In short. Versailles is the easy choice, Fontainebleau is the royal castle with Napoleon’s rooms, Chantilly is the one with a museum, stables and a park, and Disneyland Paris is the family day. All four are an easy day by train, but check the closing days before you go.
At a glance
| Destination | By train from | Journey | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Versailles | RER C, central stations | Under 1 hour, then 10 minutes on foot | Monday |
| Fontainebleau | Gare de Lyon, then bus 1 | About 40 minutes + bus | Tuesday |
| Chantilly | Gare du Nord | About 25 minutes + a walk or a bus | Tuesday |
| Disneyland Paris | RER A | About 35 to 40 minutes | - |
| Vaux-le-Vicomte | Gare de Lyon to Melun | About 25 minutes + a taxi or shuttle | Seasonal |
Versailles: the big one
Versailles is the royal palace everyone pictures: the Hall of Mirrors, the King’s Apartments and a garden that stretches to the horizon. A day is just enough for the palace, the gardens and the Trianon. Everyone needs a time slot for the palace. The ticket with gardens and the Trianon estate is from €22, and our Versailles guide explains the options with transport and guides.
Fontainebleau: a king’s home for centuries
Fontainebleau is about 55 kilometres from Paris, and kings stayed here for centuries. Inside, the Gallery of Francis I, built from 1528 with Italian artists, is the highlight, along with the ballroom of Henri II and the apartments where Napoleon lived. It was in the Court of Honour that Napoleon said goodbye to his Old Guard on 20 April 1814. Allow about two hours for the castle on your own.
You go by train from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon (about 40 minutes), then take bus 1 towards the town centre. The castle is open every day except Tuesday and a few holidays: from 9:30 to 18:00 from April to September and to 17:00 from October to March. The courtyards and the gardens are free to enter. The ticket (from €17) includes the Grand Apartments, the Napoleon I Museum, the temporary exhibitions, the park and the gardens, but not the Chinese Museum or an audio guide.
You can combine it with a neighbour. A day trip with a coach from Paris joins Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte (from €84), and a guided small-group version takes 9 hours (from €220).
Chantilly: a museum, a horse and a garden
Chantilly is only 25 minutes from Gare du Nord by train. The castle holds the Condé Museum, with paintings by Raphael, Botticelli and Watteau and a library of precious manuscripts. Next to it are the Great Stables, built in 1719 and now home to a living horse museum. Behind them lie a French garden by Le Nôtre, an English garden and the hamlet that inspired Marie Antoinette’s at Versailles.
And the cream? Contrary to the legend, Vatel did not invent crème Chantilly: he was a steward, not a cook, and he died in 1671 during a visit by Louis XIV. Whipped cream was already known in Europe long before.
The castle and the park are open from 10:00 to 18:00 and closed on Tuesdays. From the station it is a 25-minute walk, a 10-minute bus ride, and at weekends a free shuttle runs from the station. The castle ticket with the gardens is from €18, and a ticket for the gardens alone is from €9. The hamlet is closed in winter, from 15 November to 12 March. Plan at least half a day.
Vaux-le-Vicomte: a seasonal choice
Vaux-le-Vicomte is a château about 50 kilometres from Paris. It is open for a season only: in 2026 from 14 March to 1 November. One way to see it is with a day trip that also visits Fontainebleau.
Disneyland Paris: the family day
Disneyland Paris is about 35 to 40 minutes from the centre by RER A, and the station stands next to the park entrance. It needs a full day. See Disneyland Paris in one day for tickets and tips.
A few words on Giverny and the Loire
Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny are about 80 kilometres west of Paris. The Loire Valley is a different scale: it is two to three hours away by car, so more than one or two castles in a day is too much. Our sister guide to the Loire Valley castles helps you plan a longer stay.
Which one to choose?
Want the greatest hits? Go to Versailles. Want royal rooms and Napoleon’s story? Pick Fontainebleau. Want art, horses and a park? Choose Chantilly. Travelling with children? Spend the day at Disneyland Paris. You can also join two sights in one day: there is a 9-hour tour that combines Versailles and Musée d’Orsay (from €189).
Prices change with the date.
