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If you are thinking about visiting the Château de Versailles (Palace of Versailles), we share information about exploring the extraordinary estate! In fact, we can highly recommend spending a full day there like we did!
Formerly a royal residence, the Palace of Versailles became a national museum, and in 1979 the palace and park were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Aptly, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.
We spent the day at the stunning Palace of Versailles which was one of the highlights of our trip to France! The palace is about nineteen kilometers west of Paris and can be reached by taxi or public transit.
Fortunately, we purchased early admission tickets online, weeks in advance. After a lot of research, we decided to spend a full day exploring the estate and took a taxi to and from the Palace de Versailles. There are various third-party tours with varying times spent at the estate if you prefer a guided tour. Booking a tour can also make it easier to have it planned out as well by professionals! Overall, it was truly a memorable day trip spent at an incredible estate!
Palace of Versailles: How Much Time at the Estate
Some tourists may simply visit for a couple of hours and only see the palace. However, the grounds are so vast and beautiful that for us, we made the right decision to spend a full day at the magnificent estate!
Before our visit, I read reviews from people who booked third party tours. Some people felt they did not have enough time to explore and felt rushed, while others felt just visiting the palace was sufficient. As such, research what is available during your visit and how much time is suitable for you. Also, wear appropriate, comfortable foot wear if you plan the explore the palace and estate.
Palace of Versailles: Tickets:
There are various types of tickets including admission to the palace only, add-on separate guided tours and workshops offered directly by the palace. Therefore, be sure to research what you are interested in and allocate your time accordingly.
We suggest buying tickets in advance online, rather than buying on site, to guarantee access. Some tours book the tickets with your excursion as well. A few popular tours (with over one thousand reviews):
- Versailles Palace Skip-the-line Classic Guided Tour
- Versailles Bike Tour with Palace Timed Entry Ticket & Marie-Antoinette’s Domain (full day)
For private tour options of the extraordinary palace:
- Versailles Palace Skip The Line Access Half Day Private & Tailored Guided Tour
- Versailles Domain Private Half Day Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup from Paris
We purchased the Passport Ticket and selected 9:00 a.m. timed entry to the palace, leaving the rest of the day to explore the estate. The Passport Ticket gives you access to the palace, gardens, Estate of Trianon (including Marie-Antoinette’s estate), and the Fountain Show and Musical Garden days. Expect many visitors and lines to enter due to the security and admission checks.
The Palace
The palace was incredible, extravagant, and truly a sight to behold. According to the official website, the Chateau has over 2000 rooms spread over 63,154 square meters.
The palace includes the grand and private apartments, historic galleries, the royal chapel, the royal opera house, and more. For a more in-depth view, guided tours are also provided by the palace which can be reserved and purchased in addition to the entrance fee.
The Hall of Mirrors is the most famous room in the palace. It is a truly grand room with over three hundred and fifty mirrors. The magnificent space was used for various occasions including ceremonies, weddings, and diplomatic receptions. It was also where the Treaty of Versailles was signed ending the First World War.
The Gardens
After exploring the palace, we spent the rest of the afternoon outside, exploring the gardens and the other estates.
From the palace, we walked to the gardens which were breath-taking. They were beautifully sculpted, maintained, and incredible to see on the sunny spring afternoon. I really recommend exploring on foot to really see and experience the amazing grounds.
As we walked toward “The Grand Canal”, there were various statues, fountains, and paths throughout the beautiful gardens.
The garden is extensive and worth strolling and exploring. They were certainly the most beautiful gardens I have explored to date.
Transport around the Estate
As you explore the estate, there are transportation options, for ease and leisure, offered for rental fees which include bicycles and small electric vehicles (like a golf cart). In addition, rowing boats are also available to rent on the banks of the Grand Canal.
The grounds are so vast that although we explored and walked a large part of the gardens, we did rent the small electric vehicle to visit the Estate of Trianon. The vehicle must be rented for a minimum of one hour. Although we rented the vehicle for two hours, time does go by quickly touring. After the (hourly) rate booked, a rate is charged for every additional fifteen minutes. After walking most of the estate, the vehicle made exploring the remainder of the day so much easier and it was also so fun!
The Trianon Estate
We enjoyed visiting the other estates that were also grand and opulent. The Trianon Estate includes:
- The Grand Trianon
- The Petit Trianon
- The Queen’s Hamlet
We drove the small electric vehicle to visit The Grand Trianon and The Petite Trianon. Be sure to allocate time if you are visiting The Trianon Estate. The three separate estates are quite a distance from the palace, and from each other if walking only.
Surprisingly, we did not have enough time to visit the Queen’s Hamlet (the estate of Marie-Antoinette). Unfortunately, we had to return the electric vehicle before close. The Queen’s Hamlet, comprised of ten small buildings around a lake, is the farthest from the palace of the three in The Trianon Estate.
Conclusion
The historic Chateau and its estate are incredible in size, extravagance, and collections! We highly recommend spending the day or at least a few hours!
Touring the palace was a highlight of our trip to France! The brief points of interest and pictures here truly do not convey the magnificence of the estate. Enjoy exploring the stunning Château de Versailles!
Website: https://en.chateauversailles.fr/
For Palace of Versailles guided and self-guided tours, check out these popular options and reviews:
- Palace of Versailles Skip-the-line Classic Guided Tour
- Palace of Versailles Self Guided Tour with Gardens Access & Transfers from Paris
- Palace of Versailles Day Bike Tour
- more tours at the palace here…
We also have the following Paris related articles from Nurture Happiness Today:
The tour described in this article was self-funded. The views and opinions expressed through this website are from personal experience(s). Our content and this article is informational only, not facts, and cannot be construed as professional advice. We always give our honest opinions on topics, experiences or products, made in good faith. Any product or service claims, made by the product or service, should be verified with the manufacturer or provider in question. There may be potential errors on our website, for example due to changes and unintentional mistakes. Thank you.
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