Side Trips

Parisians generally feel that their capital is the center of the universe. They may be correct, if only geographically speaking. Paris is at the heart of the region of Ile-de-France (the Island of France), and is encircled by seven suburban départements (administrative divisions) commonly and regally referred to as the petite and grande couronnes. These "crowns" are dotted with cultural and historic treasures, from majestic palaces to picturesque artistic villages, and are only a short journey from the city center.

Opulent Versailles is usually at the top of visitors' list, but the magnificent châteaux of Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte shouldn't be overlooked. The towns of Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise are ideal destinations for art fans. Medieval church aficionados should make the pilgrimage south to the world- renowned Chartres Cathedral with its spectacular stained-glass windows, while those looking for some animated adventure or family fun can head east to Disneyland Paris. In this chapter, we offer only a handful of the possibilities for day jaunts. For a more extensive list, see Frommer's France 2012.

For pretrip planning, abundant visitor information can be found on the various websites listed in the details of our side trip destinations or on the office website for Ile-de-France tourism (www.new-paris-ile-de-france.co.uk). Once in Paris, you can also obtain more information at the main Tourist Information Office (25 Rue des Pyramides, 75001 Paris; tel. 01-49-52-42-63). Train tickets for all of these destinations do not require reservations and can be bought the day of an excursion at the departing train or subway station. You can find more information about the train schedule of suburban trains at www.transilien.com; for national trains (only required for Chartres and Vernon/Giverny), check www.voyages-sncf.com. You can also enquire directly at any Paris train station (most have an information desk with staff who speak English).