Discover pretty spots near Paris

PARIS — Paris, as they say, is always a good idea. One can never get enough of its elegant boulevards, its show-stopping cuisine, fresh pain au chocolat in the mornings and long walks along the Seine.

But if you have been there several times, or you are staying for an extended period of time, you might want a brief change of scenery.

Beyond the obvious nearby destinations such as Versailles or Mont St Michel, where else should you go if you are itching for a day trip out of the capital?

Here are three suggestions.

GIVERNY

If you love rustic botanical beauty, visit Giverny.

Only an hour’s train ride from Paris, it is a tiny town with a big claim to fame: Claude Monet called it home. Here, you can visit Monet’s Gardens (€9 or S$14 for entry), encompassing the Impressionist painter’s house and the extensive gardens he planned with care and skill, which then served as inspiration for some of his most well-known paintings.

There are two large areas: The Clos Normand, planted with the flowers of Monet’s choosing, in front of the residence; and the water garden, with the bridge over the lily pond depicted in the famous paintings. The best time to visit is in the spring or summer, when the flowers are in bloom.

You can also tour the house where Monet and his family lived. In the picturesque village, you can visit the family’s graves in the churchyard, as well as the Museum Of Impressionism.

Feeling peckish? Two hundred metres from Monet’s Gardens is the Hotel La Musardiere and the casual Hotel Restaurant, where you can get buckwheat galettes and local cider, as well as crepes dusted with sugar.

By train: Get off at Vernon-Giverny station and take a shuttle bus, which costs €5 each way.

DIJON

It is not all about the mustard in Dijon, although, of course, there are several moutarderies (mustard shops) that do a thriving business. Dijon, formerly a Neolithic as well as Roman settlement, was the seat of the Dukes of Burgundy, and it is where you can view their palace, some impressive cathedrals, medieval houses, and beautiful Renaissance and Gothic architecture. In fact, the historical city centre is a Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage site.

It takes about three hours by train to get from Paris to Dijon. Once there, you can download and use the Owl’s Trail app (S$4.48), which leads you on a walking tour. If you follow the little owls marked out on the ground in sequence, you will be on an efficient trail that shows you all of Dijon’s major attractions. Why the obsession with owls? Well, there is a stone owl on the side of the Notre Dame cathedral that is supposed to bring you good luck if you rub it. You will also eat well in Dijon if you plan ahead: The town has four Michelin-starred restaurants and, of course, it is also a good place to enjoy the wines of the Burgundy region.

By train: Get off at Dijon Ville station and walk about 10 minutes to the main shopping street.

STRASBOURG

Strasbourg, in the region of Alsace, is located on the River Rhine close to the German border, and is just two hours from Paris, by train. It has a very interesting history, having fluctuated between French and German rule several times within the last century or two.

The heart of the old city, with its medieval streets, is the stunning Notre Dame Cathedral with its astronomical clock. In the Petite France area, there are fairy-tale-pretty half-timbered houses painted in pastel colours. And in the La Neustadt area, with its German architecture, there is a completely different feel.

A good option is to join a two-hour walking tour such as the one run by Happy Strasbourg, which offers free, informative English-language tours daily from April to October as well as in December. Just remember to tip your guide at the end.

While you are here, try the tarte flambee, also known as Flammekueche, sort of a crispy pizza topped with lardoons, creme fraiche and the sweet onions the region is known for. Do not miss out on sampling Alsatian wines, especially its famed Riesling.

By train: Get off at Strasbourg station and walk about 15 minutes to the Notre Dame Cathedral square.