The Top 8 Things to See in Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is practically a mandatory day trip for anyone visiting Paris due to its dramatic history and opulent features. But what famous art or attractions should you see while there? Our licensed Versailles guide created this post of the top things to see in Versailles.

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Pro Tip: Planning what to do on your trip to Versailles Palace? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. Check out our guide to Versailles for more planning resources, our top Versailles tours for a memorable trip, and the if a Versailles tour is worth it.

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What You Have to See at the Palace of Versailles and Gardens

If you had spoken to anyone in the mid-17th century and told them that an old hunting pavilion 22 miles (37 kilometers) outside of Paris would one day become the home of the monarchy and court, you would have been laughed out of the room.

Largely thanks to King Louis XIV, this famed palace’s place in history is forever solidified. And it’s place as a top tourist destination near Paris is unquestioned. But what will you see here? The palace has 2,300 rooms, so it will be impossible to see them all. And we can’t forget the expansive gardens that must be seen too.

To help narrow down the most important things to see at Versailles, I’ve outlined the main spots to explore so you’re ready for your visit!

Top 5 things to see in Versailles

8. Grand Trianon

The Palace of Versailles was so opulent that Louis XIV constructed another palace to get away from the craziness of the main palace and his court. He also needed a place to be with his mistress: Madame de Montespan.

The architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart called it, “A little palace of pink marble and porphyry, with marvelous gardens.” Supposedly Louis XIV had set very strict guidelines for what he wanted to build and Mansart followed them exactly—although the architect didn’t really have a choice since Louis was constantly checking the construction.

Lavishness had no bounds already at Versailles and that continued here in the Grand Trianon. One example of this was the flower display. The gardens are surrounded by huge flowerbeds and terraces which could hold thousands of flowers planted in individual flower pots. The goal of planting them this way was to change the flowers out daily! Talk about extravagance on steroids.

Later, King Stanislaw I of Poland stayed here when he visited Versailles, and the great Napoleon sojourned here from time to time. In 1963, General De Gaulle restored the palace to host foreign dignitaries and use as his presidential palace.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Versailles Guide for more resources.

7. Petit Trianon

In 1758, Louis XV decided there still weren’t enough palaces on the Versailles estate and began constructing another one. This one intended to be big enough to house the king and his royal entourage.

To differentiate between the Grand Trianon built by his great-grandfather Louis XIV, he was to call this the Petit Trianon. The in vogue architectural style at the time was neoclassical and the royal architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel did not disappoint in building the perfect example.

Unfortunately in April 1774, King Louis XV felt his first symptoms of smallpox at his new residence and died only a few days later. This pushed his son Louis XVI into the limelight, and he decided to give the Petit Trianon to his young bride Marie Antoinette as a gift. She immediately redecorated the palace and even changed the botanical gardens that were set up by Louis XV into an Anglo-Oriental garden which was the “in thing” at the time.

During the French Revolution, the Petit Trianon was turned into a housing area for those of few means. Napoleon later brought it back to life and had the entire area restored. He gave it as a gift to his wife and subsequently to his second wife Empress Marie Louise. Ironically, in 1867 the Petit Trianon was converted into a museum by the wife of Napoleon III and dedicated to Marie Antoinette.

Our Best Versailles and Paris Louvre Tours

6. The Queen’s Hamlet

Out of everything that you will see at Versailles, nothing will really prepare you for the Queen’s Hamlet. When you think of Versailles, the first words that come to you are probably “extravagance and lavishness”. It’s a common belief based on reality.

So it may come as a surprise that, at first glance, the Queen’s Hamlet would seem to contradict that entirely—until you understand that this Hamlet was commissioned by Marie Antoinette solely for her to experience what it was like to live in a peasant hamlet. Enough said.

The queen would take relaxing walks here and imagine she was a commoner, although naturally, she would never actually work like a commoner. When many were starving in poverty in Paris, a popular saying to underscore Marie Antoinette’s lavish life was “Let them eat cake.”

During the French Revolution, the Queen’s Hamlet fell into disrepair. Napoleon later restored most of the area and gave it as a gift to his wife Marie Louise. This was a bit ironic and also symbolic since she was the grand-niece of Marie Antoinette!

