Top 5 Destinations Just Outside Paris

Paris has been a popular holiday destination for years. Many of us have been in the city of love to admire the Eiffel tower, the Arc de Triomphe, enjoy the magnificent view from the Sacre Coeur or stare at the architecture (and the designer labels) in Lafayette. Whilst this is all very enjoyable, Paris has more to offer than that. Just outside the borders of this metropolis, you can find amazing sights that are just as impressive as Paris' most famous features. Here are 5 landmarks outside Paris that are definitely worth the drive.

20 Minutes outside Paris: Parc de Saint-Cloud

Just 20 minutes outside Paris you will find Parc de Saint-Cloud. The park used to be the location of a major royal chateau that Marie Antoinette received as a gift from her husband. The chateau got destroyed in the French/Prussian war, but the garden still exists. These 460 hectares of land provide a beautiful panoramic view over Paris and it's quite literally a tour through the French History.

30 Minutes outside Paris: Chateau de Versailles

If you're planning to visit a chateau while in France, you can't miss out on Chateau de Versailles. Originally it was a hunting lodge for King Louis in XIII in 1624 but over the centuries it was expanded into a palace. The main chateau is 67,000m2 and has 2,300 rooms. But there is more, the gardens are endless and there are two other chateaus that are worth a visit. You can also find a full size English Country village where Marie-Antoinette and her friends used to pretend that they were milk maids.

45 Minutes outside Paris: Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is located 45 minutes outside Paris and definitely worth the drive. Based in Marne-le-ville, a town created for the park, it is Europe's biggest tourist attraction. The complex is made of two parks: The Disneyland Park, which is based on Disneyland in California (including the Space Mountain and Sleeping Beauty's castle) and the Walt Disney Studio Park which is themed as a working film studio which has some fun attractions like an Aerosmith rollercoaster.

60 minutes outside Paris: Chartres Cathedral

Chartres is a lovely little town south-west outside Paris. It is the home to one of French oldest and most important churches, the Chartres Cathedral. The cathedral has mismatched towers, one dating from the 12th century, and the other from the 16th century. The old stained glass windows were removed before the Second World War, which prevented them from destruction. The majority of the windows rates between 1205 and 1204. Next to the Cathedral, it's worth walking through the town of Chartres and experience the French countryside.

80 Minutes outside Paris: Rouen

80 minutes outside Paris you can find the city of Rouen. This city is famous for its Notre-Dame Cathedral. It was the favourite subject of impressionist painted Clause Monet. The construction of the cathedral started in the 13th century and has been going on ever since. Rouen is well known for the large number of timbered houses that you can find around the city. This, in combination with the gothic buildings and the Seine that runs through the middle of the city, gives Rouen a unique feeling.

If you're ready to try something outside of the main tourist attractions in Paris, you might need a car hire to get around! Simply give us a call on 1300 656 601 or book online today!