Gardens of Versailles

Beautiful gardens with a very easy to understand map to get around! We were disappointed to see most fountains were off, aside from the 3 that are part of the Musical Gardens display, but the beauty of the well-kempt grounds made up for that! A nice plus was being able to being our supplies to have a picnic spread in a designated area.

We spent nearly two hours strolling through the garden, and it was a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris. Despite the summer heat, the shade from the trees, the coolness of the water features, and the lush greenery made the experience thoroughly enjoyable. The fountains, each uniquely designed, added unparalleled elegance, while intricately carved marble statues dotted the landscape. Some sections of the garden feature patterned lawns that create breathtaking views from the tops of wide staircases. As you walk along the path, the distant view of the palace adds to the grandeur. Overall, it was a lovely and leisurely walk through an opulent garden, beautifully maintained and rich in detail.

Gorgeous manicured gardens, with sprawling mazes and beautiful fountains and statuary. You can blissfully wander for hours, finding new alcoves and statuary. It can get very hot with limited shade in some areas. I recommend bringing a hat or umbrella for shade. The fountains only run on the weekends, and the crowds were about the same when we were there on a Thursday and then the following Saturday.

Three hours and 11,000 steps later, that was my visit to the Jardin de Versailles and it was worth every moment. The landscape is absolutely stunning. I could have spent the whole day there if the sun wasn’t so intense, but even with the heat, it felt like stepping into a dream. Every path led to something beautiful, whether it was a fountain, a sculpture, or just a quiet, perfectly manicured moment. It’s hard to wrap your head around the vision and creativity it must have taken to design a place like this. It’s not just a garden. It’s a masterpiece. I had a wonderful time and would go back in a heartbeat. If you’re going to Versailles, do not skip the gardens. They’re magic.

What a delight. This place is vast and has lots of water features for those inclined. Apparently I’m not a fountain show guy (although I did quite like the “beaded” fountain) as they didn’t do much for me but on a Wednesday afternoon in June there were a lot of opportunities to walk down shady paths with a slight breeze and find solitude for a moment among hundreds of people. After time in Paris it’s a welcome respite. Definitely worth a visit and walking around. The golf cart folks miss out on the best parts.

The Gardens of Versailles are a true masterpiece of landscape art, impressive in their grandeur and harmony. Spacious avenues, perfectly trimmed bushes, and numerous flowerbeds create a unique atmosphere of luxury and tranquility. The numerous fountains deserve special attention; on a sunny day, they come alive in a spectacular display of water and light. Interestingly, in the Apollo Fountain and the Grand Canal, you can see not only clear water but also ducks and bighead carp swimming — adding a special lively charm to the gardens. A walk through these gardens is a wonderful opportunity to experience the spirit of French classicism and royal grandeur.

The Jardins de Versailles are truly vast and impressive — a huge area that we all enjoyed exploring. It's a beautiful and peaceful escape with stunning views and fountains. Be sure to check the weather before you go; if there's a chance of rain, come prepared with umbrellas or raincoats. I highly recommend hiring a buggy or golf cart — it made a big difference and helped us cover more ground comfortably.

Really good time being there. I think you should buy tickets earlier because waiting line was long but not much slow. Price is 11€, for kids from 6-17 is 10€ and free for kids under 6. Its a really big place so you will need couple of hours to visit all. It was really good.

We arrived in Versailles on our second day in France. We got a taxi from our hotel in Paris to Versailles without issue. Knowing we'd spend at least a 1/2 day at the chateau, we booked the earliest timed entry possible, which was 10am. Remember to book your tickets in advance and online. This ticket also included the garden and a return train. The "return train" isn't really useful, but if you are lucky enough to splurge and rent a golf cart.... That might be fun. Anyhow, the palace itself is marvelous. So much history and grandeur. There were some things we saw from the Louvre, but we learned a lot. Even in the morning, there were so many tourists so be warned that it'll get crowded fast. Yes, pickpocketing could happen, but I never felt in fear while inside. We decided not to book a tour guide. Maybe it wasn't the best decision, but we found there was enough information in the official app (which is clutch!) to keep us educated. The main beauty, however, is once you exit the palace and enter the Gardens. We spent the absolute most time in here. This is also where the app came handy as it helped us navigate the gardens easily. So many cool fountains and, if you come at the right time, you may even catch a fountain show. It is quite the walk within the gardens. Sometimes, we wished we could even get some water at various points inside. But it's nothing to prevent us from coming back again if the opportunity presents itself. The Chateau is a nice respite from the bustle of Paris and it should be a must see for anyone visiting Paris.