The hamlet is defined by five features you should see:

• The Windmill: Never used to grind grain, but just to have the look of a farm.
• Marlborough Tower and Working Dairy: A functioning dairy farm where they could enjoy cream and cheese.
• The Guard House and Dovecote: The house of the Queen’s guard and also where they grew hens and pigeons.
• The Boudoir: A small house to host guests and to eat.
• The Queen’s House and the Stove Room: A house solely for the Queen where she could host guests or have a rest.

5. The Empire Rooms

These rooms were also created by Louis-Philippe, a contemporary of Napoleon, in an attempt to gain the support of Bonapartists and former members of the empire. He collected many of the largest paintings commissioned by Napoleon in the palace’s south wing, where you can find them today underneath the Gallery of Battles.

4. Place d’Armes & The Gate of Honour

Lucky for you, you really can’t miss this part if you’re visiting the Versailles Palace. Place d’Armes is the massive funnel-shaped courtyard that sits in front of the palace. It is the site where three streets converge: Avenue de Saint-Cloud, Avenue de Paris, and Avenue de Sceaux.

The gates are not original to the Palace (gasp!). Those were torn down during the French Revolution and were replaced in 2008 in a massive project. The gate is 80 meters long and made from steel coated with 100,000 gold leaves. It’s fitting that the first thing you see in Versailles defines the palace as the opulent estate it truly is.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a Versailles tour is worth it.

3. The Gallery of Battles

The Gallery of Battles is one of the most impressive galleries in the palace. Louis-Philippe I, created this gallery to glorify the French military efforts in a series of paintings depicting historical events, which line every wall.

These paintings are absolutely incredible in their sheer size and patriotic vibe. This is a great place to really take in the talent of massive artworks celebrating French history.

2. The Gardens of Versailles

It’s hard to decide which deserves the number 1 and 2 spots on this list, but here we are. How to explain a garden so immense and grand with words? It’s a daunting task, but I will try.

The original garden took 40 years to build and is so big that thousands of workers and even entire regiments worked on it. It has to be replanted every 100 years to keep everything looking young. The last time this happened was in the early 2000s so if you go now, you will get an idea of what it looked like during the time of Louis XIV himself.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a Versailles tour is worth it.

What to see in the Gardens of Versailles:

The Four Season’s Fountain: As you walk down the Royal Way, you will notice that there are alleys running parallel and perpendicular to this road. At the crossroads, you will find the Four fountains.

Neptune Fountain: The Neptune fountain is one of the biggest fountains with 99 jets that spout water. Its name comes from the towering statue of Neptune overlooking the sea creatures.

Latona’s fountain: This is one of my favorite and also is huge! Inspired by The Metamorphoses by Ovid, it portrays the goddess Latona protecting her two children, Apollo and Diana, who were being insulted by peasants from Lycia. Her rage forced Jupiter to turn all the residents into frogs. If you look closely you will notice frogs sculpted on the lawn around the sculptural group.

Walk the paths: The gardens are actually free to enter during the week if you don’t want to enter the palace, except on Tuesdays and the weekend, where you will need to pay €9.50 for the fountain show.

Rent a bike or golf cart and explore: You have two spots where you can rent a bike: one at the beginning of the gardens and one below towards the grand staircase. You can also find golf carts here if you prefer a more leisurely drive through the grounds. Go for it!

Our Best Versailles and Paris Louvre Tours

1. The Hall of Mirrors

This is one of the most famous rooms in all of Versailles and easily the most beautiful. This breathtaking hall has 357 mirrors and an impressive history. Most recently, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in 1919, which ended World War I.

Originally, the space was a terrace that overlooked the gardens. So as you stand in the hall, you’ll see the mirrors and entry into other rooms on one side, and windows to the gardens on the other. The natural light makes the mirrors and chandeliers positively radiate light and opulence here.

Jules Hardouin-Mansart also designed this room, and it was a significant upgrade in 1648 from the drafty, exposed terrace. What once was hardly used became a room fit for a king—and millions of tourists. Find out more about how to visit Versailles so you can see for yourself!

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a Versailles tour is worth it.