Have you got a few extra days in Paris and looking for somewhere new to explore? How about a Versailles day trip from Paris?
The Palace of Versailles is one of the world’s most famous palaces and its proximity to Paris makes it a wonderful choice for a day trip from the French capital.
The palace has been the center of the main political power in France and Europe and is a must see with its infinite art works, extravagance interior, beautiful green landscapes and dazzling decorations.
See also: Top Things to Do in Paris
Keep on reading to find out how to do a Versailles day trip from Paris.
How to get to Versailles from Paris
The Palace of Versailles is located about 10 miles (16 kilometres) southwest of Paris. The best way to get to Versailles from Paris is via train. The Paris to Versailles train costs about €7 for a round trip – it’s the cheapest way to get to Versailles compared to the bus, Uber or private car.
There are three trains from Paris to Versailles:
- RER C train which starts from various Métro stations in the center of Paris and runs alongside the Seine River
- Train line L starting at Saint Lazare in the center-north of Paris
- Train line N starting in the south of Paris at Montparnasse
The first option is the most popular route as the RER line C from Paris will take you to Versailles Château – Rive Gauche train station, which is only a 10 minutes’ walk to the Palace. It will take you about 1 hour to 90 minutes to get to Versailles.
Taking the train line L is convenient if you’re in the Montmarte area. This train will take you about 45 minutes to get to Chateau Versailles Rive droite train station.
If you’re in the south of Paris, then train line N may be the most convenient option. It will take you about 50 minutes to get to the Chateau rive Gauche train station.
The train is only worth taking if you’re planning on staying the full day as it takes longer than hopping into an Uber or taking a private car.
See also: A Guide to Using the Metro in Paris
What to except to see when visiting the Palace of Versailles
Expect your breath to be taken away. Versailles really is extravagant, but it wasn’t always this way. It was originally a hunting lodge for King Louise XIII in the 1620s. But is now listed as a World Heritage Site for the last 40 years and is one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art.
With 700 rooms spread across two floors surrounded by nearly 2,000 acres of gardens, you could say the palace is rather big! It’s also one of the most visited museums in the world, so don’t expect to be the only one wandering around.
On a tour of the palace, you’ll get to walk through many of the furnished rooms and get a view into the world of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette in the years leading up to the French Revolution.
Here are a few things you’ll see inside the palace on your Versailles day trip:
- The Hall of Mirrors
- The Royal Opera
- The Gallery of Great Battles
- The King’s state apartment
- The Royal Chapel
- Historic galleries
- The congress chambers
The Gardens of Versailles features 200,000 trees, 50 fountains and a 5.57km canal. While walking through the gardens you’ll come across many fountains, statues and beautifully ornate paths.
While visiting the estate of Trianon, built as a more intimate space for the kings of Versailles to retreat, includes:
- The Grand Trianon
- The Petit Trianon
- The English Gardens
- The Queen’s Theatre
- The French Gardens of the Petit Trianon
- The Queen’s Hamlet
Book a private tour of Versailles from Paris
Since the Palace of Versailles is an extremely popular destination, the best way to visit is on a private Versailles day trip.
A Parisian tour guide, Flora curated classic visits and extraordinary tours in Paris, including both a half day and full day Paris day trip to visit Versailles, a visit to the King’s Private apartments. Furthermore, Flora invites you to have lunch at the flamboyant tables of the King’s preserved restaurant, inspired by the dishes of the great century and eat the same vegetables from the same gardens of Louis XIV. You can even ask her to have a quick tour in the Gardens, by walking or with a Driver or by renting Golf Carts.
The half day option includes a visit to the chateau, including the Chapel, the King’s and Queen’s apartments and the Hall or Mirrors. The tour starts in Paris at 9:30am and makes sure that you’re back in time for lunch at around 1pm.
If you have time for the full day Versailles tour, then you’ll also get to visit the small Palace of Marie Antoinette in the afternoon, including her beautiful gardens and hamlets. With a private driver, you’ll get to see more places inside the expansive Palace gardens.
Get exclusive tour access to the private apartments of the King of Versailles
When visiting the Palace of Versailles with Flora as your guide you’ll get to visit Louis XIV personal rooms. The visit includes access to his office, cabinets, dining rooms, libraries, scientific galleries and laboratories. Everything is exquisite and well worth the visit!
These rooms are not open to any public and can only be visited with a licensed tour guide. They are exclusive and they need to be booked in advance.
Versailles tickets and practical information
The Palace and the estate of Trianon are open every day except on Mondays. The Palace opens at 9am and the Trianon estate opens at noon.
A standard Palace entrance ticket costs €18 and a ticket to access the estate of Trianon is €12.
The Gardens and the Park are open and free every day (except on musical fountain display days). During the summer months, the Musical Fountains show is scheduled every weekend, the Musical Gardens show from Tuesday to Friday and the Fountains Night Show every Saturday night, plus Thursday July 14th and Monday August 15th.
Ticket prices for the fountains shows range from €8.50 to €45 – find more information here.
A Versailles day trip from Paris is the perfect addition to your Paris itinerary. For more ideas of things to do in Paris, check out these posts:
- How to Explore the Best of Paris in a Day
- Paris for Beginners: Where and What to Eat, See or Do
- Nightlife in Paris: Explore the Paris Bar Scene
- Food in Paris: A Culinary Centre in Europe
- Exploring Paris by Foot: Walking Guide to Paris
