Day Trips From Paris
/Day Trips From Paris
Discover Two Iconic Hikes around Paris
Confinement has been hard on my mental health. For the past four years, I’ve been used to living close to nature and enjoying its proximity. My weekends have either been spent working in the field, or hiking, camping, and surfing the Panamanian shores. I find a lot of healing in being outside, especially by the oceans and surrounded by trees.
When the pandemic broke out I was working in Bhutan and I had to rush back to Paris—my hometown and where my mom currently lives, on very short notice before the European borders closed. For two months and a half following my return, my world suddenly shrunk from the mountains of the Himalayas to the size of the apartment and of my computer screen. From my window, I could just barely catch a glimpse from the foliage of the trees lining the adjacent street, and apart from the many house-plants we live with, this is all the nature I got for the period of the confinement. I know this must be true for many of you too!
So when the bans started lifting and people rejoiced and flooded the streets to drink in celebration, my first desire was to run away from Paris as fast as I could and find a piece of grass to lay on. I did, and since that day, my mom and I have established a sort of weekly ritual to escape the hustle and bustle and find g refuge in the parks and forests surrounding the city of light. So here’s for the back story of how I started exploring the options for day trips from Paris, and in this article, I’ll be focusing on two of our most recent hikes around Paris: la forêt de Fontainebleau and l’Abbaye de Chaalis.
Day Trips From Paris // THE PARK OF THE ABBAYE DE CHAALIS
Day Trips From Paris // La Forêt de Fontainebleau
Green Wanderlust tip — La forêt de Fontainebleau is quite famous in the area, and if you’re able to, I’d recommend visiting during weekdays which tend to be much less crowded than weekends.
Fontainebleau: How to get there?
By train — From the metro stop Paris Gare de Lyon, the ride to reach the forest lasts about 40 minutes. Take the TER line R in direction of Montereau or Montargis, and get off at either Bois le Roi for hiking or Fontainebleau Avon if you wish to visit the castle. There are also buses available in the town of Fontainebleau if you’d like to get around from there.
By car — It’s definitely not the most environmentally-friendly way to get to the Fontainebleau forest, but if you cram enough people in and make it a special occasion, going by car may be your preferred option. From the center of Paris, count about an hour to make it out into the forest and from there you’ll be able to choose your adventure.
Day Trips From Paris // IN THE FOREST OF FONTAINEBLEAU
Day Trips From Paris // IN THE FOREST OF FONTAINEBLEAU
Fontainebleau: What to expect?
Fontainebleau is no other than the second-largest national forest in France! Mixing stands of deciduous and softwood trees, this forest harbors life for over 6,000 animals species and boasts two national heritage attractions: the castle and the forest itself.
With more than 1,500 kilometers of pathways, 400 of which are marked, and over 200 climbing courses, on weekends especially, this world-famous forest attracts many visitors from the greater Paris region. If you’re not much for crowds, don’t worry, you can easily get some peace and quiet by simply stirring way from the points of entry and the main climbing attractions.
Fontainebleau: Where to hike?
When it comes down to choosing where to hike, there’s really a ton of options and it can be quite overwhelming. When I last visited in late May, we weren’t really sure of where to go and I decided to go with one of my favorite and least reliable method: finger dropping on the map! I landed on Rocher du Canon, which is a cool name and promised for some rocks to scale so we settled on that. I’m so happy we did, it was wonderful, green and very quiet. The photos above and below were all taken on that day and if that’s a landscape that seems appealing to you, I’d highly recommend checking out this location.
If you’re more of a planner though and have specifics ideas in mind, I recommend checking out this website which will give you more detailed hiking information on the most famous trails in Fontainebleau. On your way out, I really encourage you to stop by the castle, even if only to give it a glance from across the pond. It’s one of the largest and most impressive of all the French castles and this palace served as the residence for 34 kings and two emperors. I was totally blown away when I read that it has more than 1500 rooms!
Day Trips From Paris // THE CHATEAU DE FONTAINEBLEAU
Fontainebleau: What to bring?
There are plenty of shops and boulangeries in the town of Fontainebleau but if you’d like to avoid the hustle-bustle entirely, I’d recommend you plan ahead for a picnic. French people love picnics, myself included, and on summer weekends you’ll often spy us lying on large blankets in fields, parks, and forests, drinking rose and eating cheese—I’m not joking, we actually do that!
