Savor the Flavors of the French Countryside with Three Delightful Day Trips from Paris

ParisParis can quench any food lover’s appetite and curiosity indefinitely, but confining yourself to the capital would be a missed opportunity. Just a short drive or train ride away lies a treasure trove of unforgettable culinary experiences. If you’re setting out from Paris to explore the cultural landmarks, monuments, and beautiful landscapes beyond the city, don’t forget to make stops — whether for a day, an overnight visit, or a weekend getaway — at some of France’s most breathtaking restaurants and inns.

Île de France

While Paris is the heart, the surrounding region in north-central France boasts iconic forests and attractions — including Versailles, the chateau and forest of Fontainebleau, and the Basilica of Saint-Denis — along with fantastic dining options just outside the city limits.

Le Doyenné

Location: Saint-Vrain Distance from Paris: 25 miles to the south Drive time: 45-60 minutes Train time: 35 minutes from Gare d’Austerlitz, followed by a five-minute taxi ride

After establishing themselves in the Parisian dining scene during the bistronomy wave at Au Passage, Yard, and Bones (now known as Jones), Australian chefs James Henry and Shaun Kelly decided to leave the city. Since 2017, they have been residing in the quaint village of Saint-Vrain, south of Paris, where they spent five years creating a restaurant, guesthouse, and regenerative farm on the grounds of the Château de Saint-Vrain, a 19th-century estate. With support from their business partner Antoine de Mortemart, whose family has owned the estate for two centuries, they undertook extensive renovations, planted an orchard, and revived a walled garden potager that had lain dormant for 60 years. Even before the construction was finished, they were supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to top Parisian restaurants like Mokonuts and Septime.

Upon their opening in summer 2022, the estate became just as appealing as the restaurant, showcasing a hundred varieties of heirloom fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit trees. Guests are invited to wander the grounds and then enjoy an aperitif by the fireplace in the lounge before dinner. The dining experience features a lengthy meal with views of Henry and his team working in the open kitchen. Those familiar with his dishes from Bones will recognize the same precise yet simple style, elevated with added sophistication.

Lunch and dinner usually start with an amuse-bouche of seasonal barbajuans, fritters from the Riviera traditionally filled with ricotta and greens like Swiss chard. Accompanied by a vibrant array of vegetables, the seasonal menu may include line-caught fish, a pork chop from their 26-month-old forest-raised pig, or a selection of artisanal cheeses paired with hearty sourdough bread baked by Lori Oyamada, a former chef at Tartine and Mirabelle Bakery. Desserts may vary, featuring héliantis ice cream drizzled with chestnut cream or a rustic fruit tart.

For overnight guests, there are 11 rooms furnished with antiques, exposed wooden beams, and soft pink bed linens. A leisurely breakfast (included for guests) features Oyamada’s pastries, garden-fresh fruit, and farm-raised eggs. Don't forget to visit the Doyenné boutique for produce from the potager, local wines, condiments, and fresh bread to take home.

L’Axel

Location: Fontainebleau Distance from Paris: 40 miles southDrive time: 60-90 minutes Train time: 40 minutes from Gare de Lyon, followed by a 10-minute taxi ride

For those seeking a royal chateau beyond Versailles, the Château de Fontainebleau is a perfect choice, easily reached by car or train southeast of Paris. This historic hunting residence, continuously inhabited by French monarchs for seven centuries, is now a UNESCO World Heritage site set on over 320 acres. Visitors can easily fill a day exploring the chateau's gardens and the surrounding Fôret de Fontainebleau, a renowned destination for bouldering and hiking. When it's time to dine, Michelin-starred L’Axel is a local gem just five minutes from the chateau. Japanese chef Kunihisa Goto and his wife Vanessa focus on ingredient-driven contemporary cuisine rooted in classic French techniques. Kunihisa incorporates elements of his heritage throughout the menu: shiso leaves wrap the ris de veau, wagyu, ginger, and vegetables create a unique take on pot-au-feu, and one of his signature dishes, the Oeuf Translucide à 65, features a translucent egg prepared in the traditional onsen tamago style, served in a seasonal emulsion.

