{"id":2952,"date":"2019-07-10T08:42:20","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T08:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/?p=2952"},"modified":"2026-03-19T10:15:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T10:15:22","slug":"best-small-towns-near-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-near-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Most Interesting Small Towns Near Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For everything that Paris has to offer, sometimes it is hard to beat the irresistible charm of the smaller French towns and villages. Luckily there are fabulous small towns to visit\u00a0near\u00a0Paris, giving you unbridled access to the French countryside and a relaxing break from life in the\u00a0busy\u00a0capital. Here is a list of our favorite small towns near Paris<\/a>, chosen for their beauty, historical importance,\u00a0and character. You can get to all places easily with SIXT hire car from Paris Airport (CDG)<\/a> or any other Paris branch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Versailles<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the town of Versailles<\/a> is a charming destination with unique architecture, it\u2019s the famous palace and gardens that more than 7 million visitors flock to every year. It is arguably the most opulent royal residence in the world with its Hall of Mirrors, Royal Opera and royal apartments. The grand gardens are also incredible and feature numerous fountains, sculptures, and canals. Versailles is only 13 miles (21 km) from Paris and can be reached in around 30 minutes depending on traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A portion of the exterior of Versailles<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

2. Chartres<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chartres is an important market town in the Beauce region known for its beautiful gothic Cath\u00e9drale Notre-Dame de Chartres. The Old Town with its half-timber houses is simply stunning and scenically situated on the Eure River. It is a great town to stroll around and take in the architecture. We highly recommend taking a trip to the outskirts to visit La Maison de Picassiette. The house is the former home of Raymond Isidore, a former graveyard attendant who obsessively plastered his home in mosaics. His work garnered the attention of Picasso and the house is now a historical monument.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Part of the interior of the Cath\u00e9drale Notre-Dame de Chartres<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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Want to discover France by car? Discover the most beautiful villages in France<\/a> or our French riviera itinirary<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

3. Fontainebleau<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like Versailles, Fontainebleau is a chateau town largely visited for its impressive palace. The lavish royal residence is surrounded by an ornamental garden and beyond sits a large forest. It is just as fascinating as Versailles though attracts fewer visitors, meaning fewer crowds to deal with. Fontainebleau is just 43 miles (69 km) south of Paris on the A6.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The inside of the impressive Fontainebleau estate<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Fontainebleau Castle is part of the SIXT selection of the most beautiful castles in France<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Provins<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This fortified medieval town is a popular day trip from Paris and lies just over an hour to the east. Its epic fortified walls have stood the test of time and encircle the town and the ramparts and fortified gates are free to tour. Every June the town hosts the largest medieval festival in France, with many visitors turning up in full medieval costume. You can visit the iconic 12th-century C\u00e9sar watchtower for great panoramas of the town.<\/p>\n\n\n

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5. Meaux<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meaux is a fascinating historic city famous for the First Battle of the Marne in 1914, Meaux Cathedral, the Bishop\u2019s Palace, and Brie de Meaux cheese. Because of the importance of the First Battle of the Marne, the townhouses the largest World War I museum in the world: Mus\u00e9e de la Grande Guerre du Pays de Meaux. The Bishop\u2019s Palace Museum, Mus\u00e9e Bossuet, is also worth checking out for its local history and painting collections. Meaux is 34 miles east of Paris on the A4, making it a great destination for a day trip.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For everything that Paris has to offer, sometimes it is hard to beat the irresistible charm of the smaller French towns and villages. Luckily there are fabulous small towns to visit\u00a0near\u00a0Paris, giving you unbridled access to the French countryside and a relaxing break from life in the\u00a0busy\u00a0capital. Here is a list of our favorite small…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":2955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2952","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel","8":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n5 Most Interesting Small Towns Near Paris | SIXT rent a car Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For everything that Paris has to offer, sometimes it is hard to beat the irresistible charm of the nearby French towns and villages.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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