Giverny is a must visit for those with a passion for Post-Impressionism art, as it is the location of the former home, studio and garden of Claude Monet.

Travel Information

There are two train services available from Paris St-Lazare to Vernon-Giverny station:

(1) TER trains, which will be heading to Rouen, the fastest of which complete the journey in around 50 mins.
They depart in most hours from the Blue Zone concourse in St-Lazare, including between around 10:10 and 12:10am - ideal times for a day trip.
Departure times can be looked up on SNCF Connect, though typically there's no need to buy tickets online to save money, so you can be spontaneous and book at the station.

Though at the time of writing SNCF Connect was offering a promotion with tickets available on some departures for only €10 when booking ahead online.

(2) Transilien' commuter trains on line J which take more than 90 minutes.
Though they are best avoided as they tend to be overtaken by later departures of the TER trains, but they won't be any cheaper
However, because they will be terminating at Vernon-Giverny, they will stand out on the departure screens.

On arrival at Vernon-Giverny, you will need to take the bus that is scheduled to meet the TER trains, to give an end-to-end journey time of around 1h 15mins.

These day trip guides on ShowMeTheJourney strive to include attractions based around railways, so admirers of steam trains will be pleased to know that this railway museum is within easy reach of central Paris.

It is short walk from Longueville station which is served by Transillien trains on its P network
The trains typically depart hourly from Paris Est, pictured at the top of the page, with a journey time of 61mins.

The trains will be heading to Provins (see below), so it's straightforward to combine both locations on one fabulous day trip from the French capital.

The original idea for this guide was to only include locations within two hours by train from Paris, but ultimately the stunning Mont-Saint-Michel had to be included, as it's never been within such easy reach from the French Capital.

The unofficially named 'Mont Saint Michel Express' departs from the Gare Montparnasse and heads to the station named Pontorson – Le Mont-Saint-Michel, where a bus shuttle will meet the train.
It is this guaranteed simple bus transfer which makes this the easy option.

The train typically departs from the Gare Montparnasse at 08:53 and is daily from April to October and operates on Saturday /Sunday in November to March.
The return journey typically departs Pontorson – Le Mont-Saint-Michel at 18:06 and is due back to the Gare Montparnasse at 22:06.

A return Adult ticket which includes the train + shuttle bus costs a flat rate of €64 (2026) from Paris: A return for children aged from 4 to 11 costs under €37.

The beautiful city Orléans is within easy reach of Paris and is a must-do experiences for those with an interest in Joan of Arc.

Though regardless of an interest in the defender of the French nation, Orléans provides a opportunity to take in the atmosphere of a typical French city that's a contrast to the bustle of the capital.
It has a beautiful cathedral and fascinating museums both ancient and modern.
Though what is especially unique is the old town area, which is crossed by the charming and traffic-free, Rue de Bourgogne.

The main station in Orléans is located on the northern edge of a compact city centre.

The cathedral, the Hotel Groslot museum and the house in which Joan of Arc once lived are all located within a a 10 to 20 min walk; The alternative is to take Tram Line A (direction Hopital de la Source) to the stop named De Gaulle and connect for a line B tram (direction Clos du Hameau).

The western end of the Rue de Bourgogne is a short walk from the De Gaulle tram stop
There is a bus stop from which line / route 20 goes one-way back to the station, but it departs hourly at best.

The FRAC Centre for contemporary art is located on the western end of the central area, but is also a 10 - 20 min walk from the station.

Orléans has two rail stations:

1. Orléans lives up to its name with a location on the edge of the central area.
2. Les Aubrais is to the north, but because Orléans station is a terminus, trains between Paris and locations further south call at Les Aubrais before travelling around the city.
   The trains between Paris and Orléans also call at Les Aubrais, so it has more trains from and to Paris than Orléans station.

Plus Les Aubrais is now linked to the heart of the city centre, at the stop named De Gaulle, by tram line A, so it doesn't matter whether a train will only be calling at Les Aubrais, it's now a convenient option for a day trip from and to Paris.
Particularly as the service between Paris and both Orléans and Les Aubrais isn't regular or comparatively frequent - despite this, it isn't possible to book tickets to travel by the Intercités express trains which call in Les Aubrais on their Paris - Toulouse route.
So the TER train services are the only option for the journey.

