Out of the city for a day
The best day trips from Paris
Versailles, Giverny and Monet’s gardens, Champagne, the Loire châteaux, Fontainebleau, the Normandy D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel: here is which day trip fits you, with honest advice on very long days in a coach, small or large groups and what is open when.
See our 8 picks
The best day trip from Paris for a first visit is Versailles, the closest. The RER C train goes there on a €2.55 ticket.
Giverny takes half a day on a tour, from April to 1 November. Champagne and the Loire châteaux take a full day. Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel take 12 to 14 hours on a tour. GetYourGuide shows prices in your own currency.
Our 8 picks for day trips from Paris
Trips that run all year come first, because the Giverny gardens close in winter. All eight have free cancellation. None includes hotel pickup, so check the meeting point in Paris.
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from €105 per person Our top pick 14 hours 4.8 (1,554) reviews on GetYourGuide
Normandy D-Day sites with lunch
A 14-hour guided coach day to the D-Day sites. It visits Pointe du Hoc, the Utah Beach Museum and the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach. A 2-course lunch with a glass of cider is included.
Best for History lovers
Check availability: Normandy D-Day sites with lunch on GetYourGuide -
from €89 per person 14 hours 4.5 (6,173) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mont-Saint-Michel day trip by coach
A 14-hour coach day from Paris with your abbey ticket included. You visit the abbey on your own, or add an audio guide or a live guide. Lunch is not included.
Best for Visitors who like to explore alone
Check availability: Mont-Saint-Michel day trip by coach on GetYourGuide -
from €99 per person 14 hours 4.6 (2,469) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mont-Saint-Michel day trip with a guide
A 14-hour coach day with an English-speaking tour leader and a walking tour of the island. The abbey ticket comes with some options only. Food is not included.
Best for First-timers who want a guide
Check availability: Mont-Saint-Michel day trip with a guide on GetYourGuide -
from €135 per person 13 hours 4.5 (1,531) reviews on GetYourGuide
Full-day Loire Valley châteaux tour
A 13-hour coach day to the Loire Valley, with entry tickets to the châteaux. Choose a licensed guide or an audio guide. Groups are up to 20.
Best for Château fans with a full day
Check availability: Full-day Loire Valley châteaux tour on GetYourGuide -
from €129 per person 11 h 30 min 4.5 (1,585) reviews on GetYourGuide
Giverny and Versailles in one day
An 11.5-hour day: Monet’s house and gardens, then a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles. Entry to both is included. Runs when the gardens are open (April to 1 November).
Best for Visitors short on days
Check availability: Giverny and Versailles in one day on GetYourGuide -
from €59 per person 6–11.5 hours 4.5 (3,543) reviews on GetYourGuide
Giverny half-day trip
A coach trip to Monet’s house and gardens, with entry and a self-guided audio app. A full-day option adds Versailles. Runs when the gardens are open (April to 1 November).
Best for Art lovers with half a day
Check availability: Giverny half-day trip on GetYourGuide -
from €130 per person 5 hours 4.7 (895) reviews on GetYourGuide
Guided trip to Monet’s garden
A 5-hour minibus trip to Giverny, with entry to the gardens and the house. You also see Monet’s grave. Runs when the gardens are open (April to 1 November).
Best for Visitors who want a guide
Check availability: Guided trip to Monet’s garden on GetYourGuide -
from €59 per person 5 hours 4.2 (3,027) reviews on GetYourGuide
Giverny with an audio or live guide
A 5-hour coach trip with entry to Monet’s house. Choose an audio guide or a live guide. Lunch is not included. Runs when the gardens are open (April to 1 November).
