Paris Day Trip to Enghien-les-Bains
In its history, the spa town, Enghien-les-Bains, begins as the Prince of Condé’s hamlet in 1689. While on a walk near the “pond” in 1766, Abby Louis Cotte happens upon the sulfurous waters. Once the waters are taken to heal an ulcer in the leg of Louis XVIII in 1823, the hamlet becomes a popular destination. The National Assembly declares its official birth date as 1850. And the rest is a Parisian “what else” experience.
Enghien-les-Bains is one of those “right in my own backyard” destinations. Sometimes you travel far for something that you can find in your own backyard. It’s a gem of a day trip. I went there to meet a friend for lunch. My knowledge of Enghien-les-Bains is the train and a wonderful restaurant. The rest is for you to discover and tell me about!
Getting there
In the direction Pontoise from Gare du Nord, the trip takes less than 15 minutes (seven miles from Paris). Trains run about every 20 minutes and cost less than 4 euros one way or use a day card (Mobilis) for zones 1-4 costs 11,50 euros. If you use the new multi-zone Navigo, you are all set. Visit the SNCF Transilien website for the time table. I also suggest downloading an app called: Vianavigo. Vianavigo will give you the portable timetable for your trains.
Where to eat
We enjoyed a pleasant and delicious lunch at Le Pavillon du Lac! The small blackboard at the open kitchen when you enter, tells you the origin of any meat. On the lake and across the street from the spas, this is the place to enjoy a lunch! Great lunch menu on weekdays for 20 euros. While we were waiting for our main course, they brought us a fresh salad as a surprise. The dessert of choice we chose was the café gourmand. Yum!
Tourist website for information
The train station is an easy walk to the lake through downtown. For more information about Enghien-les-Bains, visit the tourist website (available in English). If you are looking for a spa, there are several. The tourist office mentions the Thermes Enghien, the only spa resort in Ile-de-France. A browser search lists more suggestions.
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