Château de Versailles
A trip from Paris to the famous Château de Versailles and the adjoining gardens is a great way to spend a day
The Château de Versailles is a rather famous tourist attraction. It symbolised the monarchy of Louis XIV between 1682 and 1789. It was the centre of power during those years thanks to Louis XIV arranging to have the government and all seats of power housed there. Forcing the regional powers to spend a portion of their time at the palace prevented regional forces from gathering too much power.
It has, as many French landmarks have, been redesigned by the resident monarch a number of times. The first design was by Philibert Le Roy which were followed by four major renovations and extensions to the palace. One of the more significant improvements and extensions was the addition of the King's and Queen's apartments.
The Château de Versailles is now open to the public most days of the week. Modern restrooms have been installed and there are free audio guides available in ten major languages. For those who would like to purchase some knick knacks for family and friends there are a variety of souvenir shops and curio stores. They even have a resident photographer who will gladly take your picture, for a fee.
For those that prefer to ride than to walk around a tourist attraction as large as this, there is an electric vehicle hire available which you can take around the gardens and through the Trianon, the Queen's Hamlet, the Grand Canal and the entire estate. There's a mini train that will take you to the estate of Marie Antoinette the Grand Trianon and little Venice.
It is worth noting that it is best to visit the Château de Versailles on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. This is because Tuesdays are busiest as most other French museums are closed.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Admission is free on the first Sunday of each month from November to March. Otherwise admission charges apply. See the official website for details.Château de Versailles Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Address: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles, France
Phone: 01 30 83 78 00
Official Website: Château de Versailles
Château de Versailles Reviews
Rated out of 5
One of the most beautiful palaces in the world.
We bought online tickets and got in fast.
The hall of mirrors and arts and paintings were so awesome and the gardens and fountains to the back of the palace were really nice too.
Drew Wang - 2 months ago
The Palace of Versailles is one of the most beautiful places in the world, I visited it a couple of years ago with my mother and we booked it 6 weeks early.
We also selected the package of visiting the personal chambers of the king, so a lot of my pictures are from there.
If you intend to visit, I strongly suggest you check their website first and book your tickets in advance. The tour guide might not know good English, so be sure to use any audio guide that may be available.
Finally if you have time, try to visit the gardens, which are exciting! We didn’t go this time because our schedule was tight, but be sure to do so! You can also buy food from inside the palace or bring your own, it’s up to you!
Prodromos Peios - 4 months ago
I would reccomending booking your tickets in advance and go early on in the day to beat the crowds, it's definitely worth it. The Palace and grounds are extensive and you can easily spend the whole day there. We caught the train here from Paris and it was easily one of the highlights of our visit to France, a definite must-visit! Absolutely stunning and lots to see whilst you are there. The ticket also allows access to other buildings in the grounds, which are not to be missed.
Beth K - 4 months ago
Such a beautiful place to visit. Definitely one of the most amazing palaces I've visited in the world. If you love history you'd definitely love this place! It was very busy, but we went during a very busy time of tve year so that was expected. The gardens are gorgeous and you can easily spend a few hours in this Palace. I'd highly recommend 🏰👌❤️
Chryso N. - 4 months ago
What an amazing experience! Only a quick train ride away from a metro station if staying near the Eiffel Tower. This is definitely a site that cannot be missed. I do recommend going with a tour group so you know where to spend more time in certain rooms along the way. The palace is very large and you will want to explore all of the rooms in addition to the grounds as well!
Alicia Boyd - 4 months ago
Directions
| RER Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| RER-C | Versailles - Rive Gauche | 10 minutes |
How to get to Château de Versailles by RER
By RER: Take the RER-C Train to Versailles - Rive Gauche. Exit the station and go right (north) up Av de General du Gaulle the left on Avenue de Paris to the entrance of Château-de-Versailles.
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Photo Gallery
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Beautiful view of the Grand Canal at the Château de Versailles cc licensed photo by HarshLight -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Jose Losada Foto - cc license via Flickr -
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Photo Credit: Jose Losada Foto - cc license via Flickr -
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Photo Credit: dalbera - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: corno.fulgur75 - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Jorge Lascar - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Daniel_Hache - cc license via Flickr
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