Day Trip to Chartres and other Paris, France Off The Beaten Path Tips

Chartres is roughly an hour away from Paris by train. Besides their famous Gothic Cathedral the town has much more to offer. (The Cathedral is truly incredible) The Chartres tourist office recommends a lovely historic walk around the town that takes you to some beautiful Romanesque churches and medieval buildings. The locals are really friendly and they have a very good tourist office. The lunch I had was good and inexpensive. Makes for a very nice day trip.

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Website: http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Chartres_Cathedral.html

Marie Antoinette is quoted as saying that about the peasents who had no bread to eat. Well those same peasents started the French Revolution, and unfortunately for her finished it. Marie Antoinette was married and lived with her husband Louis the 16th in Versailles for over 20 years. She was the last Queen of France, and the Versailles palace is evidence of their decadence. She was only 14 when she assumed her royal position, so it is maybe understandable why she was not a great queen with compassion due to her age and immaturity. Her daughter is the only one that survived the French Revolution.

Versailles is a magnificent display of the oppulence the French Royal family lived in. The gardens are lovely and and the palace is just extraordinary. A visit is very historically interesting. It only takes about 20 minutes by bus to get to Versailles, so all you would need is an afternoon to visit this legendary palace. Also, don't miss the hall of mirrors where the treaty of Versailles was signed to end WWI. It's the largest room in the palace with 17 mirrors reflecting 17 windows that overlook the exquisite gardens. The highlight of my trip to Versailles.

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Website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/