These Are the Best Small Towns Near Paris that You Cannot Miss!

10/09/22

Best Small Towns Outside of Paris (Ile-de-France)

1. Provins

Provins is one of the best medieval towns near Paris. It is located 70 km southeast of Paris, in the region of Ile-de-France, and it makes a great day trip from Paris by train.

Provins was the capital of the powerful Counts of Champagne. Thanks to the counts’ protection and its strategic location, the town became one of the main actors in the early development of international trade fairs and the wool industry in Europe during the 9th to 18th centuries.

2. Versailles

Versailles is one of the best small cities near Paris to visit, world-known for the magnificent Palace of Versailles. It is located 21 km southwest of Paris, in the region of Ile-de-France.

If this is your first visit to Versailles, we recommend visiting the Château, but you can also decide to spend all your time exploring the Gardens of Versailles or other parts of the city.

3. Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau is one of the most beautiful places near Paris worth visiting, with a lovely historical center and surrounded by a large forest. Fontainebleau is located 25km southeast of Paris, in the Ile-de-France region.

For many centuries, the forest of Fontainebleau was the French Kings’ favorite hunting place, and they built a magnificent castle to get the most out of Fontainebleau.

The Château de Fontainebleau is one of the most beautiful castles near Paris and Versailles’ eternal rival. Known as “the true home of the French Kings,” its different rooms and halls are grand and magnificent!

After visiting the castle, explore the surrounding gardens. The gardens’ main highlight is the Grand Parterre, the most extensive formal garden in Europe, and King Louis XIV’s most significant architectural achievement at Fontainebleau.

4. Barbizon

Barbizon is a cute village near Paris, nestled in the Forest of Fontainebleau. Barbizon is located 60km southeast of Paris, in the region of Ile-de-France.

Barbizon was home to the ‘Barbizon School’ of 19th-century French painters, including Théodore Rousseau and Jean-François Millet. This movement was born from the wish of certain artists to represent unspoiled nature.

After visiting Château de Fontainebleau, Barbizon is a lovely place to go for a good meal followed by a stroll. Admire its charming stone houses and restored inns and workshops. Enjoy its flowery walls and the heady smell of turpentine.

The Auberge Ganne is where penniless painters without money often shared the same rooms and drew on the walls to perfect their lines. The evenings in this modest inn always ended up late, with everybody heavily drunk. Even today, visitors can immerse themselves in this era which saw the birth of the very idea of ​​the romantic painter, in search of pure and beautiful nature.  

5. Moret-Sur-Loing

If you are interested in pretty medieval towns close to Paris, you’re going to love Moret-sur-Loing. Moret is located on the eastern side of the Fontainebleau forest, 77km southeast of Paris, in the Ile-de-France region.

One of the cutest towns to visit near Paris, Moret-sur-Loing has a beautiful medieval heritage and a couple of interesting museums. It is also an excellent place for outdoor activities like kayaking, biking, or hiking.

6. Auvers-sur-Oise

If you are looking for beautiful villages near Paris to visit, Auvers-sur-Oise is the place to go. Auvers-Sur-Oise is located 35 km north of Paris, in the region of Ile de France, and has many interesting things to do.

Auvers-sur-Oise is also known as the Impressionists’ Village because it attired many artists, especially the Impressionists, by the end of the 19th century. People like Cézanne, Pissarro, Sisley, and Monet lived or frequented Auvers-Sur-Oise and painted the village in some of their masterworks.

But most of all, Auvers-Sur-Oise is known for being Vincent Van Gogh’s last home. Van Gogh discovered Auvers by the end of his life, and although he lived in the village for less than two months, he painted 70 works in Auvers, most of them related to the village and its landscapes.

7. Marly-Le-Roi

Marly-le-Roi is one of the small villages near Paris worth visiting. It is located 20km west of Paris, in the region of Ile-de-France.

Marly was the location of Château de Marly, the famous leisure residence of King Louis XIV, which was more intimate than Versailles and far from the court etiquette. Only a few people had the honor to be the King’s guests at Marly, and they were appointed directly by King Louis XIV a few days before the departure.

