Provins: Go Medieval. Provins is a living medieval village that dates back to the 9th century. It is surrounded by wheat and yellow canola fields and has around 12,000 residents. Located in the Seine-et-Marne department (77), it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and easily gives you an entire day of sightseeing around one of Europe’s most well-kept medieval villages. 
The town is surrounded by sturdy, thick, and impressively intact walls, its ramparts. You can walk in the large, dry moat that encircles the ramparts and you can climb up to the top of them and see for miles. Provins is full of medieval architecture, including towers and half-timbered houses. Both inside and outside of the ramparts, Provins has several daily stage productions. The acting isn’t what you would call high-quality, but kids like it and you may learn something, too. Just outside of the ramparts, to the right of the main entrance to the town, is a show entitled The Attack of the Ramparts. Here you will see knights on horses defending the ramparts and ladies from evildoers.  This show offers a glimpse into medieval life and there’s even a working catapult. Inside the ramparts are two other horse shows and a bird show. The bird show features falcons and American bald eagles that swoop down over the audience and attack prey. After the show, you can walk around the birdhouses and see just how orange the owl’s eyes really are. The main square of the town is surrounded by timbered houses and several relaxing restaurants. Of the dozens of buildings and monuments that you can visit in Provins, the top two to make time for are the Tour César and the Saint Quiriace church.  Near the main square is the Tour César, which was built in the 12th century. Walking from the main square to the tower, you pass by a small vineyard. You can visit this tower and climb its ever-shrinking staircases (the stairs get smaller, the ceiling gets lower, the walls get closer together!) up to the bells. The tower was the muster point in the event of an attack and also housed the prison. You can see where the prison guard lived. 
The Saint Quiriace church is a simple, rectangular, early gothic church with a tall vaulted ceiling and modest wooden chairs. Construction began in the 12th century and it was never really completed. In fact, different parts of the church can show you different period styles—the zinc dome was put in place in the 19th century. 
Provins also hosts medieval festivals throughout the year (if you go in a medieval costume, admission is free). Walking around the city is free, but you’ll have to buy individual tickets to get into most of the monuments and to see the shows. You can get to Provins by car on the A4 (in the direction of Metz/Strasbourg), taking exit 13 (Serris) and then following the signs to Provins on the D231. There’s parking just outside of the ramparts with a tourist office where you can purchase tickets to individual attractions and tours. Alternatively, you can get a direct train from Gare de l’Est. For more information on show times and tours, visit the Provins website. 
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