Saint Maur des Fossés: Paris Day Trips

Michelle Walbaum — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 16:18:52 +0000

Little medieval secrets dot this wealthy suburb on the Marne River. The medieval chapel houses an elongated Virgin Mary statue that has been venerated since 1328. It was miraculously created, legend has it. (The sculptor claimed that he returned to his workshop one morning to find the statue had been mysteriously completed during the night.)

The ruins of a 9th-century abbey can also be found in the center park of this city, known as Le Parc de Saint Maur, including archways, a stone tower and a cellar. Also in the park are ruins from a 19th-century Italian-style manor.

To enjoy Saint Maur to its utmost, consider assembling a picnic lunch from the traditional French shops situated the main road leading away from the train station, Avenue Charles de Gaulle, which include a bakery, a butcher, a cheese shop and a wine shop. After gathering whatever cheese, lunch meats, drinks and baked goods that suit your fancy, tuck into your hearty French lunch among the ruins in the park.

Logistics

Travel time:
25 minutes from central Paris

How to get there:
Take the RER A to Le Parc du Saint Maur

Travel cost:
€2.75 from Paris RER station Chatelet Les Halles

See the map below for directions.

Other day trips

This is just one of our recommended day trips from our guide to “Fantastic Day Trips less than an Hour from Paris”. Click below to read more:

• Saint Germain en Laye

• The Saint Denis Cathedral and market

• Chateau de Vincennes and Parc Floral

• Chateau Malmaison

• Parc de Sceaux

• Island of the Impressionists

• Saint Maur des Fossés

• Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne

The post Saint Maur des Fossés: Paris Day Trips appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Drink, dance and boat along the River Marne: Paris Day Trip

Michelle Walbaum — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 16:18:27 +0000

If you want to party like it’s the Belle Époque, consider visiting the banks of the Marne river. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, riverside restaurants known as guinguettes hosted revelers over the weekends and on holidays. Wine was cheaper outside of Paris in those days, so many people chose to trek out to the eastern hamlets to enjoy not only drinking, but also dancing, swimming and boating.

Unfortunately, swimming in the Marne is prohibited nowadays, but a recent guinguette revival has people flocking to the riverside to dance and drink anyway. Older couples are just as common in these places as younger ones.

The theme of dance nights vary and can include traditional French waltz nights, complete with boater hats and accordions, as well as salsa nights, line dancing, old school ’80s rock nights and more. Try La Guinguette de l’île du Martin Pêcheur in Champigny or Chez Gégène in Joinville le Pont.