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In a day, you can experience more culture, and history than you thought possible! Taking a day-trip from Paris will give you an experience that is easy, authentic, and after spending time in the French countryside we think you’ll agree, rewarding!
| Lyon Well known for its traditional gourmet food |
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Discover the 2nd largest city of France, Lyon. This city is chock-full of great museums, shops, and restaurants; you won't find a dull moment here! |
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Lyon is easily reached from Paris by TGV high-speed train. You can leave from the Gare de Lyon in Paris, and in just 2 hours you'll arrive in the heart of Lyon. There are departures from Paris every 30 minutes or every hour, it depends on if you're looking to travel during peak or off-peak times. |
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Once you arrive, visit the famous Opera of Lyon (designed by the architect Jean Nouvel), and don't miss the brilliant Hotel de Ville-Lyon's city hall. Be sure to take some time and taste all of the specialties Lyon has to offer. From Fondue to Bouchon Lyonnais, you can find all kinds of great foods at the wonderful restaurants and Brasseries in the quartier de la Croix-rousse (the city center). |
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After you've experienced the cuisine of Lyon, it's time for a visit this historical neighborhood found across the Rhone. Make your way to the Rue Cours de la Liberté to do some shopping in chic shops found there. |
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Visit the antiquated neighborhood in the Quartier Auguste-Comte. Here you can find some of the most unique vintage things! |
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If you should be traveling to Lyon on the 8th of December, be sure to wait around until nightfall. You will be in awe as the city illuminates itself right before your eyes! The Fete des Lumieres takes place annually. All of the monuments and bridges are transformed on this night, and they put on a phenomenal light show for all to see. |
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Length of trip: 2 hours |
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Train trips a day: every 30 minutes or hour |
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First departure from Paris: 6 am |
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Last return from Lyon: 9 pm |
| Avignon The southern city of art: |
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Visit Avignon for a day, and embrace this wonderful City of Art. Depart Paris on the 7:54 am TGV, and in just over 2.5 hours you'll arrive at the Avignon TGV station. From the station, take the free shuttle to go to the city center. |
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Begin your day in Avignon walking through the terraced gardens of the Rocher des Doms, which dominates the old walled city. Treat yourself to a break alongside the Musée du Petit Palais where all the great Cafés are. |
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After a refreshing snack, take a stroll along one of the famous bridges in France above the Rhone, the Avignon Bridge, which inspired the song Sur le Pont d'Avignon. Walk around the rue des Lices and rue Joseph Vernet to get a true feeling of what Avignon is really like. |
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To end your day in this great city, visit the Fondation Angladon-Dubrujeaud with its collection of impressionist paintings. Always save the best for last, to finish your trip, pay a visit to the Palais des Papes and the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-des-Doms. |
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You can board the 7:01 pm train in Avignon and you'll be back in Paris in just under 3 hours after having enjoyed a most relaxing and delightful day. |
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Length of trip: 2 hours 34 minutes from Paris to Avignon TGV |
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Train trips a day: 15 |
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First departure from Paris: 6:20 am |
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Last return from Avignon: 9:01 pm |
| Marseille The true Mediterranean life |
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Experience for a day, the charming vintage city of Marseille. This city thrives all year long due to its well-known good climate. Depart from the Paris Gare de Lyon at 8:20 am and you'll be whisked away to Marseille in 3 hours. You'll arrive at the Marseille St. Charles station, right in the middle of the Mediterranean capital. |
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Take a cab (5 min and 5 euros) from the station to the center of the city. Start the day by walking in the prominent Vieux Port, guarded by the 12th-century Fort St-Jean on the north bank and Fort St-Nicolas on the south. Visit the Théâtre National de la Criée on the Quai de Rive. This théâtre was converted from old fish auction rooms to this wonderfully cultural building. |
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North of the Vieux Port, you will discover Le Panier. This is the oldest part of the city, traditionally the first stop for visitors. |
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For a glimpse of a little more culture, pay a visit to North African neighborhood, Belsunce, centered on rue d'Aubagne. |
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You cannot visit Marseille without having a taste of Bouillabaisse, a great flavor of the south. You can find this specialty on the Vieux Port. |
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After lunch take a ferry to Chateau d'If, known from Alexandre Dumas' novel Count of Monte Cristo. The ferry leaves from the Quai des Belges. |
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End your day in Marseille by taking a walk on the famous La Canebière. This is the city's main street for your last experience of what can be found in the south in France. |
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Then it's back to Paris, hop on the 7:29 pm train, and arrive at 10:41 pm. |
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Length of trip: 3 hours |
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Train trips a day: 15 |
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First departure from Paris: 6:20 am |
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Last return from Marseille: 8:29 pm |
| Lille The medieval city with modern flare |
