Is a Tour of Versailles Worth It?

Planning to visit Versailles near Paris and want to know if a guided tour is worth it and right for you? This article will go over the benefits of a guided Versailles tour so you can decide if it is right for you!

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Pro Tip: Take 10 minutes and look through our other articles on Paris and Versailles. There are great reads about how to visit attractions, what to see, and where to eat nearby. Bookmark the articles you love so you can circle back to them while traveling.

Is a Tour of Versailles Worth It?

Short answer: Yes, you’ll definitely want to visit Versailles with a tour. That could be a private Versailles tour, small group tour from Paris, or a tour that starts at the Palace of Versailles.

The more elaborate answer is that a monument like Versailles is so complex, beautiful, and complicated that a tour will improve your experience and make it more memorable. Imagine showing up and waiting in the massive queue that can form outside Versailles to wait for tickets. Or heading inside and suddenly realizing you have no idea what you’re really looking at?

Finding the proper entrance can take some time, and once inside, you know what will happen. You’ll scurry through, reading a few placards or looking for some snippets from your guide book. But a dedicated guide will point out the can’t-miss attractions and bring to life the immense history and drama that took place here for centuries. Not only that, but they may even bust some myths from the TV series “Versailles”!

Skip the Lines

Skipping the line at Versailles is a huge benefit. In my opinion, there are even better reasons to take a tour, especially if it is a high-quality, small group tour. But removing the guess work from entering a massive attraction is a significant benefit.

All of our Versailles tours include skip-the-line tickets, but be sure to read through carefully to ensure the tour you select includes what you want to see. Some tours only include guided tours of the gardens and others guide through the entire area. Some tours start in Paris and others start right at the Palace of Versailles. Feel free to choose the option that works best for you.

Know Where to Spend Your Time

The right guide will ensure your time and energy is spent in the right place. It’s very easy to walk past an area, room, painting, or under a fresco without recognizing its importance. There are also stories—some tragic—surrounding famous projects and buildings.

In the end, a guided tour will ensure you check your boxes and see everything you should see, and probably more! When you leave, you’ll be certain you had the full experience.

Great Tour Guides

We run small group and private tours that are higher quality due to our great guides who have strong backgrounds in art or history. Guides also enjoy leading our tours and activities since we keep the groups smaller. It is much easier to lead a group of 15 or 18 people than 35 or 50, and they get to interact with the guests more closely for a better experience. Therefore, we tend to attract the top guides which is what makes up at least 90% of a great tour experience.

As you wonder if Versailles is worth it, keep in mind that there’s a lot to see here and following a knowledgeable guide can make the experience so much more memorable.

Not ready to book a tour yet? Check out our guide to Versailles for more info.

What Does It Mean to “See Versailles”?

Versailles is one of those tremendous monuments like the Vatican that is both a place and an attraction. Versailles is a small town outside of Paris (about 40 mins by train) that was founded as a hunting village. You can read more about the history of Versailles here, but the town grew around a royal palace which took a few hundred years to build.

When people say they are going to see “Versailles” they are referring to the Château de Versailles or Palace of Versailles, which is a massive estate and cultural attraction. It functions the way the Louvre or Vatican functions except you’ll also find one of the world’s most beautiful gardens on the grounds here.

So, going to Versailles means you’ll go to the town of Versailles, but you’ll probably be spending a few hours at the Palace of Versailles.

Areas of Interest at Versailles

Versailles is broken up into a few main areas. The two most important areas are the palace (or residence) and the gardens of Versailles, which are accessible only with the right tickets. Each of those two areas have a lot to see and explore, some of which require additional tickets.

Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles should be your main objective. You’ll definitely want to explore this lavish estate, especially if you’ve never been here before. It’s a massive complex fit for a king—pun intended. This is where you’ll find the famous Hall of Mirrors that is truly a stunning room filled with chandeliers, windows, mirrors, and ornate gold decor and paintings.

Versailles Gardens

Versailles was originally designed as a hunting lodge so the grounds are extensive. What was once mostly forest and meadows eventually turned into manicured gardens and fountains. Today the grounds are arguably more impressive than the palace itself in their own way.

Borgo & Trianon

The Borgo and Trianon are other smaller chateaus on the same grounds as the main chateau. They are still more impressive than most houses even though they are designed to be a “getaway” from the main chateau—which was designed to be a getaway from Paris. Sound like a lavish lifestyle? Come and see for yourself!

The ostentatious design of Versailles is one of it’s most intriguing aspects that attracts visitors. The lifestyle of royals is very much the reason why the impoverished classes eventually overthrew the French government—more than once!

Not ready to book a tour yet? Check out our guide to Versailles for more info.

Most Popular Versailles Tours

There are a few different Versailles tours you could choose, but here are the most popular ones.

Skip the Line Palace of Versailles and Gardens Tour from Paris

This is our most popular small group tour which departs from Paris by train (round-trip tickets included) and includes a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles. You also get entrance to the gardens where your guide will give you an overview of what you’ll see. You can then explore on your own as long as you like before returning to Paris.

See tour itinerary, price, and description

Versailles Gardens Tour from Paris with Skip the Line Access

If you are less inclined to love guided tours and really enjoy spending more time in nature, then this tour of the Versailles gardens is for you. You’ll have a guided tour of the extensive gardens, and access to explore the palace on your own. Since this tour stars in Paris, you’ll also have round-trip transportation and the right entry tickets to the Versailles gardens and palace.

See tour itinerary, price, and description

Private Golden Versailles Palace and Garden Tour

Like private tours? This is an excellent opportunity to visit Versailles from Paris with a private guide. The real advantage of a private guide is that you’ll find yourself more engaged with the guide and can ask to spend more time in certain areas. Private guided tours of Versailles are a great way to also set the pace and feel taken care of despite the other crowds.

See tour itinerary, price, and description

Skip the Line Versailles and Gardens Tour from Versailles

Already in Versailles? Or staying somewhere other than Paris? Then opt for a guided tour of Versailles that starts right in front of the palace. You won’t have to pay extra for transportation on this tour. And you’ll still have the benefits of skip-the-line entry, a guided tour of the palace, and access to explore the gardens on your own.

See tour itinerary, price, and description

Other Popular Tours in Paris