Paris is situated within a distance of less than 3 hours by car or train from some of the most beautiful cities and landscapes in France. If you wish to escape the hustle and bustle of Paris and spend a weekend away, follow my lead. Here are some ideal destinations for a weekend getaway that are located less than 3 hours away from Paris.
Beaches
Honfleur (2h15 away from Paris by car)
Honfleur is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful French ports. Peace and tranquillity will be waiting for you in this beautiful seaside city.
You can walk along the beach or go visit the old town to admire its picturesque facades.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Ex-Voto, a charming Bed and Breakfast in the heart of the city (from €75)
- The best on Instagram: Saint-Delis Relais Château hotel, an incredibly chic place with a refined design and gourmet cuisine (from €350)
- The most unusual: If you are an adventurer, these perched cabins will be the highlight of your getaway (from €150) (Website in French)
Deauville (2h24 car ride)
Deauville and its beach are very famous to people living in the North of France.
This seaside resort, its gorgeous villas and luxurious boats will have you forget about its temperature which is colder than the South of France.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Relais du Haras, a charming little hotel with a 100% Norman decoration (from €90)
- The best on Instagram: Le Normandy, a must-go in the region; it regularly hosts celebrities (from €400)
- The most unusual: A romantic night on a yacht overlooking the marina (from €90/week)(Website in French)
Le Touquet-sur-Plage (2h42 hours car ride)
Located on the Côte d’Opale and less than 3h away from Paris by car, Le Touquet offers a beautiful beach, several kilometers in length.
A perfect place for a weekend with your family. There are, in Spring and Summer, several activities for children and teenagers.
Rides, aquatic parks and beach bars are all waiting for you.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Hotel Neptune, a charming little hotel with a great view on the beach (from €80)
- The best on Instagram: The Cocoon Inn, a warm hotel with wooden decoration (from €110)
- The most unusual: Rouard’s caravans, real wooden caravans a few km away from the beach (from €93)
Baie de Somme (2h by train)
The Baie de Somme is located in Picardy. Here, you will be able to admire beautiful beaches, high cliffs and stunning sceneries.
The bay is also a haven for seals which you may get the chance to watch from afar.
Walk along Crotoy beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in France.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Le Cap Cornu, a hotel with a swimming pool, a restaurant and a large garden (from €140)
- The best on Instagram: The Originals Boutique, Hotel La Colonne de Bronze, a 1900 building with an incredible cozy terrace (from €105)
- The most unusual: The wooden trailers of the Salicorne (from €90)
Etretat (2h20 car ride)
Located 3h away from Paris by train and 2h20 by car, Etretat, its beaches and its village have beautiful landscapes to offer.
Etretat’s cliffs attract thousands of tourists every year.
The village itself is also one of the most beautiful in France and worth the trip.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: La Ferme du Manoir, a stone guest house (from €62)(Website in French)
- The best on Instagram: Les Pins de César, the ideal place for a nature photo shoot (from €280)
- The most unusual: Le Donjon, an idyllic setting to live a fairy tale with your soulmate (from €211)
Major Cities
Rouen (1h50 car ride)
Rouen isn’t called the “city of a hundred spires” for nothing.
Here, you will find bells, churches and cathedrals in every corner.
Don’t miss out on the Gros-Horloge, a building which is seven centuries of age.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Hotel le vieux carré and its picturesque courtyard (from €81)
- The best on Instagram: The Bourthegoulde hotel where you can admire the pool under your feet (from €219)
- The most unusual: The Norman huts in which to play Tarzan and Jane(from €150)(Website in French)
Rennes (1h30 by train)
Rennes is located only 1h30 away from Paris by train.
Take a look inside the Breton culture when visiting the city’s historical center or its many museums.
Don’t forget to try the Breton sweet named kouign-amann before leaving.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Les Chouettes hotel restaurant, cute and cozy (from €89)
- The best on Instagram: The Apigné castle for a royal weekend (from €110)
- The most unusual: Dihan, an escape for a night in a cabin, a caravan or a yurt (from €98)
Reims (45 mins by train)
Reims is located 45 minutes away from Paris and is known for its many vineyards, wine cellars and champagne houses.
It is the perfect destination for wine lovers.
Accompany your drink with some “biscuits roses” will admiring the beautiful city cathedral.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The Ibis Thillois hotel: cheap and well rated (from €65)
- The best on Instagram: La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection, for the design and pure decoration that lends itself wonderfully to a Instagram feed (from €245)
- The most unusual: The Roulotte Bichottes for a wake-up call with a view on vineyards (on request)
Strasbourg (1h47 by train)
Strasbourg is a city that is worth the trip. Its Alsatian architecture and beautiful cathedral won’t fail to amaze you.
