Written by: TravelingProfessor
Friday, December 03, 2010 

Here are my favorite side trips from Paris:

• Loire Valley – The châteaux here are like something out of a storybook. I took the TGV (high speed train) to Tours, rented a car and spent 2-3 days visiting the fairy-tale castles and sampling the wines. I stayed in châteaux found in the Relais & Châteaux guide. It is easy to enjoy 7 days in the Loire, but a 2 or 3 day trip is doable. My favorite châteaux are Château de Chenonceau, Château de Chambord, Château de Cheverny, Vilandry, and Azey-le-Rideau. A trip to Orléans is worthwhile to examine the history of Joan of Arc. There are no shortages of wineries to visit in the Loire Valley.

• Normandy - I drove from Paris to Chartres, Rouen, Mt. Saint-Michel, Dinan, and Honfleur. From there I went to Bayeux from where I visited the Normandy Invasion Beaches and the American Cemetery. It was a visit that literally changed my life. From there I drove up to Bruges in Belgium for a 2-day stay. I then flew home from Brussels. While in Bayeux, be like the Queen of England or General Eisenhower and stay and dine at the historic Lion d’Or hotel.

• Champagne Region – I took a day trip to Reims where I visited the “caves” of all the famous champagne makers like Pommery, Mumm, Piper-Heidseck and Taittinger.

• Picardy – This quiet and sleepy region is north of Paris and not widely visited. However, it is beautiful country. I visited Beauvais and the city of Amiens which was frequented by the science-fiction author Jules Verne. The city has an impressive cathedral, larger in size than Notre Dame of Paris. This was a one-night trip and I enjoyed it very much although it was uneventful.

• Giverney – The gardens and home of Monet. It can be visited in a day. Get there early before the armada of tour busses arrive. Take the train from Gare Saint-Lazare. It arrives in Vernon in 45 minutes. Then, take the short cab ride or the free bus to Giverney. I describe visiting Giverney as being in a Monet painting as opposed to looking at one. Bring a camera to take photos of the gardens. Photography is not permitted in the house. Closed Mondays and winters. Website: http://giverny.org/gardens

• The Cathedral at Chartres – Visit on the way to Normandy or as a day excursion via train. The cathedral is beautiful as well as full of history. Make it a point to take the tour (in English) given by Malcolm Miller. It can be arranged at the cathedral although he does not give tours in the winter months.

Later in this guide book, I have included further details on how to plan some of these excursions if you wish to undertake them on your own.

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