Best for Visitors who want a choice of guide
Check availability: Giverny with an audio or live guide on GetYourGuide
Day trips from Paris compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normandy D-Day sites with lunch | €105 per person | 14 hours | History lovers | The best-rated long day here: 4.8 from 1,554 reviews, with lunch included. |
| Mont-Saint-Michel day trip by coach | €89 per person | 14 hours | Visitors who like to explore alone | The most-reviewed day trip here: 4.5 from 6,173 reviews. |
| Mont-Saint-Michel day trip with a guide | €99 per person | 14 hours | First-timers who want a guide | A guide and free time on the island, with 4.6 from 2,469 reviews. |
| Full-day Loire Valley châteaux tour | €135 per person | 13 hours | Château fans with a full day | The only Loire tour on our list, with 4.5 from 1,531 reviews. |
| Giverny and Versailles in one day | €129 per person | 11 h 30 min | Visitors short on days | Two big sights in one booking, with 4.5 from 1,585 reviews. |
| Giverny half-day trip | €59 per person | 6–11.5 hours | Art lovers with half a day | Entry is included, with 4.5 from 3,543 reviews. |
| Guided trip to Monet’s garden | €130 per person | 5 hours | Visitors who want a guide | The best-rated Giverny trip here, 4.7 from 895 reviews. The listing gives groups of up to 100. |
| Giverny with an audio or live guide | €59 per person | 5 hours | Visitors who want a choice of guide | A guide in one of 10 languages, with 4.2 from 3,027 reviews. |
Normandy D-Day sites with lunch
€105 per person14 hours 4.8 (1,554)
Details
- Who it suits
- History lovers
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated long day here: 4.8 from 1,554 reviews, with lunch included.
Mont-Saint-Michel day trip by coach
€89 per person14 hours 4.5 (6,173)
Details
- Who it suits
- Visitors who like to explore alone
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed day trip here: 4.5 from 6,173 reviews.
Mont-Saint-Michel day trip with a guide
€99 per person14 hours 4.6 (2,469)
Details
- Who it suits
- First-timers who want a guide
- Why we picked it
- A guide and free time on the island, with 4.6 from 2,469 reviews.
Full-day Loire Valley châteaux tour
€135 per person13 hours 4.5 (1,531)
Details
- Who it suits
- Château fans with a full day
- Why we picked it
- The only Loire tour on our list, with 4.5 from 1,531 reviews.
Giverny and Versailles in one day
€129 per person11 h 30 min 4.5 (1,585)
Details
- Who it suits
- Visitors short on days
- Why we picked it
- Two big sights in one booking, with 4.5 from 1,585 reviews.
€59 per person6–11.5 hours 4.5 (3,543)
Details
- Who it suits
- Art lovers with half a day
- Why we picked it
- Entry is included, with 4.5 from 3,543 reviews.
€130 per person5 hours 4.7 (895)
Details
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want a guide
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated Giverny trip here, 4.7 from 895 reviews. The listing gives groups of up to 100.
Giverny with an audio or live guide
€59 per person5 hours 4.2 (3,027)
Details
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want a choice of guide
- Why we picked it
- A guide in one of 10 languages, with 4.2 from 3,027 reviews.
- Group size is stated for 4 tours only: Mont-Saint-Michel day trip with a guide, up to 50; Full-day Loire Valley châteaux tour, max 20; Giverny and Versailles in one day, max 25; Giverny with an audio or live guide, up to 25.
- None of the 8 includes hotel pickup: you meet on site.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 24 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Which day trip suits you: a quick comparison
Pick by how long a day you want. Versailles is the closest, on the RER C. Giverny is a half day by coach, from April to 1 November. Champagne and the Loire take a full day. Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel take 12 to 14 hours.
History lovers do well in Normandy or at Versailles. Art lovers go to Giverny. Wine lovers go to Champagne.
Disneyland Paris is a day out of its own. Tickets and transfers are on its page.
Guides on day trips from Paris
Every day trip compared: travel time, tours and season
This table puts the main trips side by side. Train times come from the official tourism and transport sites. Tour lengths come from the GetYourGuide listings.
| Trip | On your own | Guided tour | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Versailles | RER C, €2.55 ticket each way | With Giverny: 11.5 hours | All year; palace closed Mondays |
| Giverny | Train 50 min–1 h from Saint-Lazare, then a shuttle | 5 to 6 hours | 1 April to 1 November only; closed in winter |
| Reims (Champagne) | TGV about 45 min from Gare de l’Est | From Reims: 4 to 4.5 hours | Book cellar tours ahead |
| Loire Valley | Train about 1 h 30 to Blois, then a coach | 13 hours | All year at Chambord and Chenonceau |
| Fontainebleau | Train about 40 min from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon, then a bus | 8 to 10.5 hours, with Vaux-le-Vicomte | All year; château closed Tuesdays |
| Normandy D-Day beaches | Train about 2 h to Caen, 2 h 18 to Bayeux, then a bus | 12 to 14 hours | All year; cemetery closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan |
| Mont-Saint-Michel | About 4.5 h by train and bus | About 14 hours | All year; abbey closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec |
Versailles and Fontainebleau
Versailles is the easiest day trip from Paris. Take the RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche, a 10-minute walk from the palace.
