Five places to visit near Paris
Paris may be lovely in the spring, but in the heat of summer even the residents flee. Adam Roberts reveals five gems within easy reach of the city of lights
By Adam Roberts Economist
1 CHANTILLY 25 MINS BY TRAIN Barely 40km north of Paris, Chantilly is the epitome of French provincial elegance. Plunge into the 6,300-hectare Chantilly forest , a shady treat in summertime much favoured by locals; some 4m visit each year, leaving foreign tourists to sweat among the crowds in Versailles. Paths in the woods are well marked, though some are set aside each morning for horse-riders. In the 19th century Chantilly was favoured by the rich and artistic, both French and English, especially those fond of racing. The town is home to more than 2,600 thoroughbreds (the Aga Khan has stables here), with frequent race meetings at its hippodrome. Visit the Grandes Écuries , the great stables, within the sprawling Domaine of Chantilly , which also houses a castle, museums and a park. Stroll through the gardens to Le Hameau (March to November), for delicious local cuisine; dessert, inevitably, is topped with Chantilly cream. For a different vibe head south to Parc Asterix , a theme park based on the comic books, where you can get a fix of rollercoaster action but avoid queues at Disneyland Paris. If you’re too tired to make it back to Paris, climb into the treetops to sleep it off at the Cabanes des Grands Chênes .
2 REIMS 45 MINS BY TRAIN Any trip to the heart of champagne country must involve the wineries. Get the classic cru by visiting famous names such as Tattinger , whose cool cellars were once Roman chalk mines. Or pick a smaller vintner such as Janisson , based nearby at Verzenay. You can see vines in every direction from its avant-garde headquarters. Once suitably full of fizz, scour the city for the work of Christian Lapie , a local sculptor famed for his looming figures carved from stone, wood and other materials. There may be an exhibition of his work at the Musée des Beaux Artes , in an 18th-century abbey – or visit his studios at Val-de-Vesle . Reims has excellent restaurants, notably the Michelin-starred and self-consciously stylish Le Millénaire . Even more fun is Café du Palais , where you can munch on ham, quail or hefty salads amid a hodgepodge of sculptures, drawings and paintings, bathed in light from a dazzling Art Deco stained-glass ceiling. The city’s grandest attraction, the Gothic Notre Dame cathedral , was the site of the coronation of all but seven French kings; its circular stained-glass windows are unmissable. Be sure to hunt for three by Marc Chagall, installed in 1974.
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