4 Chateaux Near Paris to Visit for a Versailles Alternative
Are you looking for a Versailles alternative? Check out these beautiful chateaux near Paris instead!
The Palace of Versailles is one of the most famous chateaux (castles) in France. Located 12 miles southwest of Paris, this opulent chateau was constructed by Louis XIV, the Sun King, in the 17th century. More than 10 million tourists flock to Versailles each year to tour its extravagant interior and intricate gardens.
Versailles is one of the most popular day trips from Paris, and I do think it’s worth a visit once to see this magnificent piece of French history. However, depending on when you go, Versailles can be so crowded with large tour groups and other visitors that it’s actually not a very enjoyable experience.
If you’ve already been to Versailles once before, or you’re just eager to avoid the crowds and discover a lesser-known chateau, this list is for you. Below you’ll find the best Versailles alternatives near Paris.
Each of these chateaux can be visited on a day trip from Paris. I’ve included details about how to get to each one below, as well as links to my full day trip guides for each of these destinations.
Here’s a look at the best chateaux near Paris to visit instead of Versailles:
Chateau de Fontainebleau
With a history dating back to the 12th century, Chateau de Fontainebleau was once a summer residence and hunting lodge for the French monarchy. It later expanded into a magnificent palace and was used by many French kings, including Louis XIV, who spent his summers away from Versailles here.
During the French Revolution, the chateau was located far enough from Paris that it was shielded from destruction. In the 19th century, Chateau de Fontainebleau became Napoleon Bonaparte’s residence.
Chateau de Fontainebleau is a great alternative to Versailles. The interior of the palace is very large and fascinating to explore, and you can also spend some time in the gardens, which aren’t as grand as those at Versailles, but still lovely. The town of Fontainebleau just beyond the palace is also worth a stroll.
How to Get Here
From Gare de Lyon in Paris, take the Transilien R train south towards Montereau. Make sure you take a train that terminates in Montereau (and not another town) or else you won’t be able to reach your stop! You’ll want to get off at the Fontainebleau-Avon station. The total time on the train is 40 minutes.
From the train station, you can take the 1 bus or the 4014 bus across town to the chateau. It’s about a 10-minute bus ride. If you don’t mind walking, it’s about a 40-minute walk to the chateau.
I also highly recommend this coach bus tour from Paris, which I personally went on because I wanted to visit both Chateau de Fontainebleau and the nearby Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte in a day. This is a great way to visit two chateaux and not have to worry about organizing tickets or transportation yourself.
Related: Chateau de Fontainebleau Day Trip from Paris, France
Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Another amazing and historic chateau to visit is Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte. This opulent residence was purchased by Nicolas Fouquet, an ambitious young member of the Parlement of Paris in 1641. He went on to become the Superintendent of Finances in France under Louis XIV, the Sun King.
Hoping to impress the Sun King, Fouquet designed a lavish and over-the-top residence. He even employed André Le Nôtre, the architect of the gardens at Versailles, to design his own gardens.
Unfortunately, his plan to impress the king backfired. The scheming French statesman Jean-Baptiste Colbert convinced the king that Fouquet had misappropriated public funds for his chateau, ultimately swooping in to take the Superintendent of Finances role for himself while Fouquet was exiled.
Chateaux de Vaux-le-Vicomte is smaller than Versailles, but still fun to explore. The gardens are also stunning, and you can even rent a golf-cart to explore them, which I did and would highly recommend!
How to Get There
Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte is tricky to visit by public transportation. From Gare de Lyon in Paris, take the Transilien R train or the TER train south to Melun. Both trains take just under 30 minutes.
Once in Melun, you will need to walk outside the station to the Gare de Melun – Place de l’Ermitage bus stop. From here, catch the 01EX bus in the direction of Gare de Coulommiers. You’ll be on the bus for about 20 minutes and get off at the Rn36 which is in the small village of Saint-Germain-Laxis.
From here, it’s still a 35-minute walk to the entrance of the chateau along a pedestrian path. You might be able to catch a taxi from Melun station to the chateau, but it can be hard to find one to go back.
