The Chateau of Versailles is a magnificent palace and estate that was the home of the kings of France from 1662 (Louis XIV) to 1789 (Louis XVI).
And it is one of the most magnificent examples of royal residence from the 15th and 16th century a visitor can see.
When you come to think about the importance of this place as one of the settings of the French Revolution and how much what it represented to the French people of then (and now) affected the world we live in today, seeing it for yourself is a must when in France.
But let’s not waste the experience by not preparing carefully. Here’s how.
1. Consider reading a bit about the history
From Wikipedia: “When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some 20 kilometers southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.”
Considering the huge implications the French Revolution had on western civilization such as the State of Law and the separation of powers that we take for granted today, visiting the Palace is not-to-miss side trip from Paris.
Not only that, the Palace has been the site of many historical events such as the signing of The Treaty of Versailles that was part of the end of World War I in 1919.
We could speak volumes about the Chateau of Versailles but in this article I’m going to focus on the practicalities of the visit.
2. Consider visiting the Chateau of Versailles’ website
Le Château has an extensive and beautiful website, which I encourage you to visit as is contains all the relevant information. Not only that, it has many pages full of images, history, maps and almost everything you need to know for your visit.
Research the different admission options prior to your visit and if you can, check out the procedure, purchase your tickets online and print them out at home as it will save you valuable time.
There are many wonderful exhibitions and shows that perhaps you want to attend. Be sure to check the schedules on the website.
3. Consider how you’re arriving to The Chateau
You’re going to be walking a lot (and I mean, A LOT) during your visit, so wear very comfortable shoes as there are not many places to sit down, you are going to spend a full day visiting Le Château.
The ride from Paris to Versailles the town, is about 30 minutes after you’ve taken the C train (direction Versailles), but allow about an hour depending on where you’re staying in Paris. Make sure to buy a “Paris – Versailles Rive Gauche” ticket (zones 1-4) (T+ ticket is not valid for this journey).
Once you arrive to the “Paris – Versailles Rive Gauche” station, there’s a bit of a walk, about 10 to 15 minutes until you reach the golden gates of the Palace. Just follow the crowds. Click here to see an image of the entrances.
Now, depending on the tickets you purchased or if you used the Paris Museum Pass, have clarity on what your ticket includes. When we went there we found out that we were allowed to visit the Palace, but going through the gardens to reach the Grand Trianon, was an extra €8! I believe children enter free.
4. Consider the time you’ll be there
The Chateau of Versailles Estate is huge. The Palace itself is one thing, but Le Grand Trianon, Le Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette’s Estate are another and they’re quite far from one another.
From Le Château’s website:
“Estimate Of The Ideal Visit Time: Interior of the Château: 2h-2h30. From the Château to Marie-Antoinette’s Estate: 20 to 30 minutes on foot. Visit to the 2 Châteaux de Trianon: about 2h”
Download the map and here are some additional tips.
In any case, confirm opening hours and events as they do change quite a bit depending on shows, exhibitions, restoration work and seasons.
5. Consider how to get from the Palace of Versailles to Marie Antoinette’s Estate
There’s a mini-train from the Palace to Le Grand Trianon, but beware, it sometimes takes up to 45 minutes to come around and they do charge an extra fee. The train rides inside the Estate, but if you’re walking, you have to get out of the Estate and find the separate entrance to Marie Antoinette’s Estate. It is a 30 minute walk, approximately.
When we visited, we took this train on our way back in the afternoon and ended up getting off at the back end of the gardens, which allowed us to visit them for free! We were not sure if that was allowed… but the fountains were shut off, so we didn’t get to see the gardens in their full splendor.
6. Consider where you’ll eat
Dining at Le Château is really expensive, but there are some nice restaurants with great food near the golden gates and on your way to Le Grand Trianon. Outside food is not allowed and it’s not like you can make a pic-nic, this is a rather elegant site.
7. Consider hiring a tour guide
If money is not a constraint, I absolutely recommend hiring a tour guide. Even though there are audio guides that you can purchase, having a live person tell you all the intriguing stories is so much better.
