Other wonders are just a few hours or a day trip away from Paris. There are many beautiful castles around Paris, such as the glamorous château de Versailles or the less known château de Chantilly and château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. You can also discover impressionist painter Monet’s house in Giverny and the beautiful gardens and water gardens that the artist painted or Provins (Unesco World Heritage) a well preserved medieval town with ramparts and fortified gates. The town of Troyes has a big collection of 16^th century half-timbered houses. Lille is the city of France farthest north. It has a charming 17^th century historical center of brick and stone buildings and many cozy breweries where you can taste local brewed beers, eat the famous mussels and fries and taste local cheeses. Make a stop in the famous old patisserie Méert and taste its extraordinary waffles.