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 magnificent Château de Versailles
The magnificent Château de Versailles cc licensed photo by jaime1

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 4.6 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating This place was incredible! Inside was mostly portraits and some medium size paintings so the revolutionary war. The highlight for us was the kings chambers and the architecture. However the real star of the show is the gardens!! No physical maps when we visited but I recommend using the app the offer which will help you navigate the immense area. Oh also definitely buy tickets in advance. The line for people without them had about 200 people in it by 11am.
Kaitlyn Markham - 2 weeks ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating This place was truly unbelievable. As much research that I did prior to going, I was truly not prepared for how amazing and magnificent it is. The historical significance of its time and the former occupants comes to vision as you walked into each of its rooms. And as you wrapped your head around the magnitude of the interiors, you get wowed by the massive scale of the gardens. This is definitely a must visit while in France.
Isabel Restivo - 3 weeks ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating What an experience! It's even grander than I had imagined. Expect to do a LOT of walking and definitely get the passport ticket WITH little train return ride. We spent an entire day there and it wasn't enough. READ everything about it on their website so you can decide what day to go, because not all of the property is open every day. Also, the Gardens are not always open and free. On Musical Fountains and Gardens days, you have to pay to get in. You also have to pay for parking and entrance to the castle. Again, I stress you do your research before going. AND PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE. They only let so many people in every half hour.
ABG Photography - 2 weeks ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating It is definitely recommended to purchase tickets in advance, we were at the queue at our time slot and easily got in to the grounds, The palace has lots of interesting history throughout it's many rooms with loads to see and read. It can be really busy so timing is of the essence to get photos without heads in them. There is a restaurant within the building but it was so busy we didn't bother, luckily we brought food and had it out in the courtyard. The grounds / gardens are huge, you could spend hours wandering round looking at the monuments, statues, fountains and various exhibits. This is a full day trip so plan round this to get the full experience.
Graeme - 3 weeks ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating Crazy grand and beautiful. The garden is beyond huge make sure you have 3-4 hours spared if you plan to see the palace and garden in one go. The location can be reached by rer, make it very easy to visit.
Victor Tsang - 2 weeks ago

Show More
Show Less

Directions

RER Line Nearest Station Walking Time
RER-CVersailles - Rive Gauche10 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.

Map & Instant Route Finder

Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.

Finding Your Route - Please Wait

Accommodations near Château de Versailles:

Photo Gallery

Video

Please provide consent and/or disable ad blocker to view the video.


Paris Hotel Deals


Book Now, Pay Later
Price Matching
2,563,000+ Properties Worldwide
24/7 Support
booking.com logo
Booking.com sale banner link

Visiting Paris?
Here's why we use Booking.com for our hotel bookings.
Best Selection
Daily Deals
Price Matching
Pay at the Hotel
24/7 Support
Share on Pinterest
Share on Pinterest
Help us grow! Please Share
Thanks for Visiting!