Visiting Versailles from Paris | All you need to know

How and when to visit the Palace of Versailles? Former residence of the kings of France, the Palace of Versailles is now one of the TOP 5 most visited places in France. Discover all our tips for visiting Versailles from Paris: ticket prices, the best day to visit the Palace of Versailles and its gardens, and how long it takes, guided tours in English, and also where to eat and stay in Versailles. Let’s go!

Palace of Versailles: what to see and visit absolutely? 🤩
Best day to visit the Palace of Versailles (and days to avoid) 🗓
When to visit the Gardens of Versailles? ⛲️
How not to queue at Versailles? 🎟
Which guided tour in Versailles? ✨
How long does it take to visit Versailles? 🕝
Where to eat while visiting Versailles? 🍽
Where to stay to visit the Palace of Versailles? 🛌
Where to park to visit the Palace of Versailles? 🚙
Tips for visiting the Palace of Versailles from Paris: summary🌟

1. What to visit in Versailles (Palace and Gardens)?

What are the 5 must-sees to visit and see at the Palace of Versailles?

1.1. The Hall of Mirrors

73 meters long and 10.5 meters wide, the Hall of Mirrors is one of the most emblematic rooms of the Palace of Versailles. 350 large mirrors cover its walls. The function of the Hall of Mirrors was to dazzle visitors to the Palace of Versailles and demonstrates the King of France’s power. In addition to these mirrors, the ceiling of the Hall of Mirrors is decorated with splendid paintings over nearly 1000 m2. The Hall of Mirrors, completed in 1684, was a real technical challenge for the time. During your visit to the Palace of Versailles, do not miss this room: it is located on the castle’s first floor and overlooks the palace’s gardens.

1.2. The Royal Chapel

Completed in 1710, the Royal Chapel is another jewel of the Palace of Versailles. The Royal Chapel amazes me with its grandeur and beauty. The ceiling of the Royal Chapel is magnificent. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. If you visit the Palace of Versailles, La Chapelle Royale is one of the must-see rooms. Here is a 380-degree overview of the Royal Chapel.

1.3. The Grand Apartments

The Grand Apartments of the Palace of Versailles comprise the “Grand Appartement du Roi” and the “Grand Appartement de la Reine”. These two parts communicate with each other through the Hall of Mirrors. The Apartments are composed of reception rooms and King and Queen bedrooms.

1.4. The Gardens of the Palace of Versailles

The Gardens of the Palace of Versailles are also essential to visit the castle. These gardens are inspired by those of the Château de Vaux le Vicomte, also created by Le Nôtre. Its geometry is a perfect example of French gardens. Discover the plan of the gardens on the Palace of Versailles’ official website.

1.5. The Estate of Trianon and the Gallery of Coaches

The Trianon estate is a few steps away from the Palace of Versailles. It is a real place of intimacy between the king and the queen. Tickets to visit the Estate of Trianon can be purchased separately or with the interior of Versailles’ Palace with a combined ticket. It is a charming place where you can walk and visit more hidden areas of the sovereigns of France. We recommend this visit!

2. Best day to visit the Palace of Versailles (and days to avoid)

When to visit the Palace of Versailles? Here are our tips for enjoying your visit to the castle more.

Closed on Mondays. The Palace of Versailles is closed on Mondays. Find the timetables on the Palace of Versailles website.

The busiest days. The Château de Versailles receives the most visitors on Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday. The weekends of July 14 and August 15 are also jam-packed. Of course, school holidays are also busy times. In the high season, especially in summer, the queue at the entrance can go up to 2 hours if you buy the entrance tickets on-site.

Wednesday and Thursday. These are the best days to visit the Palace of Versailles. In addition, there are also fewer visitors before 10 am. From November to March, excluding Christmas, there are also fewer visitors. These are times when you can visit the Palace of Versailles more quietly and with less queue.

3. When to visit the Gardens of Versailles?

Price to visit the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Free! Access to the Gardens of Versailles is free, except on Fountain Show and Musical Garden days.

Schedule. The Gardens of the Palace of Versailles are open every day from 8 am to 6 pm, except in exceptional weather (for example, strong winds or snow).

To avoid. The Gardens of Versailles are less impressive in winter and even in November. You should know this before preparing for your visit to avoid disappointment.

4. Skip-the-line: tips for visiting Versailles without queueing

Currently, tickets must be booked in advance, reducing the queue to visit the Palace of Versailles.

What is the price of visiting the Palace of Versailles? On the palace’s official website, the entrance fee to visit the Palace of Versailles is 20 euros per person. However, access to the castle is free for children under 18 and students under 26. Find the conditions and other freebies on this page of the Palace of Versailles website. Those who benefit from free admission can go directly to the entrance without going through the cash desks.

