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Updated by Linda Hervieux and Jennifer Ditsler-Ladonne
With so much to see in Paris, it may seem hard to justify a side trip. But just outside the city lies the rest of the fabled region known as Ile-de-France: there, along with gorgeous countryside and quiet towns, you can find spectacular Versailles, the immense Chartres cathedral, and a little region unto itself where a mouse named Mickey is king.
Plan to spend an entire day (at least) at Versailles, perusing the manicured gardens that make up one of the largest parks in Europe, and touring the palace, which includes the Hall of Mirrors and Marie-Antoinette’s private retreat in an enclave of the royal park. The charming town of Chartres is a lovely day or half-day outing from Paris. Its main attraction is Cathédrale de Chartres, an awe-inspiring Gothic church that looms like a great fantasy ship on the horizon and is world renowned for its stained-glass windows. Disneyland Paris arrived in 1992, but the magic was slow to take effect. The resort opened with the uninspiring name of EuroDisney and further baffled the French, for whom no meal is complete without wine, with its ban on alcohol. After the ban was lifted in the park’s sit-down restaurants and the site’s name was changed, Disneyland Paris became France’s leading tourist attraction, drawing sellout crowds of Europeans seeking a kitschy glimpse of the American Dream—and of American families stealing a day from their museum schedule. A second park, Walt Disney Studios, opened in 2002.
Tour Options
Cityrama (01–44–55–61–00 | www.cityrama.com) and Paris Vision (01–44–55–61–00 | www.parisvision.com) run half- and full-day trips to Versailles (€37–€175). Paris Euroscope (01–56–03–56–81 | www.euroscope.fr) operates half-day guided excursions to Chartres (€99).
Train versus Car
Traveling to Chartres, Disneyland Paris, and Versailles from Paris is easy. Although each side trip is within an hour’s drive, we strongly recommend taking the train from the city rather than renting a car. If Disneyland is your destination and you don’t plan to visit Paris, there are shuttle buses that will take you directly from the airports to the park.
Timing Tips
The château of Versailles is closed Monday.
Disneyland Paris gets extremely crowded on summer weekends, so plan your trip during the week, and early, if possible.
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