From Paris: A Day Trip to Versailles

Just about 45 minutes from the city of Paris, lies one of the most extraordinary places in France, the Palace of Versailles. While many travelers squeeze in only a quick visit into their Paris itinerary, Versailles deserves more than a rushed morning tour. A day trip to Versailles is one of the best experiences you can add to your itinerary, but definitely requires some planning. Here is everything you need to know to plan the perfect day trip to Versailles from Paris.

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How to Get to Versailles from Paris

One of the biggest advantages to visiting Versailles is how easy it is to reach from Paris. Depending on your budget and travel style, there are a few transportation options, such as the RER train (Line C), taxi or Uber, or a guided tour that includes transportation from the city.

The RER C train is the most popular and affordable way to travel to Versailles. The train takes about 40-50 minutes from central Paris to Versailles Château Rive Gauche train station, and then about a 10 minute walk to the Palace entrance.

Taking the RER train is the cheapest, most reliable option, and runs throughout the day. If you bought a transportation pass, or planning to purchase one, Versailles is located in Zone 4. You can read more here about navigating public transportation in Paris.

*Top tip: I always recommend to use Google Maps when getting around anywhere. You can use your exact location and where you want to go, and it’ll give you the exact way, the correct train options and stops, plus more.

Taking an Uber or taxi is another option. Driving from central Paris, or wherever you’re stationed at, can take anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. This is probably the most expensive option, but could be worthwhile for families or groups who are splitting the fare.

If you’d rather avoid navigating public transportation or spending a lot on an Uber or taxi, then a guided tour with transportation may be for you. These guided tours usually include round-trip transportation from Paris, skip-the-line admission, a licensed tour guide, and audio headsets.

For first-time visitors who want to learn the history without worrying about logistics, this is a fantastic option. This Versailles Palace Guided Tour & Gardens Access From Paris would be ideal.

Purchasing Tickets to Versailles Palace

Versailles Palace is one of France’s busiest tourist attractions, and same-day tickets usually sell out during the busy seasons with incredibly long lines. Once you finalize your France or Paris itinerary, I recommend purchasing your tickets online for the day you know you will going.

Admission tickets to Versailles Palace do require a timed entry when booking, and I’ll always recommend arriving during one of the first few time slots to avoid the crowds and tour groups.

If you’re going to visit between April and October, the Passport ticket offers the best value because it includes access to nearly everything on the estate. The Palace also offers discounted tickets for admission after 4:00 pm. You can purchase all tickets here.

The Versailles Estate is open and free of charge to visitors on the first Sunday of the month from November to March. The palace and the estate of Trianon are free to visitors under 18 (or under 26 who reside in the EU), but you still must book a time slot online.

Should You Book a Guide for Versailles?

This is ultimately up to you and your site seeing needs. The Palace of Versailles offers an official audioguide, but having your own physical tour guide can elevate the experience by offering more history and detailed stories about the royal family.

If you prefer to explore at your own pace, enjoy reading museum displays, love taking time for photography around the palace, or have visited before, then a guide probably isn’t for you.

If you choose to have a guide, here are a few tours options:

• Palace of Versailles Skip-the-Line Guided Tour 
• Skip-the-Line Guided Palace Tour and Full Access 
• Palace, Gardens & Queen’s Estate Guided Tour 
• Bike Tour with Palace & Queen Farm Entrance 

History of Versailles Palace

The story of Versailles began in 1623, when King Louis XIII built a modest hunting lodge surrounded by forests. It wasn’t until his son, Louis XIV, inherited the throne, that Versailles became one of the grandest palaces ever constructed.

Beginning in the 1600’s, Louis XIV commissioned architects, artists, and landscape designers to transform the estate into a masterpiece worthy of the French monarchy. Thousands of workers spent decades expanding the palace and constructing elaborate gardens, fountains, and sculptures.

By 1682, Louis XIV officially moved the royal court from Paris to Versailles, making it the political center of France. For over 100 years, French kings ruled from Versailles until the French Revolution in 1789 forced Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to leave the palace.

Although the monarchy eventually ended, Versailles remained one of France’s most important historical landmarks. It also played a significant role in history when the Treaty of Versailles officially ended World War I in 1919 inside the Hall of Mirrors.

Practical Information for Versailles Palace

Versailles Palace, or Château de Versailles, includes the gardens, Grand Canal, two more palaces (the Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon), and Marie Antoinette’s fairytale Hamlet.

The Palace of Versailles is located at Place d’Armes 78000 Versailles, France | Google Maps

The place and Estate of Trianon are open Tuesdays – Sundays, and closed on Mondays, December 25th, January 1st, and May 1st.

