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Visiting Versailles

Updated: Jan 8

The city of Versailles is most famous for it's lavish Palace, the Château de Versaille.


All Information and prices are updated to 2024.


Palace of Versailles, Hall of Mirrors
Palace of Versailles, Hall of Mirrors

"Dreams weigh Nothing" - Marie Antoinette


 

Table of Contents


 

Versailles - How to get there?


We got on the RER C train at the station Invalides, heading to Versailles Château Rive Gauche. From here, it takes about 30 min.

The train tickets did not cost us anything, because we used our Navigo Découverte Card. Normally, depending on where you get on the train, it would cost 3-5 € one way.


All in all, depending on where your accommodation is in Paris, it will take you 60 to 90 min to get to Versailles.

When you reach the train station in Versailles, it is a 10-15min walk to the gates of the Palace.

Avenue leading to the Palace of Versailles
Avenue leading to the Palace of Versailles

 

Tip: Use the Credit Card from Wise with great exchange rates, when paying for your activities.


 

​Palace of Versailles

​The Palace of Versailles is open from 9a.m to 5:30p.m and tickets will cost you around €19.50 per person.


The War Room, Palace of Versailles
The War Room

The Estate of Trianon is open from 12p.m to 5:30p.m and tickets cost €12.


 Estate of Trianon
Petite Trianon

Tip: Buy the Passport with access to the Palace, Estate of Trianon and the Gardens for €21.50 per person.


The Gardens are open to the public from 8a.m to 6p.m.


The Gardens of Versailles
The Gardens of Versailles


 

​Where to eat?


​Located in the Hotel Le Louis Versailles Château - MGallery


 


Spending the night at the Palace of Versailles


Have you ever dreamt of sleeping in a castle and being treated like royalty? Well, at the Palace of Versailles there is a very special hotel that offers exactly that and more!


Le Grand Contrôle Hotel
Le Grand Contrôle Hotel


During your stay at this luxury hotel right on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, prepare to go back in time to another era.



Le Grand Contrôle Hotel
Le Grand Contrôle Hotel

I have to be honest, this hotel is not cheap! But if your budget can handle it, I highly recommend staying here, even if it's just for one night. When you arrive, you are greeted by the staff, who are all dressed in costumes dating back to the time of Louis XIV.

After a very relaxed check-in, we had an excellent little meal in the main parlor until our room was ready.


LE GRAND CONTRÔLE
Snack Parlor

A dedicated butler was assigned to us, and he led us on a little tour of the hotel.

In almost every public room you enter, there are little treats waiting to be eaten.

Le Grand Contrôle
Le Grand Contrôle

We enjoyed our afternoon-Tea, with all the delights Marie-Antoinette would have enjoyed, outside on the patio.

Le Grand Contrôle
Le Grand Contrôle

A wonderful spa area with an indoor pool, sauna and steam bath to use anytime you feel like it.


Le Grand Contrôle
Indoor pool


Golf carts to use anytime you like to explore the Gardens of Versailles.

The private tours of the Palace of Versailles in the evening and the Trianon's Estate and the Queen's Hamlet in the morning are exceptional!

And you will be able to get great pictures of the Hall of Mirrors empty with just yourself in it!





During these tours, you will be able to experience all these magnificent places without the mass crowds, and you will be able to see places that are seldom seen by the public, like the Royal Toilette in the picture below.


Royal Toilette
Royal Toilette

Passemant’s astronomical clock
Passemant’s astronomical clock

In the morning, you will be able to take a private tour of the Trianon's Estate and the Queen's Hamlet before opening hours.


So, once more, if you can treat yourself to a night at Le Grand Contrôle Hotel, do it!





 

Gardens of Versailles


The Gardens of Versailles are open to the public from 8a.m to 6p.m.


Gardens of Versailles
Gardens of Versailles

Keep in mind that this area is huge!

A great way to explore the gardens and park of the Palace of Versailles is to rent a golf cart!

They are equipped with a geolocation system and an audio guide in 8 languages.

It will cost €38 per hour, and you will need to be at least 24 years old to rent one.

Hire every day from 10am to 5.30pm from 15 February to the end of March, from 10am to 6.45pm from April to October, and from 10am to 5pm from November to December.


There are two hiring points, one is in the gardens on the Water Parterre South Terrace next to the Palace and the other is between the park and the gardens near the bicycle hire point in Little Venice.


The Queen's Hamlet
The Queen's Hamlet

A cheaper option is to hire a bike to discover the park, the Grand Canal or Little Venice or visit the Trianon palaces and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate.

Go to the hiring point at Little Venice on the banks of the Grand Canal.

One hour will cost you €9, a half-day rental (4 hours) will cost €19.

Hire is possible every day from 10am to 5.30pm from mid-February to the end of March, from 10am to 6.45pm from April to October and 10am to 5pm from early to mid-November.



 

Where to eat?

Offers Italian cuisine between Apollo’s Fountain and the Grand Canal of the Versailles park, with a shaded terrace.



 




Best Hotels in Versailles



The Le Louis Versailles Château - MGallery Hotel is less than a 5-minute walk from the Château de Versailles and just about a 2-minute walk from the RER train station Versailles Château Rive Gauche.

Here you will also find the restaurant L'Alcôve.





 


A charming Hotel with a small flower garden and a cozy atmosphere.

It is just about a 2-minute walk from the Palace of Versailles and just a 5minute walk to the train station Versailles Rive Gauche.




 


During your stay at this luxury hotel right on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, prepare to go back in time to another era.




 

How to get from Versailles to CDG Airport?


Take the RER C train from Rive Gauche Station to Paris and get out at the stop Saint Michel/Notre Dame. There you have to change to RER B Train to CDG Airport.

The whole journey will take you about 1 hour and 30 min.

Once again, we used our Navigo Découverte Card. Normally, a single ticket will cost you around €12 one-way.


Navigo Découverte Card
Navigo Découverte Card

 



 

* We paid for this Paris vacation out of our own pocket. All tips given are our own. Some links are advertising links. This means that, if you book something through these links, we receive a small commission. Every month we donate 20% of our earnings to an animal shelter, animal sanctuary or animal welfare organization around the world.

Thank you for your support!


 

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