Versailles is an immense art piece. Everything currently on the 2,000-acre estate was thought out, designed, and built meticulously over 100 years (1683-1785) to become the outstanding place it is today. And although every single nook and cranny of the estate, from the furniture in the palace to the groves and paths in the gardens, is worth seeing, you probably only have a limited amount of time in your hands. That’s why we’ve asked French art historian and architecture expert Dorian Dallongeville to give us the lowdown on how to make the best out of your day in Versailles.
View upon leaving the palace to access the gardens - Photo: Takashi Images/Shutterstock
Tips and Tricks to Make the Most of Your Visit to Versailles
Dorian Dallongeville started studying Art History in high school when he was 16 years old. He made the discipline his major at the University of Nantes, France, for one year and then attended the Ecole du Louvre for four years where he graduated in 2009. Dallongeville’s area of expertise is architecture between the end of the Middle Ages (1492) and the French Revolution (1789). Dallongeville was the director and curator at the Port Museum of Dunkirk.
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- The #1 tip for visiting Versailles
- Versailles opening hours
- The best time of the year to visit Versailles
- The best way to get to Versailles from Paris
- Guided tours of Versailles
- Palace of Versailles map and how to organize your visit
- The best things to see inside the palace of Versailles
- Most underrated spot in Versailles to check out
- If you have more time in the city Versailles
- Where to stay in Versailles to be near the palace
The #1 tip for visiting Versailles
Photo: Mistervlad/Shutterstock
The estate is huge, the crowds are massive, and security is very high, all of which translates into very long lines at the entrance, so you need to come to Versailles prepared.
Buy a “passport with timed entry” online before your visit. If you don’t you will spend hours in line outside to get in and you may even be refused entry if the crowds are too big.
The “passport with timed entry” will give you access to the whole estate (which is exactly what you want) and guarantees entry within half an hour of the selected time. Dallongeville recommends that you splurge a little and also book a ticket for the amazing Musical Fountain Shows and the Musical Gardens — just make sure they are happening on the day of your visit before you purchase your ticket.
Instead of purchasing the use an audioguide, download the free app on your phone or tablet before your visit. It includes the audio guide tour of the palace and an interactive map of the estate. It can be used without an internet connection.
Versailles opening hours
Plan to spend the entire day visiting the estate — there is a lot to see.
In winter, The gardens and the park are open from 8 AM to 6 PM, the palace is open from 9 AM to 5:30 PM, the Estate of the Trianon is open from 12 PM (noon) to 6:30 PM, and the Gallery of Coaches is open from 12 PM (noon) to 5:30 PM. The estate is closed on Monday.
In summer, The gardens are open from 8 AM to 8:30 PM, the park is open from 7 AM to 8:30 PM, the palace is open from 9 AM to 6:30 PM, the Estate of the Trianon is open from 12 PM (noon) to 5:30 PM, and the Gallery of Coaches is open from 12 PM (noon) to 5:30 PM. The estate is closed on Monday.
The best time of the year to visit Versailles
Photo: ThomasLENNE/Shutterstock
Versailles is gorgeous all year round, but because the gardens are just as important and beautiful as the palace, we suggest you visit in June when the blossoms are out, the big events are on, and the crowds are still manageable. (July and August are the busiest months of the year to visit Versailles.)
Visiting in winter can be magical, especially if there is snow, but you’d be missing out on the spots that make Versailles the amazing estate that it is, i.e. many of the sculptures in the gardens may be covered, the Orangery will be closed, etc.
To maximize your time in Versailles, visit the estate during the day and take part in one of the events organized in the evenings. Check out the program of events and schedule your visit accordingly. There are concerts, operas, plays, ballets, art exhibits, masked balls, fireworks displays, and more that take place within the palace or the gardens — not your run-of-the-mill venue. Dallongeville insists that the icing on the cake after a visit to the estate is attending one of the night fountain shows. They are beautiful, but they only take place every Saturday evening in the summer months, so plan ahead.
The best way to get to Versailles from Paris
Versailles is a town outside of the city of Paris. It’s a quick one-hour train ride, but be organized and arrive at the entrance before opening time with your “passport with timed entry” all ready to be presented to the staff.
There are three train stations in the town of Versailles. Hop in the RER C train in Paris to arrive at the train station Versailles Rive Gauche, which is the closest to the estate (10 minutes on foot). It is the last train station on the line, so you’re sure to not miss your stop.
Guided tours of Versailles
The estate is huge and filled with amazing stuff to check out. Dallongeville suggests that you don’t book a guided tour and use the audio guide and map available on the free Palace of Versailles mobile app to visit the at your own pace. That way, you won’t stuck inside on a visit of the King’s State Apartments when you just want to be enjoying the break in the weather to roam the beautiful gardens.
Palace of Versailles map and how to organize your visit
Main facade of the Palace and Marble Courtyard – Photo: Jacky D/Shutterstock
All visitors arrive to Versailles through the main entrance gate (Grille d’Honneur) and walk across the Courtyard of Honour to reach the ticketing desks and security check. Once done with the entry requirements, don’t rush inside the palace. Instead, take the time to walk the Royal Courtyard, followed by the Marble Courtyard, and admire the facade of the palace — it’s pretty swanky.
Refer to the map of the estate to plan your visit.
