Versailles Palace and Gardens: A Visitor’s Guide

When someone says they’re going to Paris, there are two places I tell them they need to visit. The Eiffel Tower and Versailles. The palace and the gardens are magnificent. My favorite part was renting a rowboat and taking it for a spin in one of the ponds. It felt like royalty… but without the ornate wigs and attire.

Here’s what you need to know about visiting Versailles palace and the gardens.

Getting to Versailles, Tickets and Other Info

The Versailles palace is a short train ride out of central Paris. Take Line C of the commuter train, known as the RER, to Chateau de Versailles-Rive Gauche station. From there, you can follow the signs to the entrance of Versailles. It’s about a 10-minute walk.

There are other shuttle bus and city bus options available, but the train is the quickest method.

When it comes to tickets, you’ll want to buy them online before you arrive. It’ll save you a lot of time and help you avoid standing in lines when you could be exploring the magnificent palace.

During peak season, arrive at the palace 45 minutes before the scheduled open time. The line grows quickly, and if you arrive at opening, you may be waiting in line for an hour or more just to get into the palace.

Admission is free for anyone under the age of 18. Wahoo! There are various ticket options, including timed entry, shows, access to only the palace, and more. Check out their website for all the ticket options.

NOTE: The Palace is closed on Mondays, so plan your itinerary accordingly. The Gardens are open everyday, but you wouldn’t want to miss touring the Palace.

Download the free app (Apple or Android) for an audio guide of the Palace and the Gardens.

Touring Inside the Palace

The Palace of Versailles has a lot to see. The most famous area of the palace is the Hall of Mirrors. It was completed in 1686 during the reign of Louis XIV. As you walk the long hallway, imagine the grand celebrations, full-dress balls and masquerade balls held in this very spot.

Beyond the Hall of Mirrors, explore the many other ornately decorated rooms of the palace. You’ll find an endless number of drawing rooms: the Mercury Drawing Room, the Apollo Drawing Room, The Drawing Room of Plenty, and the Venus Drawing Room, to name a few.

Visit the bedchambers of King Louis XV, or Louis XVI’s library or Game Room. You’ll find the Queen’s private chambers as well, which includes the bedroom of Marie Antoinette.

Other areas of the palace that are worth a visit include the Royal Opera and the Royal Chapel. The artwork and gold-lined decor are stunning, and highlight the lavish lifestyle lived by the kings and queens of France.

Walks in the Palace Gardens

The gardens of Versailles seem to stretch for miles in multiple directions. It’d be easy to get lost among the trees, colorful flowers, flowing fountains and pools. I spent a fair amount of time wandering the gardens, yet I don’t believe I was able to see everything the gardens had to offer.

My favorite part of the gardens, beyond the precision of hedges and colors of flowers, was renting a rowboat and going for a spin in one of the ponds. In the distance, I could see the grand palace and imagined the royalty spending a leisurely day in a boat, without a care in the world.

Rather than wandering aimlessly through the gardens, you can grab a map and get a better sense of the fountains you’ll want to see in person. I recommend the Baths of Apollo, the Fountain of Enceladus, and the Ballroom and the Colonnade.

The Details

Address: Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles, France. It’s accessible via Line C of the RER (commuter train). A shuttle or city bus also provide travel from Paris to Versailles.

Cost: Admission ranges from 18 to 30 Euro for an adult ($20-35 USD), depending on what areas you want to explore and if you want to include any shows.

Hours: The palace is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week (closed Mondays). The Gardens are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Website: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/

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