Hence it's a good idea to look up the details of the journey on SNCF Connect there can be gaps of more than hour between departures heading to and from Les Aubrais - and there are fewer trains from and to Orléans.

Though typically there's no need to buy tickets online to save money, so you can be spontaneous and book at the station.

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare Austerlitz
• Usual frequency 0 to 2 x trains per hour
• Typical journey time: 1hr 5min
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? No
• Reserved seats: No

If the notion of wandering through a medieval town less than two hours after leaving Paris appeals, then Provins is where you need to go.

It holds a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation thanks to its status as the best preserved of the French Towns of Medieval Fairs and can be accessed in trains typically depart hourly from Paris Est, pictured at the top of the page.

The train service is operated by Transillien on its P network and the journey time is 1hr 23mins.
The trains also call at Longueville where those with an interest in steam trains should break their journey - see above.

Though an excursion to Provins will involve exploring on foot, as most of its streets are too narrow to accommodate buses and the station is around a 15 min walk from the centre.

One idea is to take a bus from the station forecourt to the Villecran Park + Ride stop - Cars driven by visitors cannot access the centre of town, so multiple bus routes converge here.
Which is why a Tourist Information Office is also located here.

Multiple bus routes / lines including the 7705 link the station to Villecran - There is also a Tourist Information Office at the station to help you plan a route.
If you head to Villercan from the station you can then follow a linear, downhill walking route through the town back to the station, which will take you by all of the town's major attractions.

As this guide shows, there are multiple charming cathedral cities and UNESO World Heritage Sites, including Amiens, Chartres, Mont-St-Michel and Provins that are within easy reach of Paris by train.
However, what gives Reims an edge is that it includes three historic buildings included within its World Heritage status - its cathedral and adjacent Palais Du Tau, plus the beautiful Abbey de Saint Remi

Though what makes a trip to Reims exceptional is its proximity to the Champagne region, with numerous 'champagne houses' in the city centre offering the opportunities to both take tours and sample their wares.

Three of which have comparatively easy access when taking a day trip to Reims by train.

1. the Maison de Champagne Charles de Cazanove is located on the same street as the station.
2. Le 3 par Champagne Thiénot is located a slight diversion off the walking route between the station and the cathedral.
3. the Maison de Champagne G.H. Martel & Co is located within a 10 min of the Abbey de Saint Remi.

Despite being only 129km / 80 miles from Paris, the only direct rail connection between the capital and Reims is by taking high speed TGV InOui trains.

However the city is served by two stations that have trains from Paris:

1. Reims station lives up to its name with a location on the north-west edge of the heart of the city - the cathedral is located within a 10 - 15min walk.
2. Champagne-Ardennes TGV station is located on the south-western edge of Reims - It is 3km from the city centre, but tram line B provides a link to the heart of Reims with its stop named Opera-cathedrael.

Though the line B stop at Champagne-Ardennes is a 5 min walk from the station, it can't be seen from the station exit, so go straight ahead to the other side of the car park

So if you're heading to Reims city centre and the timings of the trains heading to Reims station don't suit, booking to Champagne-Ardennes TGV instead is a good alternative - and it can be cheaper too.
Though when looking up the details of the journey and booking tickets ahead on SNCF Connect, it's best to look up a journey to Reims and then look up a journey to Champagne-Ardennes TGV, to get a full picture of the timings and prices.

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare de l'Est
• Usual frequency: There are typically up to 2 x trains to Reims and up to 2 x trains to Champagne-Ardennes TGV departing Paris between 08:00 and 13:00
• Typical journey time: 45mins
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? Yes
• Reserved seats: Yes

Travel tips

• A day trip to Reims / Champagne-Ardennes from Paris by train should be planned in advance, the trains are infrequent and what's available can vary according to the time of year; It's also possible to save up to more than €15 by booking ahead.
• Therefore unlike some of the other locations in this guide, a trip to Reims doesn't lend itself to spontaneity.
• When looking up a journey to Reims station on SNCF Connect you may only see indirect options which have a connection at Champagne-Ardennes station - If you'll be heading to the area around Reims cathedral, booking to Champagne-Ardennes and leaving the train there to connect for the tram, can be simpler and quicker than taking the connecting train on to Reims station and walking from there.
• If you want to head for the Abbey de Saint Remi and its area and would rather not spend 25 to 40 mins waking across the city centre, the alternative is to take bus line C or U6 - They both leave from the same stop in front of Reims station, combined there are up to seven departures per hour.

