Excursions post tour outside Paris
Hello-
We will be doing the French Riviera, Provence and Paris tour In May which ends in Paris. We are going to be spending a few extra days and was wondering if anyone has recommendations for somewhere to visit outside Paris and perhaps stay for a night or two. We will be flying back to the US from Paris so would likely need to be within a few hours train ride. Just looking for suggestions that we could look into. Thank you very much.
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You can easily visit Giverny or Versailles from Paris on a day trip. Both well worth seeing. There is also a ton to see and do in Paris itself. We've been 3 times as part of Tauck tours and still haven't seen all we wanted.
I wouldn't bother switching hotels for one or 2 nights. Aside from the basic hassle of moving hotels you're going to have to arrange transfer/taxi for at least part of it. You can request extra days at the tour hotel (Sofitel Le Scribe) that you'd pay for then Tauck will arrange your transfer to the airport to go home. That's the easiest solution. Or you could move to a less expensive Paris hotel if the cost is an issue. In that case you could take a taxi to the new hotel but then Tauck would arrange the airport transfer. If you leave Paris entirely you need to be prepared to make transfer arrangements. At best they would take you to the train station.
I stayed in Venice after a Tauck tour and checked on the transfer to the airport. Tauck told me that as long as I stayed in the Tauck hotel they would provide the transfer. But if I changed hotel, I was on my own to get to the airport.
You can certainly stay in Paris and take day trips via the train to Lille, Rouen or Reims. All are less than an hour. The Northside train station of Gare St Larare, du Nord and de l'est are fairly close to your hotel. Chantilly is also easily accessible from Paris. If you want to spend a couple of days outside of Paris, I would recommend either Reims or Lille. Both have TGV service with a stop at Terminal 2, CDG which is quick and easy. Therefore avoiding going back into central Paris You will need to make a reservation ahead of time. If you choose Lille you can day trip from there to the WW! battlefields(you would need a car or guided tour) or take the train to Bruge, Belgium.
Giverny is one of my favorite places!
I also recommend Reims, especially if you like Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows. View them in the Cathedral.
Visit the Museum of Surrender where the Nazi’s signed surrender documents putting an end to WWII.
Reims is also in the champagne region. We did not do this but you can tour the many champagne tunnels.
Try the pink biscuits!
Ben, we're thinking of a day trip to Chantilly at the end of our tour in Dec. Would welcome any advice if you've been.
Claudia, We were planning to go two Paris trips ago but a rail strike derailed our plans. It is on the top of our extra sites list in 2027 when we are on the Romantic Capitals River Cruise ending in Paris. We been to Paris 4 times with rail strikes occurring twice. My understanding is grab a train from Gare du Nord, takes about twenty five minutes. Walk from the station to the grounds, about 20 minutes and then choose how to spend your time, horse stables, inside the chateau and walk the grounds. My understanding it is a full day to see most of it.