The Palace of Versailles. A sensual indication of royal vigour and influence that, to this day, still wows visitors. The palace gives you a deeper understanding of the illuminating lavish and ostentatious lives the former monarchs used to live and gives you an insight into the incredible French history. It is one of the most famous attractions in Paris. The Palace of Versailles attracts over 10 million people every year. After the exquisite Eiffel Tower, The Palace of Versailles is the most visited in Paris. The palace has become the symbol of France.

It is very much evident that the palace attracts a lot of tourists after the Eiffel tower, for its beautiful structural dedication to royal influence and boasting the charming architecture of the 18th century, 260 acres of landscape, and stunning artwork, this castle is a stellar example of the lives French royalty once lived.
This guide will help you dodge the crowds, learn what to see, do, and how to get the most out of your visit!

The Palace of Versailles – A walkthrough of French history

the garden in The Palace of Versailles — Photo Credits: Unsplash

The Palace of Versailles was once a primary residence of the Kings of France for over 100 years until the French Revolution. Before it became the primary residence of the Kings of France, the palace was once a quaint hunting lodge. The small hunting lodge then underwent a renovation and it was transformed into a proper chateau by Louis XIII, who bought up the surrounding land to extend his park and gardens. Then after years, the palace was reconstructed by Louis XIV, aka the Sun King, as a lavish country estate, a way to escape Paris and diminish the influential grip of the French nobility. The Palace of Versailles is located exactly 20km away from Paris. The palace has undergone several reconstructions however it was in 1661, the first-ever major construction started and took almost 20 years to complete. The construction of the majestic garden and the interior took close to 40 years to complete.

How to visit The Palace of Versailles

The palace is located at Place d’Armes, Versailles,20km away from Pairs. When touring European nations it’s advisable to keep in mind the opening and closing timings of whichever attraction you’re planning to visit. The palace is open to all its visitors from Tuesday–Sunday (9 am–5:30 pm) with the last entry at 5 pm. The palace gates are closed on every Monday. There are different zones and shows inside the palace such as (grounds, Trianon Palaces, and Marie Antoinette’s estate, The Queen’s Hamlet), the Musical Fountain Show, the Musical Gardens, and the exhibitions. To get the most out of your visit, ensure you buy “The Passport” ticket which gives you access to all the palace tours. The ticket costs 27 EUR (one day) or 30 EUR (two days). Generally, the palace is crowded by tourists from all parts of the world, purchase the ticket online to bypass the ticket line crowd. Keep in mind even if you have the pass you cannot bypass the security line. You should wait for some time till the security checks are done, There are several palace tours and shows such as

The Gardens – The palace has one of the most gorgeous gardens and covers a huge tract of land. The garden hosts plenty of ancient sculptures and fountains to admire as well.

The Main Palace – This is the best part of the palace tour. Make sure you plan accordingly because the main palace features more than 2,300 rooms out of which the most famous ones are the Hall of Mirrors, Marie-Antoinette’s bedrooms, and the King’s Apartments and Royal Bedchamber. You need a minimum of 2 to 3hrs to cover all the rooms in the palace.

Trianon Estate – If you wish to click some beautiful pictures in a less crowded zone then reach out to Trianon Estate. Exploring the Grand and Petit Trianon and spend some time at this stunning and magnificent estate for instagrammable pictures.

The Queen’s Hamlet – The ancient gateway was built in the year 1783 and it was used by Marie Antoinette to move out of palace life and enjoy some private time with her closest friends.

Pickyourtrail’s Travel Suggestions for the Palace of Versailles

Pickyourtrail’s travel suggestions will help you virtually since this is one of the famous attractions in the country, the suggestions and tips will help you make the most of your visit. Pickyourtrail ensures that you save money, beat the crowds, and have a memorable visit.

Be the first visitor or the last visitor

Every year almost 11 million people visit the palace to experience and learn French history. Ensure you take the first bus or the train so that you can get inside the palace once the gates are opened. If you can’t reach early, ensure you visit the palace at the end of the day when the crowds have died down and the tour groups have left. Just never go mid-day! Don’t visit during the weekends – The palace is overcrowded during the weekend. If you wish to see the full glory of the palace, visit during the weekdays.

Pocket friendly

During the low season, the entrance ticket to The Garden is free. The low seasons are from November to March. Visit during the low season to save money on the admission fee.
The palace has a lot of restaurants inside. Don’t eat inside the restaurants which are there in the palace, they are very expensive. Eat at the restaurants which are outside the Palace, so that you can save money.

Avoid the biggest crowd

Never follow the crowd because they tend to see the palace first and then The Garden. Do it in the reverse order so that you can avoid crowds and save time.

A deeper understanding of the Palace

It is better to opt for a guided tour. The guided tour will help you understand deeper about the Palace and its history. You can also download the audio guide which is free of cost. You can download their free app and you can access the audio guide free from the app.

Thinking of saving time and avoiding crowds?

Get a museum pass to avoid standing in the long queues. This pass will give you priority entrance once you get inside the palace. Remember you need to stand in the security line even if you have the pass.
While it won’t let you skip the security line, it will give you priority access once you’re inside.

Entrance ticket

Entrance tickets for people below the age of 18 and the EU residents under the age of 26 get free access to the palace.

How to get to the Palace in Paris?

There are different ways by which you can reach the palace. By far the easiest way to reach the palace is by taking the RER Line C. From RER Line C you can reach the palace followed by a 5 minutes walk.

Looking to stroll through beautiful The Gardens or take some amazing royal pictures? Check out the France packages and plan your France vacation with Pickyourtrail for a hassle-free experience.