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Take the train from the Paris Gare du Nord; Lille is only about an hour away. You will find that trains depart to Lille every hour. |
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When you've arrived, start the day by a walk in the medieval city center of Lille. The architecture and cobbled streets of Vieux Lille stretch between the Canal de la Deule, the northern border of the inner city. |
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Lille really deserves its title as the City of Heritage and Art. Besides its colorful Flemish architecture and its narrow ornamented facades, the Vieille Bourse is a prime example that Lille has a rich and varied heritage. French classical style houses sit alongside the variety of "grand boulevards" or even the "maisons Folie". The maisons Folie are considered modern architecture, and a symbol of an innovative architectural project. |
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Be sure to visit the Musée des Beaux Arts, second largest museum in France after the Louvre. |
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Take advantage of the wonderful markets and regional food and drink specialties. You'll definitely want to try the famous Belgian beers, you can taste the famous "moules frites" in the Flemish taverns and certainly try the oysters at Alcide, found at 5 rue Debris St-Etienne. |
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Length of trip: 1 hour |
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Train trips a day: 15/20 |
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First departure from Paris: 6:58 am |
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Last return from Lille: 10:02 pm |
| Bordeaux The wine experience |
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Bordeaux is the Capital of the Gironde, a worldwide known region for its wine. |
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Board the 8:10 am train to this remarkable city and for a day, discover the art of life from Bordeaux. As you walk around the city admire the astonishing 18th century buildings with their famous mascarons (stones faces sculptures). |
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Visit the Garonne riverfront with fine 18th-century buildings. Take a tour of the Musée National des Douanes, and see the two medieval gateways that still remain intact from the old city wall. |
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Have a break enjoying an authentic French lunch at Hotel La Tupina located at 6 rue Porte de la Monnaie. Here you can indulge in a great meal for around 16 euros, prepared by Jean-Pierre Xiradakis. Another lunch option for you is to go a little bit further and try a "plat du jour" at the Bar Cave de la Monnaie, a great wine bar that is owned by La Tupina. Meal prices run a bit less than those of Hotel La Tupina. |
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You can travel south and see the Grand Théâtre (place de la Comédie), built on the site of a Roman temple. |
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You'll want to a second break for the "goûter" and taste the specialty from there, the Cannelé. This is a delicious mix between cake and pastries; the cannelé has a crunchy golden exterior and a vanilla-rum flan-like interior. You won't be sorry you stopped! |
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Just south of the shopping quarter you'll find the sprawling Gothic Cathédrale, St-André. Here you will find amazing panoramic views from the bell-tower. Also found in this area of the city is the Hôtel de Ville, with the Musée des Beaux-Arts in the garden wing. Housed here is a rich collection of Dutch paintings, as well as works by Titian, Delacroix and local Odilon Redon. |
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If you have an interest in discovering the region's wines, there is a private limo service that offers full or half day wine tours for 1-4 people. You can learn all about the production of wine and visit local cellars. For more information please visit www.bordeaux-wine-travel.com. |
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After your pleasant day in Bordeaux, take the train at 7:47 pm to return to Paris. |
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Length of trip: 3 hours |
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Train trips a day: 15 |
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First departure from Paris: 6:10 am |
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Last return from Bordeaux: 7:51 pm |
| Nantes The city of Jules Verne (19th century author, pioneer of the science-fiction genre) |
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Depart Paris on the 8am train and two hours later you are in the city center of Nantes. |
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The 19th Century was the century for follies. Take a walk in the best-known, magnificent passage, Pommeraye. You will notice it combines neoclassical style with a sumptuous décor. Pay a visit to La Cigale, located at 4, place Graslin. This is a fine brasserie decorated in styles from the 1900's. |
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Fix your eyes on the LU Tower (the famous biscuit industry-produces biscuits that every French child has eaten during the "goûter") and the Titan Crane. Both are reminders of industrial dynamism. |
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The Chantenay quarter, its Butte Ste-Anne and the delightful guinguettes (old fashioned style restaurant, are symbols of another era where eating and dancing went together), along the Erdre riverside of Trentemoult, are eternal reminders of this era. |
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Be sure to visit the museum of Jules Verne to discover where the novel writer took his inspiration. |
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Tips: if you want to spice your day up, rent a bike for a day, the cycling road network is huge and allows you to go all around the city: more info on www.nantes-tourisme.com |
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Take the 7:20 pm train, and arrive back in Paris at 9:30 pm, after such a wonderful day of discovering the West of France. |
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Length of trip: 2 hours 20 |
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Train trips a day: 15 |
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First departure from Paris: 6:30 am |
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Last return from Nantes: 8:45 pm |
| Dijon The mustard country |