The Château de Marly was totally destroyed after the French Revolution. However, a few remains are left, plus the surrounding park still keeps its original waterways, lawns, and sculptures.

8. Bougival

If you are looking for cute towns near Paris easy to reach by train, Bougival is a good option. Bougival is located 17km west of Paris, in the Ile-de-France region.

During the 19th century, the Impressionists chose this peaceful place by the Seine River as their favorite open-air workshop. People like Monet, Sisley, or Berthe Morisot spent long periods in this village trying to catch the beauty of the river and its banks, and soon Bougival’s landscapes became the subject of some of their masterworks.

Visit Bougival’s picturesque historic center, with its beautiful Romanesque-style church, before heading to the Seine River’s banks to follow the Impressionist Walk. This walk has real scale panels showing the reproductions of famous Impressionist paintings at the exact point where the painters found the inspiration.

9. Montfort L’Amaury

Montfort l’Amaury is one of the most beautiful villages near Paris with an interesting medieval heritage despite its small size. Monfort is located 45km west of Paris, in the region of Ile-de-France.

We arrived at Montfort L’Amaury following Victor Hugo’s steps. The famous French writer discovered this place when he was 23 and he wrote a beautiful ode to Monfort’s ruins (Tour d’Anne de Bretagne) ‘Aux Ruines de Montfort l’Amaury:’

• Je vous aime, ô débris ! Et surtout quand l’automne
• Prolonge en vos échos sa plainte monotone. Sous vos abris croulants je voudrais habiter, | Vieilles tours, que le temps l’une vers l’autre incline.
• Et qui semblez de loin sur la haute colline, |Deux noirs géants prêts à lutter.

The historical center of Montfort still keeps its medieval layout, and you can see many beautiful half-timbered houses populating the streets around the church.

10. Chevreuse

La Haute Vallée de la Chevreuse is a hiking paradise with the perfect mix of nature walks and cultural heritage. If you are looking for day trips in the Paris countryside, you are going to love Chevreuse, a small village nestled in the valley. Chevreuse is located 34km southwest of Paris, in the region of Ile-de-France.

11. La Roche-Guyon

If you are looking for quaint villages near Paris to visit, you will love La Roche-Guyon, on the right bank of the Seine River. La Roche-Guyon is located 72km northwest of Paris and this is the only village in the region of Ile de France with the label ‘Les plus beaux villages de France.’

In the 19th century, La Roche-Guyon was a holiday resort that saw many celebrities of the arts and letters. This picturesque village near Paris is known for its 12th-century intriguing castle. The keep, built on the top of the hill, is connected to the main building through a 100-step underground staircase dug into the side of the plateau, and it offers panoramic views of the village and the Seine Valley.

Best Small Towns Close to Paris (Hauts-de-France)

12. Chantilly

Looking for easy day trips from Paris by train? Head to the town of Chantilly to visit the Grand Stables and the Château. Chantilly is located 38km northeast of Paris, in the region of Hauts-de-France.

In the beginning, Chantilly was just a few hamlets scattered outside the Château, which turned into a cute small town with the years. Château de Chantilly was built in the 16th century for the House of Montomercy. Later, it was owned by the princes of Condé, cousins of the King of France.

In the 17th century, Les Grandes Ecuries (the Grand Stables) was built for the Prince of Condé, a passionate about horses, and they could host 240 horses and 500 hounds. Today Les Grandes Écuries hosts the Horse Museum, and it is a very reputed center of dressage for the most expensive horses in the world.  The ticket to the Horse Museum includes a very entertaining dressage show.

13. Senlis

Senlis is one of the best towns in France near Paris, with a rich history and beautiful architecture. Senlis is located 42km north of Paris, in the region of Hauts-de-France.

Senlis is a royal town, the cradle of the Capet dynasty. Indeed, Hugh Capet was lord of Senlis before becoming the first French king of the House of Capet in 987. Since then and until King Henry IV, all his successors lived or spent some periods in the Royal Palace of Senlis.

