5 Best Sights in Side Trips from Paris, France

Lined with lively cafés, bars, and houseboats that are actually lived in, this leafy promenade on the banks of the Seine is the city's best spot for a relaxing walk along the river and to take in the city scapes.

A stroll through this magnificent, newly renovated 19th-century château and its superb park and gardens makes for a lovely afternoon.

Built on a rocky promontory in the heights of the old town, this ancient church—a classified historic monument—dates to the 11th century and was expanded in the 19th century. The relics of Saint Honorine, which originally arrived in the city in 876 and for which the town is partly named, were removed for protection in the 12th century but found their way back here after the French Revolution. Their journey is depicted in a beautiful window over the chapel of Saint Honorine. The church also houses the tombs of Mathieu IV de Montmorency and Jean Ier, important nobles who were interred here in the 14th century, followed by various family members up to the 17th century.

A fascinating journey down the rivers of France via 200 model boats and other objects and relics illustrating the history and evolution of river travel, whether for defense, trade, or pleasure. The recently restored museum boasts the largest collection of its kind in France and also serves as a research center. The museum is situated on the grounds of the magnificent Château du Prieuré.

At 50 feet high with all four walls intact, this imposing tower is one of the best examples of a Romanesque castle keep in the region. A symbol of the power and influence of the lords of Conflans, the 11th-century edifice served both as a residence and fortress in its strategic location on a high point overlooking the Seine on one side and the valley on the other.