1 week

This week-long itinerary offers a beautiful balance of discovery and simplicity, keeping your travels centered around Paris while leaving room to explore some of France’s most unforgettable destinations. From celebrated landmarks and royal palaces to charming villages and breathtaking cathedrals, it’s a flexible journey designed to make family travel feel both enriching and manageable

Best For: Minimal Packing, First Timers to France

Driving Intensity: EASY ~ Public Transit

Option A

Parisian Vacation

Option B

Paris & Beyond

1 week itineraries

Option A

Parisian Vacation

This itinerary offers the perfect balance of iconic experiences and relaxed pacing. Base yourselves in Paris and enjoy world-famous sights, magical day trips, royal palaces, and beautiful gardens — all while unpacking just once. It’s a wonderful introduction to France, blending memorable highlights with the ease and flexibility that makes family travel feel joyful.

Itinerary

Paris ~ 7 nights

Optional Day Trips: Versailles and/or Giverny

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Driving Intensity: Easy

Train Options:

Train to Giverny: take a direct regional TER train from Paris Saint-Lazare station to Vernon-Giverny. The journey takes about 45 to 60 minutes. From Vernon, complete the final 5 km to Giverny by seasonal shuttle bus, taxi, or rental bike.

Train to Versailles: take a direct RER C train to Versailles Château Rive Gauche station. The train ride takes about 30 to 40 minutes, and the station is just a 10-minute walk to the Palace of Versailles entrance.

*Book Train Tickets from the SNCF Connect Website.

Option B

Paris &

Royal France

This extended variation weaves together the magnificence of Chartres, the charm of Senlis, and your choice of either Versailles or Giverny for an itinerary rich in beauty, history, and variety. It’s a wonderful way to experience both France’s world-famous landmarks and its quieter, storybook corners.

Itinerary

Paris ~ 4 nights

Chartres ~ 1 night

Senlis ~ 2 nights

Optional Day Trips: Versailles and/or Giverny

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Driving Intensity: Easy

Train Options:

Train ~Paris to Chartres: Take a direct regional SNCF TER train from Paris Montparnasse station to Chartres. The journey takes about 60 to 75 minutes, and the train drops you a short 10-minute walk from the famous Chartres Cathedral.

Train ~ Chartres to Senlis: Take a train from Chartres to Paris Montparnasse. Transfer to Métro Line 6 to Denfert-Rochereau, then board the RER B toward Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1. Follow the signs to the Roissypôle Bus Station and take Line 630 to Senlis Gare Routière. The bus ride takes approximately 25 minutes.

*Book Train Tickets from the SNCF Connect Website.

Optional Day Trips

Versailles

Day Trip Option

A visit to Versailles feels like stepping into a real-life fairy tale. Explore the magnificent palace once home to kings and queens, stroll through spectacular gardens, and imagine life in one of the most famous royal residences in the world. With grand spaces to explore and endless details to discover, it’s a day trip that captivates both children and adults.

Train to Versailles: take a direct RER C train to Versailles Château Rive Gauche station. The train ride takes about 30 to 40 minutes, and the station is just a 10-minute walk to the Palace of Versailles entrance.

Giverny

Day Trip Option

Step into the world of Claude Monet as you wander through the enchanting home and gardens that inspired some of his most beloved masterpieces. From the vibrant flower beds to the famous Japanese bridge draped in greenery, Giverny feels like walking through one of Monet’s paintings — a peaceful and beautiful escape just outside Paris.

Train to Giverny: take a direct regional TER train from Paris Saint-Lazare station to Vernon-Giverny. The journey takes about 45 to 60 minutes. From Vernon, complete the final 5 km to Giverny by seasonal shuttle bus, taxi, or rental bike.