So grab a bag pack and stuff it with everything you might want in the woods. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water and some sun protection for when you’re not shaded by the trees. If you’ve come by car, I’d advise you not to leave anything of value in the car, so the less you bring, the better. The woods are not dangerous at all, but parking lots across France are always susceptible to break-ins so to avoid any problems, take your valuables with you when you hike.
Day Trips From Paris // JUST A BAG-PACK & THE DESIRE OF ADVENTURE
Day Trips From Paris // BY THE ENTRANCE OF THE CASTLE
You shouldn’t have to pay for anything to access the forest but maybe bring a little bit of cash in case you want some coffee in town on your way out. However, the visit to the castle isn’t free and as of May 2020, the cost was 12 euros per person for independent tours. If you’d like to go for free, you can head there on the first Sunday of the month, except for in July and August when the free rate does not apply.
Day Trips From Paris // L’Abbaye de Chaalis
I visited the Abbaye de Chaalis for the first time of my life this past May, and I’m so happy I discovered this gem. The park of the Abbaye is absolutely beautiful and the surrounding forest is also quite charming and uncrowded. In one day you can visit both but I’d recommend starting with the Abbaye—there’ll be fewer people at the opening times, and you can head for a hike and lunch in the forest once people start crowding the Abbaye.
Day Trips From Paris // VIEW OF THE RUINS OF ABBAYE DE CHAALIS
L’Abbaye de Chaalis: How to get there?
By car — The Abbaye is about 45 minutes away from Paris by car and is located in the middle of the forêt d’Ermenonville. The Abbaye is also 10 kilometers away from Senlis, a charming town I recommend stopping by for the free visit of its iconic cathedral and also for the good ice-creams and shops you’ll find in town.
Public Transportation — Getting to the Abbaye de Chaalis in public transport isn’t the easiest, sadly, but it’s absolutely doable! There are no buses or trains that directly link the Abbaye to Paris, but on summer weekends you can jump on a « navette », a fancy word for bus, that goes to La Mer de Sable which is the amusement park that directly faces the Abbaye. You’ll have to book in advance, but you can do it online and it’s rather straight-forward. Here is a link with more information.
L’Abbaye de Chaalis: What to expect?
The park, rose garden and medieval chapel are open year-round from 10 in the morning to about 5:30 in the afternoon every day except for the 25th of December and the 1st of January. The self-guided visit is free for kids under 5, half-price for kids aged 5 to 12 and otherwise, count about 4 euros per person. If you’d like to also visit the museum, add another 4 euros per person.
The Abbaye was founded by King Louis VI during the 12th century and was for many early French kings, a pleasant refuge and home. Surrounded by its rose garden, its expansive green lawns, and its Orangerie, this place has a very romantic feel to it and it’s the perfect getaway for anyone looking to stroll surrounded by royal-esque beauty. Ermenonville, the forest surrounding the Abbaye is also great for hikes and picnics! We didn’t have much of a plan in mind when we went, and we settled on one of the first hiking trail we saw. The hike was shaded and pleasant, and although not as beautiful as Fontainebleau, it was the perfect addition to the morning visit of the Abbaye. For more specific ideas on which hikes to do, check out this link which gives you access to detailed information on the different trails you can venture on.
Day Trips From Paris // VIEW FROM THE RUINS
Day Trips From Paris // IN THE ROSE GARDEN
Day Trips From Paris // IN THE PARK
A CINEMATIC GLIMPSE AT THE ABBAYE DE CHAALIS
Day Trips From Paris // Conclusion
There’s a French saying that reads: « quand on cherche, on trouve », which roughly translates to when you look hard enough, you find what you’re looking for, and that’s exactly the case for green escapes around Paris. Although it’s not obvious and often not even publicized, there’s a lot of options for hikes around Paris. The longer I will stay based in this city, the more I will keep on exploring its surroundings so this is only the first of the many posts to come that will inspire and help you explore the green spaces that surround this mythical capital.
Day Trips From Paris // The RoSe GARDEN OF THE ABBAYE
MORE IN FRANCE
Today, I will be taking you along for a scenic 2 days hiking itinerary, amidst the Pyrenee’s most famous and beloved natural site, the Cirque de Gavarnie. Most famous for its sharp granite peaks and being home to the endangered brown bears, this mountain range transforms into a true hiker’s paradise in the summer! Wait until you see the photos!