Palace of Versailles Paris

Visit Versailles from Paris and Tickets Palace of Versailles

Information and tips about visiting Versailles, the lavish palace of Louis XIV. Practical information about the history, opening times, and online tickets for the palace of Versailles, including tours and excursions from Paris to Versailles can be found at parisbypierre.com.

The Palace of Versailles is one of the most famous palaces in the world. The enormous palace is located 20 kilometers outside the heart of Paris. The Palace of Versailles contains over 700 rooms, corridors, and halls. There are 70 staircases and more than 5,000 pieces of antique furniture. The entire estate contains more than 800 hectares. The impressive royal gardens contain more than 600 antique fountains and almost 400 sculptures. The use of a photo or video camera is allowed inside the palace; a selfie stick is not allowed.

Visit the Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is one of the most popular landmarks in France. Most mornings, there are long line-ups at the entrance of the Palace of Versailles. As a result, the inside of the palace is crowded with visitors in the morning. During the day, the crowds in the palace decrease. Therefore, it is recommend to visit the royal gardens in the morning and the palace later in the day. It is advised to enter the palace no later than 15:00 because a visit to the inside of the palace will take at least three hours.

Visiting the Palace of Versailles and Tickets

The palace and royal gardens of Versailles are very popular among tourists. The high number of visitors can cause long line-ups at the cash registers and at the palace entrance. Fortunately, it is possible to purchase entry tickets in advance. A standard ticket will prevent you from standing in line at the cash registers. A priority ticket also grants you fast track access at the entrance of the Palace of Versailles.

^{Visiting the Palace of Versailles}

^{Interior of the Palace of Versailles}

History of Versailles

The original design of the enormous palace dates back to 1624. Versailles was then built as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII. In 1661, the hunting lodge was transformed into a luxury palace for the French royal family. This was by order of King Louis XIV, a.k.a. the Sun King. In 1682, the Palace of Versailles became the main residence of the royal family.

Sightseeing at the Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is divided into three wings: a north, a south, and a middle wing. All halls and rooms inside the palace are connected. The most impressive rooms are:

The Royal Bedroom

The central room of the palace is La Chambre du Roi. The Royal Bedroom is lavishly decorated with gilded ornaments, tapestries, and paintings. In the center of the room, you’ll see the large bed of the King with a gilded balustrade in front of it. Almost everything in the room is the same as it was in the time of Louis XIV.

The Hall of Mirrors

In the north wing of the palace, you’ll find the well-known Galerie des Glaces. The dazzling hall was used as a waiting room for important guests and as a ballroom. On the ceiling in the Hall of Mirrors, you’ll see paintings about the history of Louis XIV. The walls in the stunning room are covered with more than 300 mirrors.

The Royal Rooms

On the second floor of the Palace of Versailles, you’ll find Le Grand Appartements du Roi. These are seven magnificent rooms that were used by the king to receive guests. The rooms are known as the Hall of Planets. All the rooms are richly decorated with gilded ornaments, marble panels, and ceiling paintings.

The Gallery of Battles

The largest room in the palace is the Galerie des Batailles. The enormous hall was added to the palace in 1833. In the hall, you can see 33 large paintings of famous French battles. The hall is 120 meters long and 13 meters wide.

^{Visiting the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles}

^{One of the many staircases in the Palace of Versailles}

The Royal Gardens of Versailles

On the estate, you will find the royal gardens. The enormous gardens are laid out in a distinctive French style with beautiful patterns and tightly trimmed hedges. The palace gardens were designed by André le Nôtre. There are also two antique garden houses named Petit Trainon and Grand Trainon. You can also find the little village of Marie Antoinette there, named Le Hameu de la Reine.

The Palace Gardens and their Fountains

The eye-catchers of the royal gardens are the many 17th century fountains. Today, the antique fountains are only active a few days a week. From March to October, the fountains operate on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays between 11:00 and 12:00 and between 15:30 and 17:00. The other months, the fountains operate only on Saturdays and Sundays. To visit the fountain show, you need a slightly more extended ticket.

The Petit Trianon and the Grand Trianon

There are two old garden houses on the estate, named Petit Trainon and Grand Trianon. The royal family used the garden houses to be close to each other without the many rules of the royal court.

Le Hameau de la Reine

Close to Le Petit Trianon, you can find the little village of Marie Antoinette. The little village was built around 1785 and was used by the queen to take a break from the strict life at the royal court. Unfortunately, the inside of the cottages is not open to visitors.

^{Visiting the royal gardens of the Palace of Versailles}

^{Visit the antique fountains in the Palace of Versailles gardens}

The Versailles Gardens and bike renting

The Versailles estate is huge. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that you will have to walk a lot. The palace itself and Le Hameau de la Reine can only be visited by foot. The palace gardens can be visited by foot or by bike. At various points in the royal gardens, there is an opportunity to rent bikes.

Tours and Tickets Palace of Versailles

Video: Château de Versailles, Paris

How do I get to the Palace of Versailles?

The train is a convenient and easy way to visit the estate of Versailles from Paris. The Palace of Versailles can be reached via RER line C5: Montparnasse Paris, departure station and Versailles Château-Rive Gauche, end station. A train trip takes about 40 minutes. From station Versailles Château-Rive Gauche, it is a 15-minute walk to the estate of Versailles.