Wondering what the best things to do near Disneyland Paris are? In this guide we round up the best things to do around Disneyland Paris as well other attractions near Disneyland Paris that are worth visiting for those that have more room in their Disneyland Paris itinerary.
Disneyland Paris is a fabulous vacation whatever your age when visiting. However sometimes having a break from the parks is needed and one of the great things about Disneyland Paris is that there are lots of things to do near Disneyland Paris. Some of out favourites are listed below along with instructions on how to get there.
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Best Things to Do Near Disneyland Paris
Enjoy Disney Village
The Disney Village in Paris is equivalent to Downtown Disney at Disneyland California and Disney Springs at Walt Disney World and is located just outside the gates of the parks. One of the great things about the Disney Village is that you don’t need a ticket to get into the Disney Village so it is perfect for the day you arrive or leave Disneyland Paris if you don’t have tickets for those days.
Disney Village is great for those who love shopping as it includes a large Disney shop, lots of eateries such as the Rainforest cafe and Annette’s to name a few and there is usually live music somewhere in the village. It is also great for those visiting Disneyland Paris on a budget as Disney Village has lots of the cheapest eats at Disneyland Paris.
We always spend at least a few hours at the Disney Village whenever we visit Disneyland Paris.
Enjoy a Hot Air Balloon Ride
Also in the Village but at a separate cost to your Park tickets is the panoramic balloon. The Panoramic Balloon is a great way to see the Disney parks and surrounding areas from the sky.
However please note it is only operational during good weather. We have tried several times to get on this both when we visited Disneyland Paris in August and when we visited Disneyland Paris in December and have yet to be able to ride this as on both occasions it was too windy to ride.
Once we have we will update this post with how we found this experience.
Go Shopping at Val D’Europe
Located just one stop on the train away from Disneyland Paris at Marne la Vallee is a large shopping mall called Val D’Europe.
Val D’Europe is a shoppers paradise as there are a plethora of great shopping outlets with some that will be familiar to UK visitors and some uniquely French ones.
The other great thing about visiting Val D’Europe is that there is a large hyper market called Auchan. If you are staying off site and self catering rather than staying on site at Disneyland Paris it is worth making a trip here as it is the best place to grab food and supplies.
Go to the Aquarium – one of the best things to do around Disneyland Paris
Another reason to visit the Val D’Europe shopping centre is to the Visit the Val D”Europe Sealife Centre. This sea life centre is great for those visiting Disneyland Paris with toddlers but who want to get away from the parks for an hour or two as it is educational and fun.
Versailles – places to visit near disneyland Paris
Versailles – places to visit near disneyland Paris
If you are looking for a more cultural excursion, then a one hour drive from the park and you can get to the beautiful royal palace of Versailles. It is a great place to learn about French history and a tonic to the parks.
However if you are visiting in Summer don’t expect to be escaping the crowds as Versailles is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Paris.
Chateau of Champs Sur Marne
If you fancy visiting a chateau but don’t want to drive for an hour to get to Versailles then the Chateau of Champs sur Marne is a great alternative. Located just a short 20 minute drive away from Disney.
Day Trip to Paris from Disneyland Paris
Day Trip to Paris from Disneyland Paris
Perhaps the best thing to do near Disneyland Paris if you are looking for a whole day experience is to head into Paris where there are countless ways to wile away a day away from the parks.
A day trip from Disneyland is completely doable via a 40 minute train ride from Marne la Vallee station. Once you are there you will be spoilt for choice for things to do from visiting the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre. For information on the best ways to get from Gare Du Nord to Disneyland Paris and back again check out this post.
In our opinion you have not been to Paris until you have visited the Eiffel Tower and is a must do for any day trip to Paris from Disneyland. And if you have been to Paris before not to worry there are loads of Paris hidden gems to uncover.
For more information on how to travel to the Eiffel Tower from Disneyland Paris check out this post. Or if you don’t have time to head into Paris to see the Eiffel Tower up close and personal then check out this post which will tell you where you can see the Eiffel Tower from the Disneyland Paris park.
Parc Asterix – places to visit near disneyland paris
If you want a day off Disney but aren’t theme parked out then a short 50 minute car journey will take you to Parc Asterix (Note: you can take public transport to Parc Asterix from Disneyland Paris but will involve a change and just over an hour in travel time).
Parc Asterix is a more uniquely French theme park experience as this park is dedicated to the world of French icon Asterix. The theming of this Parc is set around the village of Gaul where Asterix lives in the comics and has rids and shows for all ages to enjoy.
Provins
Best things to do near Disneyland Paris
If you want to experience French culture but have already visited Paris then a great way to do so is to visit the town of Provins. Provins is a just over 50Km away from Disneyland Paris and is a UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to it’s beautiful old town.
As an added bonus you can even get to Provins via public transport from Chessy bus station and will take just over an hour to get to.
Provins is the perfect answer to what places to visit near Disneyland Paris for those that want to see some culture but don’t want to go into the city.
Have you done a day trip from Disneyland Paris? Where did you go? If not let us know in the comment which one of these is top of your Disneyland Paris bucket list.