Visiting Strasbourg is even better in December when the largest and most beautiful Christmas market in France is in town.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The People Hostel: affordable, cute and comfortable (from €78)
- The best on Instagram: The Sofitel Grande Ile hotel will be your best ally if you have a colorful feed (from €197)
- The most unusual: The Le Rohan barge for a night on the water (from €247€)
Orléans (1h30 car ride)
Orléans is one of the closest large cities around Paris.
Located 1h30 away from the capital, the street leading to the Cathédrale d’Orléans and its water mirrors offers beautiful scenery in a big city which doesn’t feel like one.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: L’Orléans Parc Hotel which is very well rated (from €72)
- The best on Instagram: The Mercure Portes de Solognes, with its huge garden and its bright white rooms (from €120)
- The most unusual: The Bulles de Sologne with their Nordic decoration (from €300)
Lille (1h05 by train)
Lille, the beautiful Northern City, its red brick houses and wide markets are located only 1h05 away from Paris by train.
Lille looks like a big village with its old town and various museums.
For a stunning view on the city, climb up the Sommet de Beffroi.
On the culinary side: try out the popular welsch and fricadelle.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The Eklo hotel, which is design and friendly (from €72)
- The best on Instagram: L’Hermitage Gantois, with its exposed stones, castle furniture and comfortable spa (from €266)
- The most unusual: The citadel barge, for a night on the water with a concierge service in the heart of Lille (from €216/2 nights)(Website in French)
The Countryside
Giverny (1h30 car ride)
Giverny is a typical French village located at barely 1h30 away from Paris by car, and 1h from Paris by train.
It is in this village that Claude Monet lived for 40 years, and specialists will recognize some of the landscapes in his paintings.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The Green Home, which is simple and bucolic (from €90)
- The best on Instagram: La Dime de Giverny, a chic Norman place with apparent half-timbering (from €212)
- The most unusual: Les Jardins d’Epicure, a XIXth century red brick building where the vegetal restaurant will make you travel for sure (from €136)
Provins (1h30 by train)
Located about 1h30 away from Paris by train, Provins is a medieval city dating from the 13th century and listed in the UNESCO World Heritage.
Walk along its ramparts, old Alsatian buildings and underground dungeons for an exotic weekend.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The Montramé castle, a bit rustic but its domain is breathtaking (from €80)
- The best on Instagram: The César Hotel, a refined design and a comfortable spa (from €160)
- The most unusual: La réserve de l’aube: curious hexagonal wooden houses with terraces in a gigantic domain (from €149)
Veules-Les-Roses (2h33 car ride)
Veules-Les-Roses is a small village in the North of France, famous for its thatched-roof houses.
The city is located close to a seaside resort. The perfect place to enjoy both the tranquillity of the countryside and the beauty of the sea.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The Les Remparts hotel, an old building with nicely decorated rooms at an unbeatable price (from €54)
- The best on Instagram: Le Manoir des Impressionnistes spa, the idyllic place for a chic Norman weekend for lovers (from €300)
- The most unusual: The cabins of Clos Masure (from €120)(Website in French)
La Perrière (2h14 car ride)
Located in Normandy, La Perrière is a calm place well-known for its local markets and various events.
To enjoy the tranquillity of the countryside without driving too far away from Paris, there is no better place.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Le Logis Hôtel le Montligeon (from €62)
- The best on Instagram: Le Relais d’Horbé, a boho decoration, subdued lights (from €100)
- The most unusual: Étape en Forêt hotel and spa for a night in a tree (from €79)
Troyes (2h02 car ride)
Troyes, located 2h away from Paris by train, will give you the impression that you are traveling back in time.
Old facades, narrow streets and Middle-Age churches are waiting for you for a peaceful weekend.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Hôtel Ibis budget Troyes Est (from €46)
- The best on Instagram: La Maison de Rhodes hotel and spa, as the garden will make a wonderful spot for your photos (from €286)
- The most unusual: La route des bulles for a night (almost) under the stars(from €181)
Barbizon (47 mins car ride)
Barbizon is another quiet French village. This place inspired many famous painters such as Charles-François Daubigny and is now considered a starting point of impressionism.
You will have the occasion to visit a museum dedicated to the paintings representing the village.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: L’Esquisse Barbizon – Territoria (from €187)
- The best on Instagram: L’Aigle Noir Hotel: the rooms all have different themes, so you can choose the one that best suits your feed (from €190)
- The most unusual: The bubbles in La Maison du Rocher for a night under the stars (from €228)
Original places
Disneyland Paris (33 mins car ride)
There is nothing more original, for a weekend close to the capital than Disneyland Paris!