If your ideal destination on an easy day trip from Paris is a city with a different atmosphere to the capital, but also has a typical French vibe Rouen is a definite contender.

Within a compact city centre, that's adjacent to the main rail station Rouen can boast;

• a stunning 12th century cathedral
• a castle-keep in which Joan Of Arc was imprisoned
• streets lined with half-timbered buildings; including the Rue du Gros-Horloge
• a gallery which houses work by the likes of Caravaggio, Van Dyk, Poussin, Velázquez, Fragonard, Corot, Degas, Delacroix, Monet. Pissaro, Sisley, Dcuhamp and Modigliani
• a 13th century Abbey

An idea for a day trip is to meander south from the station. taking in all of the above and then heading back to Rouen-Rive Droite by tram from the stop named Théâtre des Arts

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare Saint Lazare
• Usual frequency: 1 or 2 x trains per hour
• Typical journey time: 1hr 25min - 1hr 40min
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? Yes - for the 'Nomad' trains); No for the TER trains
• Reserved seats: No

Travel Tips

The train service between Paris and Rouen is split between:

1. faster services branded 'NOMAD' which are typically non-stop and will be heading on to Le Havre; Both cities can be combined on the one day trip from Paris
2. Slower, by 15 mins, TER services - which will stand out on the departure screens as they will be terminating in Rouen
   Both of which will depart from the Blue Zone in Paris-Saint-Lazare.

The differences between the two train services matters to the ticketing, the TER services are sold at a flat rate regardless of when they are booked, but the NOMAD services have demand-led pricing.
Hence some departures by the NOMAD trains can be around €10 cheaper than the TER trains if booked ahead - though by doing so you will then be committing to taking the specific selected departure.

Though if you want to be spontaneous and book at the station, the TER services tend to be around €10 cheaper.
If you do decide to head to Rouen once you are in Paris, it's a good idea to look up the departures the day before you want to travel.
The timetable is irregular so in some hours there will only be a NOMAD train departure, in others there will only be a TER train and in some hours there are both.

When looking at a map of France, at face value suggesting a day trip from the capital to Strasbourg seems an odd notion, after all the city is more than 490km from Paris.
However, trains rush along the fastest rail route in France at more than 300 km/h, so the journey time is under two hours.

Its location far from Paris in Alsace-Lorraine, enables Strasbourg to have a very different atmosphere to the French capital
Plus it's a city that lends itself to wandering thanks to a compact, but varied central area with a conveniently located main railway station.

A suggested itinerary that encompasses close to all of the city's major sites is:

1. either take bus line /route 10 to the stop named Musée d'Art Moderne, or walk towards the museum from the station.
2. Either visit the museum and then cross the river on the Barrage Vaudan, or go by the museum to reach the Barrage.
3. Walk over the Ponts Couverts bridge and explore the Petite-France quarter, pictured above.
4. Follow the street named Grand Rue and cross into Rue Gutenburg to head to the cathedral.
5. Make an optional visit to the adjacent Palais Rohan museum and gallery
6. Walk behind the cathedral on Rue das Juifs heading towards and beyond the Tomi Ungerer Museum
7. Explore the Neustadt district
8. take the tram line C back to the Gare / station

• Departure station in Paris: the Gare de l'Est
• Usual frequency: 0 tor 2 x trains per hour
• Typical journey time: 1hr 45mins - 2hrs
• Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? Yes
• Reserved seats: Yes

Travel Tips

1. In order to travel to and from Strasbourg at a reasonable price, it best to look up the journey and book at least a couple of months in advance and to have some flexibility over the travel date.
2. All departures have demand led pricing and the cheapest tickets inevitably sell out fastest.
3. There is usually a cheaper, but more basic Ouigo service, that typically departs Paris daily shortly after 10:00 and arrives in Strasbourg before midday - for a journey of this length and with no luggage, this departure can be be good value for money.
4. The return Ouigo service usually departs Strasbourg shortly before 20:00 / 8pm, but it's possible to book the outward journey by Ouigo and return on a regular TGV InOui train.
5. If you want to leave it until you are in Paris to book the journey, it's pretty much essential to look up the journey at least a few days in advance, as it's not unusual for the morning departures to sell out completely 24 hrs ahead.