How to Visit the Palace of Versailles and Not Just Follow the Herd
Sean Finelli
The Palace of Versailles is Paris’s most extravagant day‑trip and, if you’re not prepared, a logistical nightmare. This guide strips away the confusion and lines so you can spend your time gawking at gold. Keep reading to discover how to visit the Palace of Versailles with grace, ease, and skip-the-line tickets.
Versailles is only 12 miles from Paris, but getting there can still throw people off. Here’s the easiest breakdown:
Train: Take the RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche. It’s the closest station and just 10 minutes on foot from the palace. Trains run every 15 minutes and take 35–45 minutes.
Bus: Bus 171 departs from Pont de Sèvres (Metro Line 9) and stops right outside the palace. It’s cheaper but slower.
Taxi: You’ll pay more (about €50–€70 each way), but it’s door to gate.
Interessante Fact: There are three train stations in Versailles—and only one puts you near the palace. Miss the right one and you could be walking 30+ minutes.
What to See at the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
With 2,300 rooms and 3 square miles of gardens, you won’t see it all. Here’s what you can’t miss.
👀 Click the name for a detailed explanation.
The Hall of Mirrors: 357 mirrors reflecting garden light and royal ego. Site of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles.
Gallery of Battles: Created by Louis-Philippe I to honor France’s military history.
Gardens & Fountains: Latona, Neptune, Four Seasons, and the mile‑long Grand Canal—rent a rowboat or bike.
Queen’s Hamlet: Marie Antoinette’s faux farm where she “played peasant” while Paris starved.
Petit & Grand Trianon: Intimate palaces built for escape and, allegedly, illicit affairs.
👉 Not ready to pick? Browse allour Versailles toursto match your timeframe and budget.
Versailles Tickets and Opening Hours (Don’t Wing It)
Trying to visit without a ticket or plan? Rookie mistake. Here’s what you need to know.
Versailles Palace:
Open Tue–Sun, 9 am – 6:30 pm
Closed Mondays and major holidays
Gardens:
Daily, 8 am – 8:30 pm
Free unless it’s a musical or fountain show day (Apr–Oct)
Trianon Estate:
Tue–Sun, 12 pm – 6:30 pm
Ticket Prices:
Palace Ticket (w/ audio guide): €21
Garden (fountain/music days): €10.50
Passport (All areas): €24–€32
Free Entry:
Under 18 (non-EU) / Under 26 (EU)
First Sundays (Nov–Mar)
Paris Museum Pass holders
👉 Want to skip the lines and still see it all? Our tours include tickets to the palace, gardens, and more.
What to Skip at Versailles
Want to avoid wasting time and energy? Here’s what not to do.
Don’t arrive at the wrong train station. Only Versailles Château Rive Gauche is near the palace.
Skip “Free Sundays” unless you love shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.
Don’t forget a timed ticket—entry isn’t guaranteed otherwise.
Don’t rush the gardens. They’re half the experience.
Interessante Fact: The current Golden Gates were rebuilt in 2008 with 100,000 gold leaves, replacing the originals destroyed during the French Revolution.
Secret Tip for Visiting Versailles
Train in for the 9 am opening, but tour the gardens first. At noon, enjoy a picnic lakeside, then enter the palace around 2 pm when morning tour groups are gone. You’ll glide through the Hall of Mirrors with space to twirl.
How to Visit the Palace of Versailles: Final Thoughts
Versailles is one of Europe’s greatest day trips, but only if you plan it right. Don’t wing it, don’t arrive late, and don’t expect to figure it all out at the gate. Whether you go with a guide or just use this article as your roadmap, you’re already ahead of the crowd.
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Sean is a co-founder and owner of The Tour Guy and its subsidiary The Roman Guy. He studied finance and statistics, but that is his "Dr. Jekyll" side! His "Mr. Hyde" is in love with travel, art, history, and culture. Sean has read libraries of historical text and believes that all internet content should come from books. A practice he follows!
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