Last updated on April 5th, 2024
The day trip from Paris to the Palace of Versailles is one of my favorite trips to do. Read on for a full Versailles Palace Travel Guide to making this visit for yourself. Sharing with my travel blog, travel tips, and all the useful information.
There are a few interesting day trips you can make from Paris, but one of the popular is to Versailles Palace, a jewel of French Baroque architecture. This historical monument was the principal royal residence of France from 1682 when Louis XIV relocated there.
The Versailles Palace is the second most popular attraction in France, after the Louvre, and has nearly 8 million visitors annually. A visit to the Palace of Versailles gives one an idea of the grandeur in which royalty lived in the 17th and 18th centuries.
We visited the Versailles and had an amazing time here. There are many things to see and do in Versailles Palace. The palace of Versailles is huge, with its 2,300 rooms spread over more than 63,000 square meters. Make sure you don’t miss the King’s state and private apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Gallery of the Great Battles, in addition to the Trianon Palace and the Queen’s Hamlet.
Seeing as how a day trip from Paris to Versailles Palace is definitely one of the most popular things to do for visitors. Much like the Louvre in Paris, the Palace of Versailles is massive. With over 2,300 rooms, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. What to do and where to go?
The Versailles Palace Travel guide below will help you plan your day trip to Versailles, so you are sure to get the most out of Versailles Palace and its Gardens!
The Palace of Versailles
Chateau Versailles or Palace of Versailles is located on the outskirts of Paris, about a 45-minute train ride from the city. Versailles Palace is an expansive property, served as the royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolutions in 1789.
The palace featured seven hundred rooms along with a beautiful garden and fountains, adorned with important works of art. There is also a large collection of paintings and sculptures that are fantastic pieces of art. It is opulent and the history is fascinating.
The history of France is depicted here through and it explains the causes of The French Revolution and the Rise of Napoleon.
Things To Know Before Visit
First of all, you need to know some of the important information before the visit. We have put together this quick and easy Versailles Palace Travel Guide here. Most importantly, we highly recommend a plan when visiting this site, especially if you have somewhat limited time.
The palace opens at 9:00 from Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Monday. The Gardens and the park are open every day and are free to visit.
The Palace is notable for the Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Opera, royal apartments and the more intimate royal residence, and the vast gardens. There is also a good collection of paintings.
The Versailles is very popular among tourists, hence it’s pretty much always crowded. If you wish to capture those perfect pictures, best to visit as early as possible in the morning.
To explore the Versailles Palace, you need to spend at least 3 hours or take the whole day. We recommend a full day of visiting to get the most out of your trip to Versailles.
Definitely worth a visit! You’ll learn a lot about French history and see one of the most incredible buildings in the world.
How To Get To the Versailles from Paris
The journey from Paris to Versailles Palace is relatively simple and straightforward. The easiest way to visit this world-famous palace is by train. Trains run every 15 minutes from 5:30 morning from Paris’s metro station. The journey takes about 45 minutes and costs around €3.65 for one way.
We recommended getting the round-trip ticket at the metro station in Paris. With the same ticket, the metro can be taken from any station in Paris to an RER C station where the train departs to Versailles’ Rive-Gauche station, the final stop near the Palace. You will find helpful signs as you exit the station.
Admission Ticket
You can buy online or in-person at the “Office de Turisme de Versailles” which is located about a 3-minute walk before you get to the gates of the Palace. The Passport ticket costs €20 for access to the palace, Trianon estate, and the gardens. Book through Klook and avail of skip-the-line packages to enter the iconic Château de Versailles! (Get the Palace Ticket from Klook)
Alternatively, get the Paris City Pass or The Paris Museum Pass and both passes allow free admission to the Palace of Versailles. With the pass, you can skip the entry line at Versailles Palace.
Plan ahead, buy your ticket in advance, and follow the correct entrance as per your ticket. It will make a huge difference to your experience.
Note: The admission ticket does not include the special show (musical fountain shows). If you would like to see the show, a separate ticket is required and the cost for these can vary depending on the show.
A Visit to Versailles Palace
During our day trip to Versailles Palace, we planned an entire day and didn’t have a particular agenda. We were blessed with beautiful weather so we did the palace in the morning and the gardens in the early afternoon.
We arrived at Versailles Palace from Paris in the early morning on a weekday by train. After a short walk, we reached the palace grounds. The place was already crowded and there was a long queue waiting to enter even in the early morning. We were glad that we bought the tickets in advance so that we did not have to stand in line too long to get in.
We got to the Palace after 30 minutes and began exploring. Don’t forget to take the audio tour, which provided excellent details for each room we walked through.
Hall of Mirrors
Firstly, we headed directly to the famous Hall of Mirrors. As was expected, this room was especially busy with tourists mulling about, crowding the room.
Yet, despite the heavy traffic, I still found myself enjoying this place. The huge hall is decorated with crystal chandeliers and hundreds of mirrors lining the high-arched walls.
After enjoying the Hall of Mirrors, we retraced our steps to the beginning of the audio tour and enjoyed it. The place is a house of opulence with priceless paintings, furniture, and statues.
The works of art and the overall grandeur of the place are something to behold.
After wandering through the building, we next wander through the garden which is massive. These lavish but beautifully manicured gardens, with their sculptures, flowers, fountains, and ponds, extend for miles and one could easily spend the better part of a day exploring them.
The garden is so big, with lots of places to walk and explore. We did not have enough time to enjoy all of it. If you had more time and budget, you can rent a golf cart or take the petit train to get you around.
Make sure you see the estate of Trianon (known as Marie Antoinette’s estate) as well, which includes a fake peasant village created to provide scenic views and fresh milk and eggs for the Queen.
Versailles Palace Travel Tips
To ensure you have the smoothest trip possible, here are my top Versailles Palace Travel Tips for you!
- Wear comfortable shoes as it’s a lot of walking. Do not wear high heels because of the cobblestone walk to the Palace
- There is dining and plenty of places to grab drinks and snacks, but the price is not cheap.
- Don’t forget to pack water and snacks, especially if you are traveling with children.
- Don’t bring a bag or backpack. You cannot take these into the Palace and so you will be offered to put them in the security room.
- As with many major attractions in Paris, it’s best to book tickets in advance to avoid the queues. The lines get crazy very early, so reserving your place is important.
- Get the skip the line tickets if you can bear having a specific entry time.
- The tour buses and big crowds start showing up by late morning. Arrive early, especially in the high season.
- Free audio guides and maps are available. Collected them and there is part of your admission ticket.
- Buy the round trip ticket in Paris to avoid the long lines to buy the train ticket at the Versailles station when leaving.
Overview: Versailles Palace Travel Guide
All in all, the palace of Versailles is a great day trip from Paris and is very easy to access via public transport. The palace itself is a historic and true marvel, a total sensory overload of treasures and monument to the power and opulence of the French monarchy. A fine example of 18th-century French architecture and art.
In short, we hope this Versailles Palace Travel Guide is helpful. During our time, we enjoyed the visit immensely. The Palace is opulent and I haven’t ever seen any royal residence that has been so grand in its decor. The history, scale, and apparent opulence are amazing. A must-visit place for your Paris trip!
Planning for a trip to Paris? Check out the Paris travel blog here:
- Paris itinerary: 4 Days in Paris Travel Blog
- A Day With Louvre Museum: Ultimate Travel Guide Blog
- Where To Stay in Paris: The Best Areas and Hotels
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- Paris Food Guide: What and Where to Eat in Paris
- Bouillon Chartier: Best Paris Restaurant for Affordable French Cuisine
- Le Poulbot Montmartre: Adorable and Authentic Restaurant in Paris