We were on an excursion from a river cruise, so I had no control over what time of day we visited Versailles. We were there in the afternoon, and lines were definitely long. We went straight to the gardens, and got to walk through a small portion of them before entering the building. Keep in mind that the garden paths are primarily gravel and can be tricky to navigate for some. The chateau of course is beautiful, but it can be tricky to see everything when you've got a lot of people surrounding you. To me the best part was the series of rooms dedicated to the various gods,Diana, Venus, Mars, etc. There are beautiful paintings everywhere, including the ceiling! When we were done, we had some time to kill before our bus left, so we walked about two blocks into town, where there is a small ice cream shop, right next to a souvenir shop. It was a great pick me up to have some ice cream, and to look at the variety of souvenirs. Later in the week, my son returned to visit with a friend, and they spent the majority of their time in the gardens. They took their time and went way into the gardens and said that there were a lot of amazing things to see, and I was disappointed that we had missed them on our visit. However, they did point out that there are very little opportunities to get anything to drink in the gardens, so be sure to bring your own bottled water or you'll get very thirsty!

Been thinking about visiting this world famous Chateau for many years -- finally did visit yesterday -- October 3, 2024. Here are my thoughts and a few tips. It's more of an art museum than a gigantic home. You can better appreciate the vast scale of excess house construction in the Louvre, another former aristocratic home. Besides the two beds and a smattering of furnishings -- this building is mostly artworks and some design features. It'd be better to emphasize how the home functioned for the kings and queens and courtiers who lived here 300 years ago. Show us a kitchen -- how was their food prepared and how was it delivered through the vast building spaces? How was the plumbing achieved -- servants and chamber pots or some additional wealth related means? How did they bathe -- was any water delivered directly to their living spaces, and if so, how? the problem I think, began with the sudden decline and end of aristocracy wherein the building was converted into a museum-- it lost its way and its meaning as a symbol of magnificence in home building. The thesis should be returned to that focus. There are plenty of art museums in Paris, there is only one Versailles-- perhaps the opulence of it's residential status for merely 100 or so years in its final form, approximately still present today was wantonly diminished post-1789. To fully appreciate my point, the board should compare it to Hearst Castle, Biltmore, Falling Water, and even Warwick Castle -- for inspiration on what it could be-- instead of just a massive building with a few interesting rooms, lots of art, and a ginormous garden. Now for the practical part -- Be aware the most comprehensive available to purchase "Passport admission ticket" has several critical limitations: First, it's not an unlimited pass to the palace for the day -- if you leave the palace proper for the gardens or for lunch-- you cannot get back in... Second, the gardens can only be entered 2 separate times on your "passport" -- so, if you want to enter the gardens at 8 am before your 9 am Palace entry, that's 1x Or, if you enter the gardens AFTER visiting the palace, that's 1x, and if you should decide to go to the Italian restaurant just outside the west gate to enjoy lunch, and then re-enter the gardens because you mistakenly think the Trianon is within the gardens, that's 2x. So, after exiting the gardens to see the Trianon, your "Versailles passport" essentially expires. So, lesson learned the hard way, the Trianon (both petite and grande) are NOT inside the Gardens. So, If you then use your "passport" to go see the Trianon, you will NOT be able to re-enter the gardens to walk by the palace to get back to the train station-- you'll have to walk around the Versailles' massive property (miles long) to return to your train back to Paris, UNLESS you happen to learn the workaround-- pay 5 euro for the "train" bus to haul you from the Trianon to the castle which does not "stop" at the garden border for a "passport" check. This is an ~1-1/2 mile ride, just an FYI to save you some steps and a garden re-admission fee of 9 euros, if you've already used up your 2 entrances on your "comprehensive passport ticket" One final thought-- this may be the last remnant of French aristocracy and the place where the armistice was signed after WWI-- but, it's way overcrowded and way underwhelming-- in comparison to other sites in Paris and other famous home tours around the world. This is a one and done kind of place, a deceptive tourist trap, so -- get there at the start of the day and ration your garden entries carefully. Or skip it entirely. The Paris City Museum is actually a more impressive example of an 18th-century aristocratic residence and its free. Gardens abound in France. Art museums are better inside the Paris walls.

Took a trip to Versailles today from Paris, only 9 miles away/ ~15-20 min, to visit Château de Versailleo! Originally we planned to purchase tickets to the fountain night show that they offer almost every Saturday + Sunday from June-September 14th, but we figured to just hold off on buying the tickets. Instead, we walked around the outside area of the palace. Very beautiful structures... LOVE THE GOLD! Wish we had more time to explore the inside, but it was a last minute plan to visit Palace of Versailles & by the time we got here, it was too late. Overall, still had a very nice time here. We were still here until 8:15pm, 15 min before the fountain show started, however, we all felt too tired & exhausted from walking around to see all the historical sites Paris has to offer.