Domaine les Bruyères

Location: Vallée de ChevreuseDistance from Paris: 34 miles westDrive time: 45 minutesTrain time: 35 minutes from Montparnasse station, with shuttle or taxi available (can be arranged with the restaurant)

Nestled among horse stables near the Rambouillet forest, California-native chef Cybèle Idelot and her sommelier husband Frank established their farm-to-table restaurant, Ruche, along with a five-room inn. Originally seeking land for a permaculture garden to supply La Table de Cybèle, her modern bistro in Boulogne-Billancourt, they discovered this historic post house from 1850, surrounded by ancient rhododendrons, apple and cherry trees, and a 98-foot stone pond on acres, leading them to a grander vision.

The garden, greenhouse, and a bakehouse in a converted barn provide most of the fresh ingredients for the chef’s vibrant dishes. Expect to find guinea fowl paired with wild asparagus, geranium, and lacto-fermented kumquat; rainbow carrots enhanced with pursha lime gremolata, hazelnuts, fresh turmeric, and yogurt; alongside an array of homemade sourdough breads and pastries. For additional ingredients, they source locally, with meat from Eric Sanceau in Auffargis, the Ferme du Grand Frêne in Broué, or the Bergerie Nationale de Rambouillet, and a network of small producers offering line-caught fish from Île d’Yeu and Brittany.

You might opt for the lunchtime five- or seven-course tasting menus available from Friday to Sunday, but for a truly memorable experience, reserve a dinner and a night in one of the five rustic-chic guest rooms situated above the dining area. An overnight stay allows you to fully enjoy Frank Idelot’s impressive selection of natural and biodynamic wines, and wake up to the enticing aroma of fresh bread and pastries at breakfast.

Lounge chairs located at Domaine les Bruyères.

Lille

Distance from Paris: 140 miles northTravel time by train: 1 hour from Gare du Nord

The capital of the northern Hauts-de-France region, this historic merchant city and university hub near the Belgian border captivates visitors with its Flemish architecture, vibrant cultural life, and growing culinary reputation. Thanks to its close proximity to Paris via the TGV train, a day trip to Lille can feel like a complete escape.

Bloempot

If anyone deserves credit for elevating Flemish cuisine beyond moules-frites, Maroilles cheese, and beer, it’s Florent Ladeyn, the chef-owner of multiple restaurants in Lille, including the Michelin-starred l’Auberge du Vert Mont. A finalist on Top Chef France in 2013, he opened his modern Flemish Mytoury Bloempot (“Flower Pot”) the same year.

Housed in a transformed carpenter’s workshop in Vieux-Lille, the restaurant strikes a balance between a loft and a beer garden, featuring metallic beams, brick walls, and rustic wooden floors and tables. While the atmosphere is relaxed, the dishes showcase serious culinary skill, with offerings like pork shoulder yakitori, creamy pollack rillettes served with bread chips and endive leaves, mackerel on a bed of celery and chervil in buttermilk and leek-oil sauce, and buckwheat-salted caramel cream puffs for dessert.

The chef emphasizes ingredients sourced strictly from within a 30-mile radius, meaning you won’t find olive oil, chocolate, or citrus here. Instead, Ladeyn offers chicory as a coffee substitute, including a chicory Irish coffee at the end of the meal, blended with juniper, brown sugar, and whipped cream.

For another perspective on Flemish cuisine, Ladeyn also operates Bierbuik in the historic city center. This no-reservation pub on the ground floor features street-food staples like fries topped with Maroilles cheese sauce, marinated meats baked in a wood-fired oven, and creative takes on Flamiche (a Flemish leek tart), while the upstairs bistro offers locavore dishes for under 30 euros.

Grand Scène

The motto 'Eat, drink, and be merry' encapsulates this expansive locavore street-food hall located in the heart of Lille. Covering 17,000 square feet, it features ten restaurants, two bars, and a coffee shop, serving as a launchpad for aspiring local chefs eager to establish their own Mytouries. Visitors can enjoy meals at communal tables alongside friends, family, and coworkers, and may find a DJ, a rugby game on a big screen, or even a food festival depending on the night. Be sure to try Ataya for unique Syrian dishes with a northern French twist, such as falafaluche (falafel in a local bread) and ch’tiwarma (shawarma featuring Maroilles cheese).

A delightful spread featuring four dishes at Grand Scène.