The best things to see inside the palace of Versailles
The Hall of Mirrors – Photo: Mister_Knight/Shutterstock
Dallongeville highly recommends that visitors start with the palace where the royal families of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI lived from 1682 to the French Revolution. It is less crowded inside at 9:00 AM than it is at 11:00 AM, so get cracking with the lavishly decorated and furnished Private Apartments, including the underrated but gorgeous Mistresses’ Apartments (that’s right) and Louis XV’s daughters’ Apartments. The Royal Chapel, Royal Opera House, State Apartments, and Hall of Mirrors are also not to be missed. Finish off your morning with the Gallery of the Great Battles, which is sumptuous. This visit should take between 90 minutes and two hours. When you’re done, head outside to the gardens.
Palace of Versailles gardens
View upon leaving the palace to access the gardens – Photo: Takashi Images/Shutterstock
Once outside, don’t get sucked into the magnificent perspective — going straight down the steps to the Latona fountain and parterre and down the green carpet towards the Grand Canal is a rookie mistake. Instead, spend a couple of hours exploring the many secretive gardens and groves on the left and right of that perspective — that’s where the good hiding spots and the cool sculptures are located. The parterre of the Orangery is also well worth spending some time in to see orange trees, lemon trees, oleander, palm and pomegranate trees spread outside in the French formal garden in summer.
The Orangery parterre – Photo: PhotoFires/Shutterstock
Visiting Versailles involves a lot of walking, so if you want to give your feet a little break and if time allows it, rent a rowing boat for 30 minutes and take a little paddle on the Grand Canal. It’s always a hit with the kiddos, and on a sunny day, it’s a lovely activity to see the estate from a different point of view.
The Estate of the Trianon
The Queen’s hamlet – Photo: Takashi Images/Shutterstock
Once you have a taken a break from walking, head to Marie-Antoinette’s estate to visit the restored Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet — fans of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette will love checking this area. Dallongeville recommends that you take the time to wander around this bucolic and serene part of the park, which transports you well away from the city.
The Gallery of Coaches
The Gallery of Coaches – Photo: Chateau de Versailles
You should still have some time to spare before the estate closes, so head back to the Courtyard of Honour and through the main gate where you started and visit the Gallery of Coaches in the Great Stables. There, you’ll see the most amazing collection of travel vehicles, from coaches and small carriages for Marie Antoinette’s children to sedan chairs and sleds, all adorned with carvings, golden embroideries, golden decorations, etc.
Most underrated spot in Versailles to check out
Photo: Alfredo Garcia Saz/Shutterstock
The Grand Trianon is worth checking if you have time to spare. People flock to the Petit Trianon, so the Grand Trianon is much less crowded yet as magnificent.
The Peristyle, a sheltered colonnade connecting the two wings of the Grand Trianon, is surrounded by gardens and is the highlight of the Grand Trianon. Plan your visit to be there at sunset when the light hits the beautiful pink marble columns — it’s a spectacle like no other.
If you have more time in the city of Versailles
The city of Versailles, like the estate it was built around, is superb. Dallongeville suggests that you spend two days exploring it if you have time. Spend the first day in the estate and the second one visiting the following spots:
The King’s Vegetable Garden
When Louis XIV built Versailles, he hired an architect for the palace (Le Vau), a landscaper for the park (Le Notre), an artist for the sculptures (Le Brun), and a vegetable and fruit specialist for the kitchen garden (La Quintinie) to grow and provide the King and his court rare and out-of-season fruits and vegetables.
The 22-acre vegetable garden built between 1678 and 1683 still exists in its original location, a few minutes’ walk from the palace, and still produces veggies and fruit that are sold in the on-site shop. It is also the location of a prestigious gardening and landscaping school.
The Royal Tennis Court
The jeu de paume is an old version of tennis and was a popular sport in the 17th century among the royal family and the court. The Royal Tennis Court, built a few hundred feet away from the palace in 1686, played a significant role in the French Revolution as it was the place where actors of the demand for democracy gathered. The Royal Tennis Court still stands today and can be visited. The Royal Tennis Court is open for visits every first Sunday of the month, from June to October, from 12:30 to 6:30 PM.
Where to stay in Versailles to be near the palace
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend in Versailles! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.
Le Grand Contrôle
This five-star property is the only hotel on the grounds of Versailles, making for a very immersive stay. The hotel’s beautiful building was designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis XIV’s favourite architect, and all the rooms have been decorated in luxurious and traditional 18th-century style. The hotel is home to a spa and a Michelin-star restaurant, but the best part of staying at le Grand Contôle is the unrivalled access to the estate. Every day before or after Versailles open the public, hotel guests get exclusive tours of the palace, the Estate of the Trianon, and more.
Waldorf Astoria Versailles
The Waldorf Astoria Versailles is a huge property that is located right by the palace. There are two hotels within the property: The five-star Trianon Palace and the four-star Pavillon du Trianon, both of which are exceptional places to stay. However, the Trianon Palace is a little more special: it is housed in a historic neoclassical-style building and has rooms overlooking the Versailles gardens. Waldorf Astoria Versailles has two restaurants (one of which has a Michelin star and is headed by Gordon Ramsay), a bar, a fitness room, and a luxurious spa.
Le Louis Versailles Château — MGallery
The Louis Versailles Château hotel — MGallery is a beautiful hotel located just five minutes on foot from the palace of Versailles and the train station that will take you to the center of Paris. The decor is modern and luxurious with velvet-covered contemporary furniture, glittering chandelier, gold accents, and more, making for a chic yet comfortable atmosphere. There is a French restaurant on site, as well as a bar, a fitness center, a steam room, and a sauna.
Hôtel Le Versailles
Located next door to the palace of Versailles, this hotel is simple and effective. It is furnished with modern pieces that create a comfortable vibe and it is decorated with large photographs of the palace and its gardens to give guests a glimpse of city’s main attraction. There is a bar on site and a buffet breakfast reputed to be delicious.
