Paris is the hub of an excellent rail network, and some of France's greatest sights are within a day's reach. If you have a fourth or fifth day, here are the strongest day trips.
Versailles. The essential day trip — Louis XIV's staggering royal palace, about 45 minutes from central Paris by RER train. Tour the State Apartments and the dazzling Hall of Mirrors, then explore the vast formal gardens, the Grand and Petit Trianon, and Marie Antoinette's hamlet. It's a half- to full-day outing; book timed palace tickets well ahead, as queues are notorious, and consider a guided tour or transport bundle to simplify the logistics. Closed Mondays.
Giverny — Monet's gardens. For Impressionism lovers, a trip to Giverny in Normandy (about 75 km northwest) is magical — Monet's house and the gardens he painted, including the water-lily pond and Japanese bridge behind the Water Lilies. It's seasonal, open roughly spring through fall (closed in winter) and most beautiful in bloom. Guided tours handle the transport, or go by train to Vernon plus a shuttle. It pairs perfectly with the Orangerie's Water Lilies in the city.
The Champagne region. About 45 minutes to an hour and a half east by train (to Reims or Épernay), the Champagne region is where the world's most famous sparkling wine is made. Day trips visit the great Champagne houses and their cavernous cellars for tastings, and Reims has a magnificent Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned. Guided tours from Paris make the logistics (and the tasting) easy.
The Loire Valley châteaux. The Loire Valley, southwest of Paris, is studded with fairy-tale Renaissance châteaux — Chambord, Chenonceau, and others. It's a bit far for a relaxed independent day trip, so most visitors go on an organized tour that bundles transport and two or three châteaux into a long day. For lovers of architecture and history, it's a memorable excursion.
Other options. Disneyland Paris (east of the city, reachable by RER) is a full-day family destination. The cathedral city of Chartres, the artists' village of Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh's final home), and the WWI/WWII history of northern France are all within reach. Several of these are easy by train; for Champagne and the Loire especially, an organized tour is often the most practical (and, for Champagne, the most enjoyable) choice.