The €2.55 Métro-Train-RER ticket covers the trip. The palace advises buying your return at the same time. The palace is closed on Mondays.
Fontainebleau is another château. Trains leave from Gare de Lyon for Fontainebleau-Avon, about 40 minutes away, and a bus goes on to the château. It is open all year, but closed on Tuesdays.
Doing Versailles without a tour? Our Paris to Versailles train guide shows how.
Giverny and Monet’s gardens
Giverny is a half-day trip to Monet’s house and gardens. In 2026 the house and gardens were open from 1 April to 1 November; they are closed in winter.
Trains from Saint-Lazare reach Vernon-Giverny in 50 minutes to 1 hour. A shuttle covers the last 5 km.
Coach tours take 5 to 6 hours and include your garden entry. One tour pairs Giverny with Versailles in a single day.
Our Paris to Giverny train guide covers going on your own.
Loire Valley châteaux
The Loire Valley takes a full day: the guided coach tour lasts 13 hours. It includes entry to the châteaux.
On your own, trains go from Austerlitz to Blois in about 1 h 30, SNCF lists. From Blois, a coach goes to Chambord. Chambord and Chenonceau are open all year.
Champagne: Reims and Épernay
Champagne is an easy train trip. The TGV reaches Reims from Gare de l’Est in about 45 minutes.
The tourist office says both towns in one day is possible but brief. With one day, choose one. Most champagne houses require you to book tours ahead.
Épernay is about 1 h 20 by train from Gare de l’Est, and its Avenue de Champagne has Moët & Chandon.
Our Paris to Reims train guide covers the way there on your own.
Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel: the long days
Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel are the longest day trips. Guided coach days take 12 to 14 hours. Much of that time is on the road.
D-Day tours visit the beaches and the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach. Compare them in our guide to Paris to Normandy day tours.
Mont-Saint-Michel is about 4.5 hours away by train and bus. A coach tour takes about 14 hours. Some tours include the abbey ticket.
Guided tour or train on your own
The train works well for Versailles, Giverny and Reims. Reims is about 45 minutes by TGV. Giverny is about 50 minutes, plus a shuttle.
Book a tour for Normandy, Mont-Saint-Michel and the Loire. The sights are far apart, and the coach does the driving.
Group size matters on a long day. Some listings give a size, from up to 20 to up to 100. Many give none at all.
For tickets, fares and stations, see our guide to getting around Paris.
Further afield: a Paris to London or Bruges day trip
A Paris to London day trip or a Paris to Bruges day trip is possible, but it is a very long day. We don’t list tours for them.
Booking tips for day trips from Paris
Check the season
The Giverny gardens close in winter. In 2026 they were open from 1 April to 1 November.
Find the meeting point
None of these tours includes hotel pickup. Each meets at a set address in Paris.
Plan for a long day
Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel tours take 12 to 14 hours. Lunch is included on some tours only.
Book the cellars
Most champagne houses require booking ahead, above all at weekends, on holidays and in summer.
Check the day before
Big sights can close at short notice for strikes or ceremonies. Check the official site the day before.
Questions travellers ask about day trips from Paris
Which cities are a short train ride from Paris?
What is within two hours of Paris?
Which day trips from Paris can you do without a car?
Is a guided tour or the train better for a day trip?
Can you combine two places in one day?
More day trips from Paris, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See today's prices on GetYourGuide.
All of these tours in one list, with times and availability.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSee today's prices on GetYourGuide.
All of these tours in one list, with times and availability.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (12), facts checked on 24 October 2026
- Palace of Versailles: practical information
- Île-de-France Mobilités: Métro-Train-RER ticket
- Fondation Claude Monet: useful information
- TER Normandie: explore Normandy from Paris
- Épernay Tourism: day trip to Épernay and Reims
- SNCF Connect: trains to Blois
- Château de Chambord: opening hours
- Château de Chenonceau: practical information
- Normandy Tourism: the major cities
- Normandy Tourism: Bayeux trip
- ABMC: Normandy American Cemetery hours
- Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel: practical information
Written by the Best Things to Do in Paris editorial team.