The Île-de-France region around Paris is worth exploring beyond the city limits. The grand palace of Versailles — built by Louis XIV to project absolute royal power — is an unmissable day trip, though it draws enormous crowds in summer; go early or on a weekday. A little further south, the palace of Fontainebleau is less visited and equally impressive, surrounded by a magnificent forest that's world-renowned for bouldering.
Disneyland Paris, near Marne-la-Vallée, draws its own crowd and is well-run by European theme park standards.