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Leave Paris on the 8:44 am train, and in an hour and a half you are in the capital of Burgundy. |
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Dijon is an old medieval city and has kept this atmosphere. In terms of the number, density and quality of the houses and mansions to be found in the old town, Dijon possesses beautiful urban architecture; it's a real "joyau". This extraordinary city is contained within the 240-acre protected area corresponding to the old city limits. The original walls were demolished in the 19th century and replaced by boulevards. |
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Enjoy the exquisite cuisine at Au Bon Pantagruel: Burgundy, rustic one-price (11.9 euros) four-course menu (20 rue Quentin). |
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Have a walk in the city and visit museums that you cannot miss:
The mustard museum, mustard is one of the typical products you can find in Dijon, learn all about it in this great museum. (3 euros per person, 48 quai Nicolas Rolin)
Saint Bernard's house, built in 1090 but renewed during the 18th century (Place des Feuillants, FONTAINE LES DIJON)
Le Palais des Ducs. |
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Take a break in the city center and be delighted by the great food you can find in the restaurants / brasseries. You must also have a taste of the well-known burgundy wine. |
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You can even stay for dinner as Dijon is really close to Paris by train. Treat yourself to a meal at Le Bon Sauvage, located at 64 rue Monge, checkout its rich cigars' cellar. Another great dining option is L'Emile Brochettes, you can find it at 16, Place Emile Zola. |
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After a fabulous meal, take the 8:33 pm train and be back in Paris at 10 pm. |
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Length of trip: 1 hour 30 |
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Train trips a day: 15 |
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First departure from Paris: 7:14 am |
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Last return from Dijon: 8:33 pm |
| Reims Champagne city |
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Reims is a city full of history, much like a lot of the cities in France. Reims, however, is classified in the UNESCO patrimonies. Reims is often considered the capital of Champagne an old province of France made world-famous by its champagne sparkling wine |
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Depart from the Paris Est station at 8:40 am and at 10:20 am you are in the city center of Reims. |
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Discover the city, starting with the oldest monument in Reims, the Porte de Mars. This is a triumphal arch 108 ft. in length by 43 in height, consisting of three archways flanked by columns. The Mars Gate was one of 4 Roman Gates to the City. |
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The most famous monument to see in reims is the Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral. This is the former Abbey of Saint-Remi, where all of the kings of France have been crowned. The Abbey has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991. |
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If you go a few blocks from the cathedral, you are now surrounded by a bustling neighborhood of shopping and restaurants. |
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Visit the Abbey of St. Denis which has been converted into the Fine Arts Museum. |
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Take a break at the delectable restaurant L'apostrophe, located at 59, place Drouet d'Erlon. This restaurant was built in 1850. After your meal, walk half a mile from the Cathedral to visit Saint Remi Basilica. The Basilica is named for 5th century Saint Remi, who has been the patron saint of the inhabitants of Reims for more than 15 centuries. The basilica is almost equal in size to the cathedral. |
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Go and visit the great champagne cellar to explore the secret of its creation. |
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See Pommery, found at 5 place du Général Gouraud, Taittinger, located at 9 Place St.-Nicoise, or Veuve Clicquot at 1 Place des Droits-de-l'Homme. |
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After you've discovered this wonderful city, take the 6:33 pm train back to Paris, arriving at 8:16 pm. |
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Length of trip: 1 hour 30 |
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Train trips a day: 15 |
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First departure from Paris: 7:16 am |
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Last return from Reims: 8:20 pm |
| London Put a little bit of London in your trip to Paris. |
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Take Eurostar from the Gare du Nord at 6:22 am and benefit from the time difference between France and England. You'll get an extra hour arriving at 8:00 am at the Waterloo International train station in London. |
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Eurostar whisks you through the channel via the Chunnel to London in record time and in luxurious surroundings. |
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A day in London can be truly spectacular, really worth the trip! |
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There are a million things to see, do, and experience in London. Here are some ideas on how to spend your day. |
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You can walk from the Eurostar Terminus, Waterloo International train station, to many attractions. |
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You can go experience the London Eye to get the greatest views of London. Nearby the London Eye you can take a stroll to see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. A 6-zone London travel card will come in very handy as it covers the entire London Underground network, buses and light railways. |
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If you'd prefer to do some shopping, cross the Thames, and go directly to the neighborhood of Covent Garden. Floral Street is where you can find all the hippest stores Some of these stores include the Full Circle store, the original Paul Smith's store, and the Maharishi store-well-known for military style clothes. |