Opening Hours:

• Palace & Estate of Trianon – 9:00 am – 6:30 pm (April 1st – October 31st) | 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (November 1st – March 31st)
• Gardens & Park – 7:00 am – 8:30 pm (April 1st – October 31st) | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm (November 1st – March 31st, weather dependent)

Versailles offers plenty of food and drink around the estate grounds. You can find stalls in gardens for drinks and snacks, snack shops inside the palace, Restaurant Angelina where you can get a cup of the famous hot chocolate and a sandwich, or more for all budget needs.

Grab a mini bottle of wine, some snacks, and have a little picnic in the gardens.

Events at Versailles

If you’re planning a trip to Paris and Versailles, I recommend checking to see if any special events are happening at the palace, as they have a changing calendar of seasonal events.

During the spring and summer, Versailles offers a musical fountain show that combines music, synchronized fountains and landscaped gardens. On select days, visitors can also enjoy classical music while strolling through the gardens without fountain performances.

During summer evenings, the Royal Serenade is when performers dress in period costumes and recreate life at the royal court through music, dancing and performances inside the palace. The Royal Serenade takes place from June until September on Saturdays only and requires an additional ticket.

The night fountain shows occur every Saturday night from June until September, which include illuminated fountains, music, special effects and conclude with a spectacular firework show over the Grand Canal. This also requires an additional ticket, which you could combine with the Royal Serenade.

Other events that are held at Versailles include two different masked balls. Fêtes Galantes, held annually in May, is a formal, elegant and traditional ball located inside the palace and the Hall of Mirrors.

The Grand Masked Ball, which is held annually in June, is a wild, late-night EDM club style ball featuring DJs, artistic performances, and a croissant after party at sunrise. You can read all about the grand masked ball here.

These two events alone have grown so much in popularity with people around the world, that tickets have at least doubled in price every year. If these are events you want to attend, I recommend following their instagram as tickets usually go on sale in the winter and sell out within minutes.

If electronic music interests you, the Versailles Electro is a night filled with electronic music from French DJs held on the terrace of Versailles every May. What could be better than listening to electronic music at a palace while watching the light shows.

How to Spend a Day in the City of Versailles

Once you finished your tour of Versailles, don’t rush back to Paris. The town of Versailles is charming, elegant, and far less crowded than the palace grounds.

Wander through the Notre-Dame market, which is one of France’s oldest markets that offers fresh pastries, artisan cheeses, seasonal produce, flowers, and more. If you finish your tour early of the palace, stop by to grab some ingredients for a picnic lunch.

Versailles also has so many independent bookstores, food shops, antique stores, and boutiques lining its historic streets. You can spend your afternoon browsing everything it has to offer.

If you’re looking for a restaurant for either lunch or dinner, some delicious and highly rated restaurants around Versailles include the Italian restaurants Les Toqués or la Cantina Versailles, the French restaurants Chez Georges or RESTAURANT 17.37, La Salamandre, Creperie La Place, or Nakhon Thai.

Spending the Night in Versailles

If your itinerary allows a night in Versailles, then you should absolutely spend the night.

While most visitors leave by the late afternoon, staying overnight gives you a chance to experience Versailles after the crowds disappear. Spend your evening trying another new restaurant, take an evening stroll around town, and if you want to revisit the palace first thing in the morning, you’re extra close.

It’s also a great option if you’ll be attending one the Night Fountain Shows.

Here are some hotels I recommend in Versailles:

• Waldorf Astoria Versailles Trianon Palace – Luxury and located right beside the palace grounds! You’ll feel like royalty staying here with everything they have to offer.
• Hôtel Les Lumières – This luxury hotel is steps from the palace and offers spa treatments in a tranquil retreat. It’s perfect for couples or a solo traveler who want to pamper themselves like royalty.
• Hotel Le Versailles – Another nearby hotel minutes from the entrance, this hotel combines comfort and location for a mid-range price.
• Le Louis Hotel Versailles Château – Less than a 10 minute walk to the palace, this mid-range hotel gives the feel of expensive with luxurious rooms with a great location.
• ibis Versailles Château – Budget-friendly, reliable, and located nearby the palace and train station.
• Hôtel Versailles Chantiers – Another budget-friendly option, although about a 20 minute walk to the palace. If you’re looking for simple and affordable, then this would be perfect.

A visit to Versailles is much more than checking off another famous landmark off your France bucket list. It’s a chance to learn the history, admire some of the world’s finest architecture and gardens, and experience a charming French town that often gets overlooked by travelers. Versailles offers an escape from Paris, which makes it the perfect day or overnight trip away. I hope you all love the city of Versailles as much as I do!