Loiret · 1 hour from Paris by train

Montargis, the Venice of the Gâtinais

131 bridges and footbridges, flower-lined canals, France's oldest confectionery and a 4,000-hectare forest. Welcome to the prettiest water town one hour from Paris — covered by your Navigo pass.

Explore the town Where to stay

The guide

Everything to know before you come

Guides written the way you'd advise a friend: genuinely good spots, walks worth the detour, and zero copy-pasted brochures.

Must-sees

Things to do in Montargis

Flower-lined canals, the Girodet museum, the market, the castle, Closiers lake: the 15 experiences not to miss, tested and ranked.

Read the guide

2-day itinerary

A weekend from Paris

One hour from Gare de Lyon — included in the Navigo pass. Our hour-by-hour itinerary for two perfect days.

See the itinerary

Slow travel

Montargis by bike

The Briare canal, the Scandibérique (EuroVelo 3) and the state forest: three flat rides, accessible to everyone.

Plan the ride

Gourmet

Mazet praslines & good tables

France's oldest confectionery (1636), the “crottes du chien” chocolates, Gâtinais honey and where to eat well.

Work up an appetite

Astonishing history

When China awoke in Montargis

Deng Xiaoping worked here at 16. In the footsteps of the 300 Chinese students who changed 20th-century history.

Step back in time

Day trips

Around Montargis

The Briare canal-bridge, Ferrières-en-Gâtinais, Yèvre-le-Châtel: treasures less than 45 minutes away, ideal by car or bike.

Explore the area

The apartment's light-filled living room

★★★★★ 5.0 · on Airbnb

Charming cosy flat · station & centre

60 m² · 4 guests · 2 bedrooms · central Montargis

A bright, warm apartment steps from the station and the canals: the ideal base to explore the Venice of the Gâtinais on foot — and its surroundings with the two bikes provided.

City centre, station on foot
Free parking space
2 bikes provided
Small shared garden
2 bedrooms + desk nook
Self check-in

Check availability on Airbnb

Where to stay

Drop your bags in the heart of town

Montargis is best savoured on foot, wandering from footbridge to footbridge. So the smart move is to sleep right in the centre: you step out, and the town is yours — the bakery on the corner, the Saturday-morning market, the canals two minutes away.

Our recommendation: this 60 m² apartment, designed for couples and small tribes alike. Free parking (rare in the centre), a shared garden for evening drinks, and two bikes to glide along the Briare canal as soon as breakfast is done.

Business trip or remote-working escape? The desk nook and fast WiFi also make the apartment a great weekday base.

First visit?

A perfect day, in 4 movements

Montargis distilled, if you only have one day. For the full two-day version, follow our weekend itinerary.

Stroll the canals

The signposted “Venice of the Gâtinais” walk: 5 km of quays, flower-decked footbridges and façades mirrored in the water.

Bite into a prasline

A gourmet pilgrimage to Maison Mazet, confectioners since 1636 — the original caramelised roasted almond.

Muse at the Girodet

The Girodet museum, recently renovated home of the town's star painter, on the banks of the Loing in the Durzy garden.

Pedal along the water

Late afternoon by bike along the Briare canal, past locks and moored barges.

Practical

Getting here & around

→ By train

Transilien line R from Paris Gare de Lyon: about 1h, one train per hour. The trip is included in the all-zones Navigo pass — the cheapest weekend of your year. The station is a few minutes' walk from the centre (and from the apartment).

→ By car

Via the A77 (Montargis exit): ~1h30 from Paris, 45 min from Orléans. Staying in the centre with a free parking space, you can forget the car for the whole trip — everything is walkable or bikeable.

→ The best days

Markets on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. From April to October, cruises on the Briare canal and a town in bloom — the best season for photos. December has its charm too: lights on the canals and hot chocolate.