Holidays in Ile-de-France

Ile-de-France is one of the 26 administrative regions of France and is made up mainly of the city of Paris and its suburbs. As well as the obvious attractions of one of the world’s most famous cities, the area is also home to the Euro Disney theme park while you can find many chateaux and historic villages in the countryside surrounding Paris.

Paris

There are so many famous and unmissable tourist attractions in Paris that it is difficult to know where to start! Many people head straight for the Eiffel Tower and while it is great fun ascending this iconic landmark, you can get better views of the city from either the top of the Arc de Triomphe or the steps of the Sacre Coeur church in Montmartre, as any photos you take from these vantage points will have the Eiffel Tower in them. Montmartre itself is well worth a visit if you want to see what Paris was like in the last century. The narrow twisting streets haven’t changed much since that time and the main square is still home to local artists who will paint your portrait for a few euros. There are countless museums and art galleries to choose from; the Louvre may be the most famous, but it is also the busiest and its sheer size can be daunting. The Musee d’Orsay is smaller and quieter, but still has plenty of world famous paintings, including works by van Gogh and Monet.

Euro Disney

The theme park is located just outside the city of Paris and is very similar to the US versions, with only a few nods to its European locations. The best ride is Space Mountain, which in Euro Disney is inspired by the French novel From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne. All the favourite Disney rides are there – the spinning teacups are always popular – as is Sleeping Beauty’s Palace and the daily parade is well worth watching. Although if you’ve seen one before at another Disney park, it’s a great time to go on the busier rides as the queues are usually shorter.

Outside the City

The most famous chateau in the Ile-de-France countryside is Versailles, the ancient home of the Kings and Queens of France. The palace itself is ridiculously opulent, with paintings by famous artists in every room and the amazing hall of mirrors. The gardens too are worth exploring and you can hire a boat to row on the lake there. The region is also famous for Brie cheese and you should try and sample one of the local varieties while you are here – and maybe buy some to bring home too.


The Author writes for Holiday Home Rentals who have a selection of Apartments in Ile-de-France and Villas in France which can be rented direct from their owners.