Méert

Indulging in sweets is essential to the Lillois experience, and Méert stands out as a prime destination to savor this tradition. This historic pastry shop and tea salon, boasting 18th to 20th-century architecture, has been a staple for 250 years. Whether you enjoy a leisurely tea or grab treats to go, don't miss their specialties: flattened gaufres—waffles infused with sugar and Madagascan vanilla—and the local delight, merveilleux, a light, layered meringue covered in whipped cream and various toppings like chocolate shavings and caramelized hazelnuts. For more avant-garde pastries, check out L’Ogre de Carrouselberg, just a short five-minute stroll away.

Le Perche

Recently, many Parisians have sought refuge in Le Perche, a serene area and regional park in lower Normandy. Not too far from the capital yet away from the bustle, its charming hills, artisanal design shops, and rustic restaurants offer a perfect escape for city dwellers and acclaimed chefs alike.

D’Une Île

Location: RémalardDistance from Paris: 93 miles westDrive time: 2 hours

Years before Le Perche became a sought-after retreat for Parisians, chefs Bertrand Grébaut and Théo Pourriat from Septime acquired this charming 17th-century farmhouse set on nearly 20 acres. The property features ten minimalist guest rooms, adorned with simple white linens, exposed beams, and vintage decor, spread across various stone structures. Overnight guests enjoy priority reservations for dinner at the farm-to-table restaurant.

The menu, crafted by a team that previously collaborated with Grébaut and Pourriat in Paris, is inspired by the garden, seasonal produce, and simple pleasures. They exclusively use ingredients from local farmers and markets (no olive oil or citrus), resulting in a rustic menu that highlights fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Diners can savor buttermilk-grilled leeks, tangy pickled veggies, fresh goat cheese, bone-roasted leg of lamb served with jus, house-made pommeau foie gras with roasted shallot puree and crunchy granola, as well as seasonal fruit tarts and vanilla grass cream puffs, which have gained such popularity they were added to their bakery menu at Tâpisserie in Paris.

Oiseau Oiseau

Location: Préaux-du-PercheDistance from Paris: 93 miles west Drive time: 2 hours

Chef Sven Chartier, a protégé of Alain Passard, made waves when he closed his Michelin-starred Saturne in 2019, subsequently moving to the Perche countryside in late 2020. His laid-back neo-bistro, Oiseau Oiseau, launched in October 2021 in the tranquil town of Préaux-du-Perche, featuring a concise seasonal menu. The dining space often buzzes with locals, alongside many Parisians who travel for weekend lunches.

Chartier operates the bistro with his wife Marianne and his brother Nils, who manages the natural wine selection (some bottles are also for sale in the back shop). While the menu may not showcase the same creativity as at Saturne, his skill in seasoning and texture shines through in comforting dishes like grilled chicken with fresh vegetables, vegetable pie wrapped in puff pastry, yuzu kosho pâté en croûte with pistachios and almonds, hay-smoked duck breast, and a rich chocolate tart paired with buckwheat ice cream and crunchy hemp praline.

La Planque en Perche

Location: Bellou-le-TrichardDistance from Paris: 111 miles westDrive time: 2.5 hours

This recently opened restaurant and inn is nestled far from the road in a historic farmhouse and barn, surrounded by 740 acres of fields and horse-dotted farmland. Owners Julie and Stéphane Lehembre dedicated two years to restoring the abandoned site with solar energy and eco-friendly materials, transforming it into a serene retreat for weekend getaways. Now, two years post-opening, the couple offers five spacious guest rooms, each featuring love seats with panoramic views of the landscape, with plans for more rooms and a wellness area in the future.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant buzzes with diners, all dishes prepared by Julie, a graduate of Alain Ducasse’s cooking school. Guests often start the evening with an aperitif by the fire before enjoying a seasonal menu that highlights local produce, some of which is grown in the property’s own garden. In winter, expect dishes like squash and roasted carrot soup, mimosa-style roasted leeks, and beef confit with sweet potatoes. As summer arrives, dining and socializing spill outdoors for a festive evening under the stars.

Lindsey Tramuta is a journalist, author, and podcaster who has called Paris home since 2006. She frequently contributes to The New York Times, Dinogo, Condé Nast Traveler, Bloomberg, and various other international outlets. Her debut book, The New Paris,, explored the changing landscape of the French capital, while her latest work, The New Parisienne,, challenges the stereotype of the Parisian woman and highlights over 40 women shaping the city's present and future.