That’s why I recommend this coach bus tour from Paris for visiting Chateaux de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Not only will you have time at this chateau, you’ll also spend a couple of hours at Chateau de Fontainebleau.
Related: Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte Day Trip from Paris, France
Chateau de Chantilly
While the previous two chateaux are located south of Paris, Chateau de Chantilly is north of the city. This chateau was originally constructed in the 15th century, but destroyed during the French Revolution.
It was almost entirely rebuilt beginning in 1875 by Henri d’Orléans, son of the last King of France. Chateau de Chantilly is notable because of the impressive art collection inside. It’s also a major equestrian destination. Visitors can explore the Great Stables at the chateau, home to many thoroughbred horses.
The small town of Chantilly is also worth an hour to walk around and explore. While you’re here, you can’t miss trying Chantilly cream, which is delicious scooped on top of a cake or in hot chocolate.
How to Get There
It’s easy to get to Chateau de Chantilly from Paris. From Gare du Nord in Paris, just take the TER (regional train) to Chantilly Gouvieux. This journey takes about 25 minutes. It’s also possible to take the RER D (commuter train) but it makes more stops and takes double the time so I wouldn’t recommend it.
From the Chantilly Gouvieux train station, it’s about a 25-minute walk to the entrance of the chateau. The walk takes you down a lovely tree-lined path and through a park to reach the chateau.
Related: Chateau de Chantilly Day Trip from Paris, France
Chateau de Sceaux
Finally, one more lesser-known chateau near Paris is Chateau de Sceaux. It’s not nearly as grand as Versailles, but it’s a lovely place to go if you’re looking for an easy, relaxing half-day trip from Paris.
Like Chateau de Chantilly, most of Chateau de Sceaux was destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 19th century. However, the gardens were left intact, and this is the real highlight here. The sprawling gardens were designed by André Le Nôtre, who is responsible for the gardens at Versailles.
The interior of the chateau, although fairly small, is lovely to explore. Afterwards, you can spend more time in the gardens of Chateau de Sceaux enjoying a picnic lunch or going for a leisurely walk.
How to Get There
Chateaux de Sceux is very close to Paris. Just take a southbound RER B train from any RER B station in Paris (such as Chatelet – Les Halles or Saint Michel – Notre-Dame.) Total time on the train is about 20 minutes.
You can either get off at Bourg la Reine, and then walk roughly 20 minutes to reach Chateau de Sceaux, or wait one more stop and get off at Sceaux, and then walk about 15 minutes to get there.
Related: Chateau de Sceaux Day Trip from Paris, France
Other Chateaux Near Paris
Aside from these four chateaux, there are even more historic castles you can visit near Paris.
While I haven’t yet visited these myself, they’re on my list for the next time I return to Paris:
- Chateau de Vincennes: Just 15 minutes from central Paris on the Metro, Chateau de Vincennes is a former medieval fortress and royal residence that was used for hundreds of years.
- Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye: Located in a suburb of Paris just 30 minutes away by train, this former royal palace is now home to the National Archaeological Museum.
- Chateau de Champs-sur-Marne: Another historic chateau easily accessible from Paris, visiting this chateau requires just a 20-minute train ride followed by a leisurely 25-minute walk.
- Chateau de Rambouillet: This chateau just over an hour from central Paris was once a royal residence and later the summer home for presidents of France, before opening to the public.
- Loire Valley castles: Although quite a way from Paris, you can still visit some of the castles in the Loire Valley on a day trip from Paris. A full-day tour like this is your best option.
If you’re looking for a Versailles alternative, these are also good ones to consider.
Where to Go Instead of Versailles
This guide showed you the best chateaux near Paris to visit as a Versailles alternative.
My top picks would be Chateau de Fontainebleau or Chateau de Chantilly because they both have a big “wow factor” to them. Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte is also a great one to visit, but a little harder to get to from Paris independently, which is why I recommend this full-day tour visiting two chateaux.
If you don’t have much time and you’re just looking for a quicker half-day trip from Paris, Chateau de Sceaux is a lovely and underrated destination that is very easy to get to on the RER train.
Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed to enjoy exploring a beautiful French chateau.
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