Palace of Versailles

Lavish royal residence with the Hall of Mirrors and 800-hectare gardens. UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Hall of Mirrors is the highlight: 357 mirrors, 73 meters long. Come at opening for crowd-free photos. The Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's Hamlet are must-sees but often skipped (far from the palace, 25-minute walk). Rent an electric cart or bicycle. The Grand Canal is ideal for boating (€8/30 min).

Restaurant La Flottille by the canal offers a pleasant lunch. The evening fountain show with fireworks (summer Saturdays) is unforgettable.

Versailles is 22 km from central Paris. Transport: RER C (yellow line) to Versailles Château – Rive Gauche is the most convenient option. Also: SNCF train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite (longer walk). Book tickets online at chateauversailles.fr — the on-site queue can be up to 2 hours.

Entrance A is for ticket holders (faster). Entrance B is for on-site purchases. Arrive by 8:30 AM and start with the gardens if the palace is overcrowded.

Prohibited: suitcases, backpacks over 55×35×20 cm (free cloakroom). Umbrella canes are prohibited inside (folding only). Photography without flash is allowed in the palace. Tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited. Food and drinks are not allowed in the palace. In gardens: do not walk on lawns or feed animals.

Dogs on leashes are allowed in gardens but not in the palace. Electric scooters and bicycles are prohibited in gardens (only electric carts).

Versailles is an independent city 22 km southwest of Paris. Journey from the center: 40 minutes on RER C, 30 minutes on SNCF train. Near the palace: Versailles market square (excellent restaurants and weekend market), Saint-Louis quarter.

Can be combined with a visit to Chevreuse Park (30 min by car) or Vaux-le-Vicomte castle (60 min). Return trains to Paris run every 15 minutes until midnight. Near the station: cafés and bakeries for a quick lunch.

Palace Ticket

• Price: €21 (adult)
• Includes: palace + temporary exhibitions
• Free under 18 and for EU residents 18–25

Passport Ticket (Full Access)

• Price: €28.50 (with fountain show) / €22 (without show)
• Includes: palace, Trianon, Marie Antoinette's Estate, gardens
• Valid for 1 day

Trianon & Estate Ticket

• Price: €12 (adult)
• Includes: Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's Estate

Fountain Shows (Musical Fountains / Musical Gardens)

• Price: €10 (gardens only) / included in Passport
• Weekends and Tuesdays, April–October
• Music + running fountains

Free Garden Access

• On non-show days, the gardens are free

The Passport (€28.50) is the best value — includes everything. Palace-only ticket (€21) if short on time. Trianon separately (€12) if you've already seen the palace. Gardens are free on non-show days. The Fountain Show (€10 separately) is worth seeing at least once.

Paris Museum Pass covers the palace and Trianon (but not fountain shows). Food inside is expensive — bring snacks for a garden picnic. Audio guide is free (included). Electric cart through the gardens: €9.50 (saves hours of walking).

Best time: Tuesday or Wednesday, arriving by 8:30 AM. Monday is CLOSED. Busiest: Saturday and Sunday (especially fountain show days). Summer (June–August) is peak season with 15,000+ visitors daily. Best months: November–February (fewer people, but gardens less impressive).

Spring (April–May) is the ideal balance: blooming gardens and moderate crowds. Fountain shows: Saturday and Sunday April–October, occasionally Tuesday.