Going to Paris for 5 days at the end of this month and am contemplating spending one of our precious few days at the Château de Versailles.
I've been before, about 20 years ago, but my traveling companion has never been. I am interested in hearing some opinions. Also, if we were to go, which day is the least crowded?
Versailles is incredible, especially on a nice day.
Definitely buy a guide book if you are going to tour it on your own. Go early.
The grounds are magnificent and also incredibly large. For some ridiculous price of like 28E an hour you can rent a golf cart to get you to the furthest reaches. We did it (2 hours, but shared the cost with our traveling companions) and I thought it was worth it. It would be possible to walk all over, but that would take the entire day. We stopped at one of the little restaurants for lunch (La Flotille ???) part way through our cart trip, enjoying the ducks, geese, swans and canoers on the lake at the same time. There is sort of a route that you have to take, but it covers some lovely little nooks and crannies that we wouldn't have found otherwise.
I agree with Linda: it's well-worth the day trip. I, too, was about 20 years between visits, and found it lovely. I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten- and I saw it with new eyes. Do plan a whole day; there's too much there that's worth spending time to see.
Ann
Posts: 405 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: 26 April 2002
Not going to Versailles would be a shame! We purchased a Paris Museum Pass which includes Versailles and most of the main attractions. We last went in October 2007 and there were a lot of people so I guess this time of year will be worse - but worth it.
A friend of ours had said that the food was expensive there so we took our own picnic lunch - there are so many places to have enjoy it (we had ours in the maze).
Once you get out of the main buildings there is a lot of room.
Posts: 8 | Location: Australia | Registered: 20 September 2005
A good time to go is … noon ! Last Saturday we packed a picnic, arriving at the garden at noon (left the Solferino station at 11am). We picniced in the garden near the fountains. Afterwards my friends stayed to tour in the inside while my husband and I went back to Paris. My friends had no wait ! It seems around lunch time (1 to 1:30pm) the queue is the shortest; hell, there was no queue at all ! My friends spent all day touring the interior and then the garden again.
All great advice! I was there a couple of years ago and I would endorse the "golf cart" idea. We didn't get to row around on the lake and I might want to go back just to do that! Given that the lake area is waaaaaaaay down and going back to the chateau is waaaaaay up, expediting getting around is sound advice. So, there's 2 votes for you! Have a wonderful trip!
Posts: 55 | Location: Swansea, MA | Registered: 06 July 2005
This old discussion has some details on seeing Versailles. Note that it's a two-pager.
This page is a Slow Travel Map of amenities around Versailles.
If you go on a fountain day (see the thread linked to above) it's necessary to get the schedule map showing which fountains are active when. The map was available as a JPEG on the Versailles site, but the JPEG was so pixellated it was illegible when printed. The only copies available at Versailles were handed out at the Garden Entrance.
There is also the Petite Train to ride out to the Trianon, Hameau, etc. It cut down on the walking, but waiting for it to leave was perhaps not the most efficient way to get around.
To really do justice to the whole place needs two days. So if you want to include the Trianon, Hameau, etc. on a one day visit you'll have to skim the palace pretty quick. Not a totally bad thing, but just be aware you have to parcel your time according to your interests.
Thanks! Bucky "Trying To Slow Down" Edgett
Posts: 920 | Location: Maryland | Registered: 24 April 2006
Loulou, I vaguely remember that you are quite a foodie. Don't miss the Potager du roi , - the vegetable garden that served the whole court, which has been restored. It is not in the castle proper. It's a fave of garden and food lovers.
I'm planning a visit in September and I'm considering using Fat Tire Bike Tours for the tour. As I understand it, we take our bikes on the train with us, purchase a picnic lunch at the market there and have the opportunity to whiz thru the gardens on bikes. It also includes the tour.
Has anyone gone this route? It sounds like we have a chance to see more of the gardens than those on foot. I'd love to hear opinions.
As I remember, the biking area is quite far down in the garden around the bassin area, not near the castle and not near the major fountains. Still, cycling is a very nice way to spend a day around the beautiful garden. It may be better suited for those who are repeat visitors of Versailles, going there just for the garden, and not for the interior tour.
We were there last week, on Thursday. I would STRONGLY recommend you buy tickets in Paris (at a tourism office or else where). It will save tons of time. We arrived at Versailles at 10 am and got in at 12:30 pm! You need to line up to buy tickets and then line up again to get in!
Versailles is included in the museum passes, which you can buy at any of the museums in Paris. Find a musueum that is not too busy, such as the Rodin to purchase the pass at. You can buy them for 2, 3 and 4+ days. Worth it if you plan on going to a number of museums. You by-pass the ticket lines, but still have to stand in line for security checks if the museum has those (the Louvre and St. Chapelle for sure).