Buy tickets: Palace of Versailles only. You can buy tickets to visit the Palace of Versailles alone (without the estate) here: tickets at 18 euros for the interior of the Palace of Versailles. An audio guide in French is included with the ticket. As a reminder: access to the gardens of Versailles is free.

Combined tickets: Palace + Estate of Trianon. If you plan to visit both the interior of the Palace of Versailles and the Estate of Trianon, you can buy tickets in advance here: tickets Palace of Versailles + Estate of Trianon. An audio guide in French is also included.

Guided tour in English. Another way is to visit the Palace of Versailles with a guide. You can find a private guided visit or grouped one. Explanations of a guide are a great addition. You will dive better into the time of France’s kings and understand every palace’s detail. Here is an example of a guided tour in English.

Visiting Versailles from Paris: guided tour. You can also take a guided tour from Paris with transport included. It is the best option if you want to save time on transportation (which RER, how to buy a ticket, etc. For example, this tour includes transport from Paris + a guided tour of the Versailles Palace and Gardens.

5. Which guided tour should you choose for visiting Versailles?

There are private guided tours in English (you are alone with the guide), or in groups to visit the Palace of Versailles and its gardens. Here are some examples to help you choose the guided tour to visit the Palace of Versailles that suits you best.

Guided tour of 1h30 in a group. Guide’s explanations make the visit even more striking during the castle’s visit. The price includes admission to the Palace of Versailles without queuing and the guide’s service. You will find more details and information here: 1h30 guided tour in English at the Palace of Versailles.

Private tour of 2 hours for a family with children. You can also book a private guided tour to visit the Palace of Versailles with your family.

6. How long does it take to visit Versailles?

The duration of the visit to the Palace of Versailles depends on what you want to visit on-site.

Plan at least 1h30 for a quick visit to the Palace of Versailles alone (if you have purchased the tickets in advance).
Add at least 1 hour to visit the Trianon estate.
In total, plan at least half a day to visit the interior of the Palace of Versailles, part of the Gardens of Versailles, and the Trianon estate. For example, the guided tour for visiting Versailles from Paris takes 4 hours.

7. Where to eat while visiting Versailles from Paris?

There are restaurants on the territory of the Palace of Versailles. However, there are better choices for dining.

Here is our selection of good places to eat near the Palace of Versailles. Click on the location to open the business in Google Maps.

Le Bistrot Du 11: tasty bistro cuisine, original and delicious dishes, and good quality products. Just a 4-minute walk from the entrance to the Château de Versailles.
RESTAURANT 17.37: located a 14-minute walk from the castle, this restaurant is also an excellent place to eat well near the Palace of Versailles.

8. Where to stay in Versailles?

Here is our selection of the best hotels near the Palace of Versailles.

Hotel Le Versailles: just a 1-minute walk from the castle, Hotel Le Versailles is an excellent place to stay near the Palace of Versailles. The decoration of the rooms puts us directly in the atmosphere of Versailles. On-site, you will find double rooms but also family rooms.

Mercure Versailles Chateau: a safe bet. This Mercure hotel is a 15-minute walk from the castle, which is very convenient for visiting the Palace of Versailles and its gardens.

Hôtel Versailles Chantiers: an 18-minute walk from the castle and 5 minutes from the train station, this hotel is an excellent place to stay in Versailles.

Hotel des Lys: a 16-minute walk from the castle, this hotel is ideally located for visiting the Palace of Versailles.

9. Where to park to visit the Palace of Versailles?

Get away from the palace. The car parks near the Palace of Versailles are all chargeable. To park for free to visit the Palace of Versailles, you must get away from the castle and walk quite a bit afterward. Moreover, finding an available parking spot can be challenging.

Parking offered by the hotel. If you visit the Palace of Versailles by car and stay overnight, another solution would be to choose a hotel with parking spaces.

Metered parking near the palace. We recommend the car parks near the Domaine de Trianon. Find all the information (map, name, timetables, etc.) on paid car parks around the Palace of Versailles here.

10. Tips for visiting Versailles: in summary

In addition to the interior of the Palace of Versailles, we recommend visiting the Estate of Trianon, including the queen’s hamlet. It is an excellent way to visit the Palace of Versailles differently because most visitors only see its interior.
Take the tickets to visit the Palace of Versailles and the Domaine de Trianon in advance.
Plan half a day to visit the castle and its gardens quietly and to be able to enjoy your visit thoroughly.
If you are going to Versailles by car, pick the car parks on the side of the Estate of Trianon, as they are generally less busy.
Eat in the city after visiting the palace (two tasty places suggested above).

Visiting Versailles is one of the must-sees if you visit Paris and its surroundings.

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