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
Official Website: Château de Versailles
Fee: Yes, however Entry to the Palace itself is free with the Paris Pass. Admission is also free on the first Sunday of each month from November to March. Otherwise admission charges apply. See the official website for details.Some attractions may have reduced hours or be closed due to COVID-19. Please verify opening hours with the attraction before visiting.
Closed Now
Regular Hours:
- 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
Category: Landmarks & Historical Buildings Castles
Address:
Place d'Armes
78000 Versailles
France
Phone: +33 1 30 83 78 00
Reviews
Gerry T. Apr-28-2020
A chateau is a small French Castle, located in the countryside. And this one is really popular - the queue was probably as long as the one for Eiffel Tower.... Read More
John P. Sep-18-2020
Best palace to tour in France. So much history, art, architecture, and experience. This place gets very busy! I recommend getting VIP tickets in advance.... Read More
Linh C. Jan-14-2020
The Chateau de Versailles was on my must see list on my Spring 2019 trip to Paris. It is about 40 minutes on the metro train from the Paris city center.... Read More
Accommodations near Château de Versailles:
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: Yelp Photo Credit: Yelp Photo Credit: Yelp -
Photo Credit: Daniel_Hache - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Daniel_Hache - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Daniel_Hache - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Daniel_Hache - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr