While Paris is full of museums, shops, sights, and experiences galore, there are also many easy day trips to take part in in the surrounding area.

Personally, I’m a big fan of la carte Navigo, the unlimited transportation pass for Paris and the surrounding area (Île-de-France). All four of these day trips were totally free with my normal transport pass, whether I stayed on my typical metro line or took multiple trains hours outside of the city.

An easy way to explore new places for cheap? Sounds good to me!

I took part in the following four day trips during January and February:

Parc and Château de Sceaux

Six stops South of Paris on the RER B line, Parc de Sceaux offers a unique sense of tranquility so close to such a bubbling city. While many people at the park are running or exercising, others are enjoying some sightseeing. In addition to the fountains and gardens, the Château de Sceaux takes up much of the park.

The château is now a museum that allows visitors to get an inside look at the lives of old French royalty. EU residents under 26 can enter the musée for just 3 euros.

In addition to wandering through the park and checking out the museum, my friend and I made sure to grab some crêpes and chocolat chaud on the way out.

Auvers-sur-Oise

While it may seem like any other small French town, Auvers-sur-Oise has an interesting past that makes art lovers and history junkies alike travel nearly two hours outside Paris to come for a visit here.

Vincent Van Gogh lived in Auvers-sur-Oise for the last 70 days of his life, and during this time, he made quite an impact. The nearly 80 works he painted while living here have made the small village an unlikely tourist destination. Visitors can see the church that inspired Van Gogh’s famous piece “The Church of Auvers,” the home where Van Gogh lived, and the graves of Vincent and his brother Théodore. You can even participate in self-guided walking tours that repeat Van Gogh’s footsteps throughout the town.

In addition to these impressive connections with the highly-regarded artist, Auvers-sur-Oise is also the home to the Château d’Auvers and the Musée de l’Absinthe. Take the H train from Gare du Nord in Paris to get to the most convenient train stations.

Château de Vincennes

Far past Étoile, Louvre-Rivoli, Châtelet, Bastille, and even Nation on the ligne 1 du métro, the Château de Vincennes is a quick and easy morning or afternoon trip from Paris.

Tickets for the château are free for EU residents under 26. You can explore most of the grounds, including a gorgeous church and an old dungeon tower, before doing some souvenir shopping at the bookstore.

Provins

Wandering around Provins made us feel like we had traveled back to the Middle Ages. Charming architecture and dangerously steep stairs that are older than the U.S. came together for quite the adventure in Provins. This Medieval town is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Main attractions in the town of Provins include the César Tower, the Saint-Ayoul Priory, and the Underground Galleries. I also recommend checking out the unique bookstore Le Roy Lire.

You can easily get to Provins by taking the P train from Gare de l’Est. The town is located about an hour and a half southeast of Paris.

Looking for other day trip ideas? Check out my other blog posts about previous day trips I have taken from Paris to the Château de Versailles, Brussels, Belgium, and Amiens, Angers, and Reims, France.