The park is built like a city, divided into different districts (medieval, futuristic, etc.) and offers a large variety of rides and attractions for the old and the young.
The park’s hotel, located right above the attractions has luxurious rooms and a breathtaking view of the whole of Disneyland.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Appart Hotel Adagio Val d’Europe (from €125)
- The best on Instagram: Le Manoir de Gressy for a night in a little, real castle next to Disneyland (from €138)
- The most unusual: Spa and wellness huts (from €245)(Website in French)
Parc Astérix (39 mins car ride)
After Disneyland, here is another typically French theme park. The Parc Astérix has Gallic streets and a pairing atmosphere.
A hotel was even specifically created to look like the old Gallic city of Lutèce.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Hôtel Premiere Classe Roissy St Witz (from €66)
- The best on Instagram: Château Hôtel Mont Royal Chantilly with its baroque decoration (from €364)
- The most unusual: The Coucoo Grands Chênes cabins (from €200)
Versailles (45 mins by train)
The Château de Versailles. Even if it is located only 45 minutes by train from Paris, has been visited by only a few Parisians.
The castle alone is worth the trip, and so is the city of Versailles where the French kings and queens used to live.
Enjoy an equestrian show by the Académie du Spectacle Équestre de Versailles every Saturday and Sunday.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Ibis Clamart Vélizy (from €85)
- The best on Instagram: The Louis Versailles Château Mgallery, for its careful decoration and its fabulous lights (from €285)
- The most unusual: L’Escale Royale Port Ilon, for a night in a design floating house (from €240)
Chantilly (28 mins by train)
Chantilly is the perfect place to go to learn more about French history and culture.
The city has been considered a “Town of Art and History” since 2007.
With its castles, century-old farms and pavilions, you will have a lot of things to keep you busy.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The Celtic Hotel with its Irish pub atmosphere (from €90)
- The best on Instagram: Auberge du Jeu de Paume where you can take shoots from the restaurant, the rooms, or the magnificent domain that stretches as far as the eye can see (from €590)
- The most unusual: The Le Pré des Moines wooden bubble (from €260)
Chambord (1h30 by train)
The Châteaux de la Loire are among the most beautiful castles in the country.
Located only 1h30 away from Paris by train, Chambord castle is one of the most popular towns in the country.
If you settle down in Chambord, it will also be possible for you to visit Blois and its Château Royal that was home to more than 17 kings and queens.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Logis Hôtel du Cygne; it is rural, elegant and has swimming pool (from €72)
- The best on Instagram: Hotel La Maison d’à Côté, it is design, chic and country style (from €90)
- The most unusual: A night in a gypsy caravan at Chambord (from €120)(Website in French)
Abroad Destinations
London (2h with the Eurostar)
Who would have thought it would be possible to reach the British capital in less than three (and even less than two!) hours from Paris?
Enter the Eurostar and go visit the second-largest city in Europe. Discover London and its boisterous atmosphere.
You won’t find peace and tranquillity here, but this is the perfect place for a lively weekend.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The Mama Shelter, located in Shoreditch (a lively business district near everything) is design and affordable (from €161)
- The best on Instagram: Treehouse Hotel London: There are Persian rugs, hanging plants in every corner, the perfect place enjoyable by any self-respecting Instagrammer (from €349)
- The most unusual: The Clink 78 hotel for a night in an old Victorian court where the band he band The Clash (from €51)
Brussels (1h38 by train)
After the United Kingdom, let’s move to a country a little closer to France: Belgium.
At 1h20 away from Paris by train, discover the sumptuous city’s Grande Place and Flemish buildings.
Don’t forget to eat their famous fries and drink their famous beer before leaving.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: The colorful and design Funkey Hotel (from €109)
- The best on Instagram: The Pillow City Hotel Centre, for its bright, sleek design (from €195)
- The most unusual: Vintage Hotel for a night in an American chrome caravan (from €160)
Bruges (2h27 by train)
Still in Belgium, Bruges is also called the “Venice of the North” and is known for its canals, calm and tranquillity.
Its colorful houses and bells from which you will be able to admire the entire city will have you forget about Paris for a weekend.
🏡 Recommended accommodations in the area:
- The most affordable: Canalview Hotel Ter Reien (from €82)
- The best on Instagram: Grand Hotel Casselbergh Brugge (from €246)
- The most unusual: Hotel de Orangerie, for its flowery and baroque decoration which will make you travel in time (from €260)
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