Today the historical center of Senlis still keeps its medieval layout, with picturesque cobbled streets and beautiful architecture dating from the 10th-18th century. Senlis Cathedral may not be one of our favorite cathedrals in France, but no one can deny that it is imposing and probably the best remaining witness of Senlis’ power.

14. Gerberoy

Gerberoy is one of the cutest small villages near Paris. It is located 105km northwest of Paris and it is a dream destination for flower passionates, especially rose lovers.

Walking around this picturesque village and its gardens is an absolute delight, with its narrow cobbled streets, 17th-18th-century houses, climbing roses, wisterias, and other flowers and plants.

Gerberoy is one of the villages in Hauts-de-France with the label ‘Les plus beaux villages de France.’ It is the perfect place to wander aimlessly, looking at the flowers and the small details.

Best Small Towns Near Paris (Normandy)

15. Giverny

Giverny is one of the most famous villages near Paris, where the Impressionist painter Claude Monet lived and worked from 1883 until he died in 1926. Giverny is located 74km northwest of Paris, in the Normandy region.

Every year thousands of visitors travel from Paris to Giverny to visit Monet’s House and Garden to admire the water lily pond that inspired Monet for many of his paintings (click here for a quick guide). However, Monet’s house and studio are as attractive as the gardens; they are a visual experience of different spaces, colors, and materials where the painter left nothing to chance.

16. Les Andelys

Les Andelys are two beautiful towns near Paris located in one of the meanders of the Seine River 90km northwest of Paris. A pleasant walk along the canal connects the two towns in the Normandy region.

Les Andelys are looked over by the splendid ruins of Château-Gaillard. This medieval fortress was built in the 12th century under the orders of King Richard Lionheart – who was also Duke of Normandy – to protect his lands against the French King Philippe Auguste. The view from the castle (see picture above), over Les Andelys and the Seine River, is terrific.

17. Gisors

Gisors is one of the best towns near Paris to visit for history lovers. It is located only 70 km north of the French capital, on the banks of the river Epte, in the Normandy region. 

Gisors is the historical capital of the Norman Vexin (Eure) and is well worth a visit for its picturesque architecture of old half-timbered houses and listed heritage. The town is best known for its medieval château, which is one of the best castles in Normandy. The castle was an important fortress for the English Kings – who were also Dukes of Normandy – and was built in the 11th century to help protect the region from the King of France. From the top of its keep, visitors can enjoy a superb view of the town and Epte Valley.

Beautiful Towns Near Paris (Centre-Val- de-Loire)

18. Chartres

Chartres is one of the most attractive big towns /small cities near Paris to visit. It is located 96km south of Paris, in the region of Centre-Val-de-Loire.

Chartres is best known for its impressive Gothic Cathedral, one of the Grandes Cathédrales de France, and (like Amiens Cathedral or Saint-Denis Basilica-Cathedral) an essential milestone in the evolution of Gothic Cathedrals in Europe. The Chartres Cathedral is famous for its 13th-century labyrinth designed on the pavement, the largest one built in France! Pilgrims used to walk this labyrinth seeking healing or meditation.

Best Small Towns Near Paris (Grand Est)

19. Éperney & Hautvillers

If you are willing to explore the countryside near Paris, Epernay and Hautvillers are the best small towns near Paris to visit. Epernay is located 140 km southwest of Paris, in the region of Grand Est.

Located in the heart of the Champagne vineyards, Epernay is the capital of champagne wine. In this small town near Paris, the most luxury champagne brands, like Moët-Chandon, Vranken, Mercier, Pol Roger, or Perrier-Jouët, have their headquarters and champagne cellars.

Epernay’s main avenue, Avenue de Champagne, is considered the most expensive avenue in the world! Beautiful private mansions line up on the surface. Below the ground, kilometers of galleries house millions of bottles of the best champagne wine.

And there you have it, the list of the best small towns and other beautiful places near Paris. If you can travel further, check out this France Travel Guide

Click here for more Side Trips from Paris

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Some interesting articles in the blog

• Read our Paris for the First Time Quick Guide here
• Find things to eat in Paris here
• Explore the Paris Districts here

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