Hi, During my research for our trip to France in December I saw reference to a book by Annabel Simms 'An Hour from Paris'. Might be worth a Google search. Also I would consider a visit to the Loire region. I believe the fast train to Tours doesn't take too long. Enjoy your trip!

I agree with djk -- and a half day won't get you far enough from town to see much BUT urban -- Paris is as much urban sprawl as any other major city, so a half day will get you out to the sugarbeet and wheat fields, it won't get you far enough to see wide open spaces.

Three days is barely enough time to see Paris (especially by the time you subtract the airport logistics and jet lag -- I'd just stay in the city).

You're going to be so oveewhelmed with all that Paris has to offer that you'd be sick it you had to leave for even 1/2 a day....

Countryside for half a day - that's a tough one. Chantilly may be the closest you get (or Versailles). If it just has to be nature and outside of Paris, I think a palace with gardens is your best bet. Alternatively, you could visit one of the parks around Paris. Another thought is to rent a car for the day to take you outside the city, but for half a day, not really the best bang for your money.

google Chartres and see if that sounds like what you're looking for. Maybe not a half-day, but a 2/3 day trip - and you'd still have the evening to enjoy Paris.

Versailles is probably the easiest day trip - it's a really wealthy suburb, and tons of really pretty architecture - if you skip the palace, that's about a half-day trip.

Have fun in Paris.

I have done about half the trips in Simms book -- several of them e.g. Ecouen, Rambouillet, Sceaux, Villaneuve Triage and Champigny guinguettes, and Senlis are described with pictures in my travel blog www.janettravels.wordpress.com. I have also been to Chartres several times, Chantilly, Fountainebleau, Versailles and Ouvers-sur-Oise -- and also to Giverny and Vaux le Vicomte which are described in the blog.

When I think of 'countryside' I think of rural farm country like Burgundy with picturesque villages -- I don't think you get that in any of these spots and the countryside around Paris is not picturesque in the way that Burgundy and the Dordogne and Provence are IMHO as you pass through on the train. These are all worthwhile day trips but not at the expense of Paris.

And November is cold, dark early, likely to be rainy so that day trips out of town are not likely to be filled with sunny charm.

With only 3 days, I would stay in Paris -- if you want a hint of countryside opt for the Bois du Bologne if you have a nice day or settle for visits to some of the lovely local parks like Butte Chamont, Luxembourg Gardens or many others.

Trying to get out of town with so little time and in November is not likely to reward your effort and will suck up your time.

Maybe it wasn't a realistic idea. I guess I was thinking an hour train ride might get us somewhere worthwhile, but 3 days is not long at all. I'll check out a couple of the ideas and see if any seem realistic.

I would have suggested Chartres which gets you a village, a good place to have lunch and one of the greatest cathedrals, but I believe it is currently covered in scaffolding

An hour train ride WILL get you someplace absolutely worth your while...but an hour out and an hour back doesn't leave much out of a half a day.