Ok, so that was my quick guide of practicalities for visiting the Chateau of Versailles, I hope you found it useful when planning a trip to Paris!
If you have any questions or comments, or would like to share your experience at The Chateau, please drop me a line in the comments field.
And finally how about sharing this article if you liked it!
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Hey everyone. Just want to post a suggestion for Versailles. Look up a tour group called Fat Tire Tours. They do amazing tours of that area. I am going on one this next year and the reviews for all of their Versailles tours are amazing so I am looking forward to it.
Thank you for these tips.
If the only available ticket online is for 9 a.m., should I buy it?
Will I be able to show up at 1 p.m. and enter?
How strict are they with the time stamp on your ticket?
Thanks in advance
Thank you for your helpful tips. I will be in Paris in mid May and from what I’ve read online and on the official site the palace is always crowded. I’m planning to go on a Friday. If I get there for 9 am, is this a good move to experience shorter lines and fewer crowds?
Well, getting there early will always be your best strategy. I haven’t read anywhere about any other tactics you may use to avoid crowds. It’s always crowded. I’d say your best bet is the time of year you choose to go, i.e. not during high season. Winter will always be best.
May seems like a nice time; just go with the flow, don’t sweat the crowds and have a great time!
Versailles is one of our favorite places in France.
We recently posted a guide, mainly through the awesome gardens. http://www.thegrasshopperie.com/versailles/
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Quite concrete and useful tips!
I visited Versailles several times, but I always get frustrated by the experience, one way or another (too much attendance, no water in the fountains, wrong timing, feeling hungry or thirsty in the wrong place, no time to visit the Trianon or Marie-Antoinette’s country house, kids exhausted…)
Preparing the visit is the key. Thanks for all these precious pieces of advice, Gery
Thank you so much, Gery! Yeah, Versailles can be frustrating for sure, it’s one of France’s most visited attractions, so it’s due to always be packed. But I recommend to see past that for what it is, a fantastic piece of world history. Thanks so much for your comment!
It’s been a few years since I’ve been there, but I have vivid memories of the parking lot swarming with touts – it can be rather crowded midday, so it pays to keep an eye out for pickpockets.
Chateau of Versailles is a beautiful place to visit the only problem is that the waiting line is very long. This is one of those landmarks you have no other way but follow the crowd to walk through. There are plenty to walk and to see here. If you are going to visit the site and you are staying at a Disneyland hotel, it’s better for you to book it at the concierge desk instead of booking or going on your own.
Excellent tips, thank you! The best tips I can give to minimize waiting in line are: 1. Arrive early. 2. Travel during shoulder season or winter. September-October is ideal. 3. With the Paris Museum Pass (http://en.parismuseumpass.com/) you get a special entrance, so the line is not as long! ;-)
I like this usefull information, for that reason I wanna thank you for posting it and I’ll follow your blog even more when you’ll keep up the good work!
Thank you, how about sharing some of your travel experiences?
[…] ?Song Title: ??? Mon Amour – Artist: Jean Francois Maurice ??? The Palace of Versailles or simply Versailles is a royal château in Versailles, the Île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles. When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some twenty kilometres southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the center of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régim. Before the construction of the Palace, there was a small royal hunting lodge. This structure would become the core of the new palace. Louis XIII's successor, Louis XIV, had a great interest in Versailles. He settled on the royal hunting lodge at Versailles and over the following decades had it expanded into one of the largest palaces in the world (Félibien, 1703; Marie, 1972; Verlet, 1985). Beginning in 1661, the architect Louis Le Vau, landscape architect André Le Nôtre, and painter-decorator Charles Le Brun began a detailed renovation and expansion of the château. This was done to fulfill Louis XIV's desire to establish a new centre for the royal court. Following the Treaties of Nijmegen in 1678, he began to gradually move the … Other Cruises online ?Song Title: ??? Mon Amour – Artist: Jean Francois Maurice ??? The Palace of Versailles or simply V…bed> […]