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Stop by Covent Garden for lunch and have traditional fish & chips at Rock & Sole Place, located at 47 Endell Street. This is the oldest fish and chip shop, in business since 1871. If you're not up to fish & chips, have a burger at Hamburger Union, found at 29 Bedford Street, or try the Corner Store Gastro Pub, credited with being a culinary delight! Here you will find dishes such as duck and hoisin wraps with crispy parsnips and char grilled sardines with spicy salsa tomatoes. You can give The Corner Store Gastro Pub a try at 33/35 Wellington Street. |
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After lunch you can go for a walk through Soho and do some shopping, or have a stroll through Hyde Park. |
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Have a visit to Buckingham Palace and see the changing of the guards, or stop by famous stores such as Harvey Nichols and Harrods and pick out some nice things for yourself! You can also pick up the London pass and let this be your passport to over 60 attractions in London. |
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You can't visit London without experiencing a trip on-board a double-decker bus! Be sure to hop on one and see more of the city. You can also consider an Original London Sightseeing tour ticket. |
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Go shopping on Oxford Street and take one of London's famous black cabs to see Piccadilly Circus. Here you can find one of the biggest toy stores in the world, Hamley's, on Regent Street. |
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Exhausted? Have a tea break at the Ritz, found at 150 Piccadilly. This is a great way to relax a little, and take advantage of this luxurious hotel. |
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Finish the day with a walk back to Waterloo International train station. Take the 7:43 pm train back to Paris, and arrive at 11:23 pm. |
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Tips: Take comfort class on Eurostar and get drinks and complimentary champagne with dinner on-board. |
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Prices for Eurostar: From $96 economy class, $194 comfort class for a roundtrip ticket |
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First departure from Paris: 6:22 am or 7:16 am |
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Last return from London: 7:43 pm |
| Bruxelles |
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Leave Paris at 8:25 am to be in Brussels at 9:50 am for a one-day excursion in the capital of Belgium and Europe. |
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Brussels's city center is divided into the Lower and Upper Towns. The former is centered on the magnificent Grand' Place and still follows a medieval form, with its narrow streets. The Upper Town is grander and arranged better with stunning buildings and open spaces. The Lower Town is where you can spend time not to visit, but to experience the Brussels's lifestyle. The secret of Brussels is to go with the flow and allow you to become part of its charming everyday life. |
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You can start by visiting the Grand-Place (Grote Markt), built as a 13th century merchants' center, and one of Europe's most beautiful market squares. This UNESCO World Heritage site is overpowered by the intricate Gothic Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) and it's 315 ft. off-center spire. |
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Follow the crowd from the Grand-Place to Petit Julien, better known as  Manneken Pis, a small bronze statue of a boy relieving himself into fountain, the best-known symbol of this city. |
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Opposite of the Town Hall is King's House (Maison du Roi), dating back to 1536. It is the home of the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles (City of Brussels Museum). Its collections include fine paintings, tapestries, silver, porcelain, and detailed scale models of the old historic city. |
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Take a walk to the Palace of Justice and on to the Place du Jeu-de-Balle for the daily Marche aux Puces (flea market) from 7 am-2 pm. |
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If you are not a fan of crowded areas, you may want to avoid the rue des Bouchers. You will encounter many tourists if you venture down this street. However, if you do go try to stop at Aux Armes de Bruxelles, 13 rue de Bouchers, for lunch, it is one of the only restaurants in the area offering good food. |
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Have a taste from one of the big pots of mosselen (mussels), and frites (fries). The fries are twice fried and crunchy, typically eaten with mayonnaise. These snacks are available to buy on the streets. |
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After a little break, a unique place to see in Brussels is the Centre Belge da la Bande Dessinee (Belgian Center of Comic Strip Art), known locally as CBBD. Here you can find such cartoon characters as Tintin, Gaston Lagaffe, Smurfs, and this year a special guest, Spiderman. |
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If you are in need of something sweet, buy one of the delicious "gaufres" in the street. Then go to the Poechenellekelder (5, Rue du chêne) for a last glimpse into the Belgian culture. Discover this temple of beer and enjoy the rustic atmosphere. |
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After a day of exploring this melting pot of Flemish and French and Wallon culture, prepare to go back to Paris. Depart on the 7:10pm train, and in an hour and a half you'll be back in the city of light. |
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Of course, Eurostar offers services from Brussels to London as well, so you may decide you want to cross the Channel for some fish n' chips for dinner! You can take Eurostar to London from $89 one-way (Economy) or $159 one-way (Comfort) and arrive in just 2hrs and 20 mins. Once you've experienced the brilliant city of London, make your way back to Paris via Eurostar. Tickets are offered from $89 one-way (Economy) or $159 one-way (Comfort). With Eurostar, you'll be back in the city of lights in less than three hours. |
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If you find yourself having a grand time and miss your train, no worries, trains leave Brussels every 30 minutes up until 9 pm. |
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Prices for Thalys: From $96 roundtrip (Economy) or $254 roundtrip (Comfort) |
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First departure from Paris: 6:25 am |
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Last return from Brussels: 9:40 pm |
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