For the cost of a few nights in a hotel in Paris you can rent a whole apartment for a week. If you think that's too long in a city there are plenty places for days out and you don't need to have a car to make the most of these opportunities.

The Palace of Versailles is easily accessible in 35 to 40 minutes by RER line C from various stops on the left bank to Versailles Rive Gauche station, only 700 metres from the palace. When you get off the train there are plenty of signs to the palace and it is an easy walk or short bus ride. If you want to avoid the long queues (over an hour the last time I went), it is worth buying a One Day Pass for 25 Euros. Although this may sound expensive it is easy to spend a whole day at the château – bring a picnic or eat at one of the various outlets. It is possible to do an independent visit, an audio-guide or live guide. The château was built for Louis XIV in the mid seventeenth century by 30,000 workers and soldiers and is a highly impressive display of luxury. The Hall of Mirrors was closed for three years for renovation but has recently re-opened to the public. During the summer there are all sorts of evening attractions at Versailles, including fountain displays and fireworks. Check the website for details.

If you prefer your châteaux less crowded, a trip to Fontainebleau is a must. This is a beautiful Renaissance château surrounded by the Forest of Fontainebleau, previously the royal hunting ground. The train from Paris' Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon takes between 45 minutes and an hour and local buses connect with the trains for the fifteen minute trip to the château. The admission fee is half the price of Versailles and entry to the gardens is free.

Love it or loathe it, if you have children you are unlikely to escape a holiday in Paris without a visit to Disneyland. It is about a 40 minute journey on the RER Line A from Auber, Chatelet or Etoile and you can buy a day ticket or a pass for two or three days, which need not be consecutive.

The Disneyland Park has five sections:

• Main St, a re-creation of an early twentieth century small American town.
• Frontierland, a recreation of a Wild West town with the popular Big Thunder Mountain ride and the Phantom Manor.
• Adventureland, with its Pirates of the Caribbean ride and the Indiana Jones roller-coaster with complete inversion – one to be avoided straight after lunch!
• Fantasyland, which is great for younger children with its Sleeping Beauty castle and Peter Pan ride plus a plethora of your favourite Disney characters.
• Discoveryland, with one of Disneyland's premiere attractions, Space Mountain, yet another gut-churning roller-coaster.

In addition to the delights of Disneyland Park the newer Walt Disney Studios offer an insight into how films and cartoons are made, stunt shows and studio tours.