Palace of Versailles guide

The Palace of Versailles is a Renaissance jewel that has become a major tourist attraction in Ile-de-France.  Each year, thousands of visitors come to Versailles to discover the architecture of the castle, the history of the kings who stayed there, like Louis XIV, the gardens and the different collections on display. This guide will help you not miss anything during your visit to the Palace of Versailles and its gardens.

Plan your visit

Thanks to this guide, discover all the practical information to visit the Palace of Versailles: opening hours, must-see works of art, tours, events...

How to get to the Palace of Versailles?

To get to the Palace of Versailles, you can get on a shuttle bus or on RER C to the Versailles Château Rive Gauche station. From the station, it will then take you 10 minutes on foot to get to the palace. If you are coming from the Montparnasse station, you will have to stop at Versailles Chantiers station and it will then take you 18 minutes on foot to reach your destination. If you are coming from the Saint-Lazare station, get off at the Versailles Rive Droite train station which is 17 minutes away from the palace on foot. Discover the different options to get to Versailles from Paris.

Opening hours

The Versailles Palace is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9AM to 6:30PM. The park and gardens are open from 7AM to 8:30PM and the Trianon estate from noon to 6:30pm. Please note that the opening hours of the Versailles domain’s sites are not the same.

When to visit the Palace of Versailles?

There are a greater number of visitors between 10AM and 3PM.

Rates

To avoid wasting your time standing in line, we offer tickets including priority access and a guided tour that you can buy online for 50 € per person (duration: 12 hours). All you will have to do is go directly to entrance A of the castle with your ticket without going through the ticket office. Other rates are available depending on the tour you wish to take. Musical fountain show: 29€ (free for children under 5 years old). Visit of the entire estate with transport from Paris: 79€. Visit the gardens of Versailles (Musical fountain show not included): free all year round.

How long does it take to visit the Palace of Versailles?

On busy days, you should plan at least 2 hours for the visit of the Palace of Versailles alone (excluding gardens and exhibitions).

Where to stay in Versailles?

You will find many hotels in Versailles where you can spend the night after a busy day. You should choose an hotel as close as possible to the points of interest in Versailles. You will then avoid wasting time on the road and you will be ready to visit the Palace of Versailles as soon as it opens. A great way to avoid peak times.

Where to eat in Versailles?

Here are some restaurants close to the Palace of Versailles where you can have lunch or dinner:

• Le sept
• The Gordon Ramsay
• The pearl of Saint-Louis
• The court

The must-see points of interest

You should start your day visiting the different rooms of the Palace of Versailles:

• The Hall of Mirrors
• The King's bedroom
• The Queen's Hamlet
• The Royal Opera
• The Royal Chapel
• The palaces of the Trianon
• Neptune's pond in the middle of the garden
• The parks and gardens with the stables of Versailles
• Palace of Versailles key figures

History and heritage

History

With its remarkable architecture and 7 million visitors each year, the Palace of Versailles is a real tourist success. People come from everywhere from France and abroad to appreciate the masterpieces of the Sun King's time and participate in the events organized to pay tribute to him.

Heritage

The heritage of Versailles reflects the history of kings and court and also extends to the museums dedicated to the tourist attractions close to the castle:

• The town hall
• The Foreign Affairs and Navy Hotel
• The Saint-Louis Cathedral
• The different museums in Versailles
• The Montansier Theater