Favorite Day trips under 90 minutes from Paris

Here are my favorite day trips under 90 minutes from Paris that I promised at the end of  the post Under an Hour from Paris. My recommendation is to maximize your time at the destination by taking an early train (before rush hour) from Paris. You may arrive before shops or museums open but it gives you a chance to explore and get your bearings before diving into the day.

On y va! (Let’s go!) Not wanting to play favorites, I ranked the list alphabetically.

Beauvais

Leaving from Gare du Nord, this train will make 7 stops and takes a bit over 1 1/4  hours.  Beauvais is a delightful place to explore! We specifically wanted to see the cathedral which was listed as the tallest in the world in the 1500s. Built concurrently with the cathedral in Amiens, it exceeded Amiens’ cathedral in height. Today, internal supports help to stabilize its height.

Lateral tie rods now supply stability to the walls

Blois

Blois has not only the Château to explore but also the Maison des Acrobates located on Place St-Louis along with the Cathedral. If you enjoy outdoor markets, then Blois will not disappoint as it has a market virtually every day of the week.

There are plenty of steps to climb here.

Chartres

The view that greeted us as we walked from the train station.

Visit Chartres for its delightfully quaint winding streets with great shopping and enjoy walking along the river Eure as it loops through the town. Or better yet, visit Chartres for its famous medieval gothic Cathedral, ! Yes, you can do Chartres in a day, but I guarantee you will want to go back for a longer stay.

Orléans

We found ourselves surrounded by the Maid of Orléans in Orléans France . Joan of Arc is the patron saint of France 11 statues are to be found around the city! One of the largest churches in Orléans the Cathedral of St Croix has stained glass windows which narrate the life of the Maid of Orléans.

Place Martoi

Rouen

Victor Hugo described Rouen as the town of 100 bell towers but due to wars, only about 1/3 of these remain. Still, that’s plenty of towers to climb for some amazing vistas of the city! There is so much to see here that if this is a day trip, you need to arrive early and stay late. Rouen is packed with things to see and do! Definitely climb to the top of the Gros Horloge for some great views.

Gros Horloge

So much to see, so little time! If you are like me you are always planning the next trip to France! Don’t miss the post Under an Hour from Paris for more Paris day trips ideas.