Ostentatious, opulent, and over-the-top, this monumental palace glorified the French royalty's ascendance. They flexed their wealth, privilege, and power through this palace of propaganda. Well worth arrange a tour guide to get the full experience of the Palace's political and social context. The Hall of Mirrors is, of course, stunning, but so are the grounds and gardens, particularly the anal-retentive precision of the Orangerie. And the fountains! Even though the off-season and water wasn't running, the fountains are still a marvel of artistry, sculpture, and symbolism. Definitely try to get a timed entry early in the day and plump for the "skip the line" fee. The Palace itself was still pretty crowded even in late October- God knows what the crowds are like at the height of summer! But once you get out onto the grounds you can take a nice leisurely stroll through these beautiful parks and gardens.

This review's focus is the gardens, though the expansive Palace is also a feast for the eyes. If you have about 4 hours and you are in the area (Paris), pop on a comfy pair of tennis shoes (sneakers) and treat yourself to a stroll around this vast property. I loved ...the classical music (my favorite genre) playing from speakers throughout the property ...Waiting to snag a spot at the ledge for the perfect selfie, ...the symmetrically- manicured gardens ...the peddle-boats ...watching golf carts whiz by ...and all the quiet paths lined with the tallest tree where you can get lost and found. Bring/wear a comfy pair of shoes. Rent a golf cart or include the grounds tram in your schedule. Purchase your ticket online for the best rate. Bring a snack and a beverage (onsite restaurant has WiFi if you'd rather purchase refreshments on-site). Take your time and enjoy the views.

Every time we come out to Paris, France, this is one of our stops. The Garden is absolutely breathtaking!! The first time I saw this garden, I was mesmerized, I thought I had died and went to heaven. Lol. I took few videos, but it's a must to see it for yourself.

Cool place to learn about the history of the kings in France. We did get to see the whole thing because they had a b@mb threat so everyone was evacuated. If I make it back to France it will definitely be on the list of places to go. You need to put this on your bucket list and recommend getting a tour guide.

This is definitely one of those tourist attractions you only need to visit once. We had the Museum Pass and pre-booked a 2:30 pm timeslot for a Tuesday. We arrived early at around 1:50. Luckily, we didn't have to wait around because they let us enter early. The actual chateau is beautiful and there are plenty of photo ops outside. But once you get inside, it's a bunch of tour groups. It's also not like a regular museum. Because the hallways are narrow, the traffic flow pretty much just goes in one direction, so most of the time, tour groups are blocking the pathway. This was pretty much the entire chateau, so we tried to just go through it quickly and get out of there. The Hall of Mirrors was kind of unimpressive but again, probably due to all of the tourists. It's nothing like what you see in Instagram. We probably spent a little under two hours inside and taking pics outside. We skipped the garden. Overall, the chateau is crowded and far from the city centre (an hour minimum ride, depending on where in the city you are coming from). So if your time is limited in Paris, I would say you can skip this because you can expect to spend at least half a day here. Otherwise, try to book early so that you can get the first time slot and maybe you can avoid at least some of the groups (we booked maybe 2 weeks prior and all the early time slots were already taken).

We visited the palace during our trip to paris. I got passport level tickets, which included access to the gardens. We visited here on the last week of june on a very hot day. I have booked the tickets on their official website and reserved a time slot, which came out cheaper. We also got the audio guides. The check-in process was simple with a security check at a couple of places. You can also purchase the audio guides as you enter the palace , and the garden tickets and palace tickets can be purchased on site. The palace of overall is beautiful. It contains a lot of artifacts, paintings, and decorations that will impress you. We spent closer to a couple of hours inside the palace using the audio guide, and it was brilliant. In certain rooms, the crowd was overwhelming, but in overall it's a great experience. We toured the garden for an hour, There were cart rental options, and also a small shuttle service available, which runs every thirty minutes for a forty minute tour. I would recommend taking a shuttle like that, but it won't stop inside the garden. But you will get a good overview of the garden. We watched a couple of fountain shows inside the garden. And everything was magical and wonderful. I strongly recommend this place if you like history and palaces. They do have a lot of eating places inside the palace and the rest rooms are maintained very well. Get a lot of water and, if possible, an umbrella if you plan to walk in the gardens.

There is nothing quite like Versailles. 12 years ago, I visited Paris for the first time and have vivid memories of visiting the palace. Returning again, it did not disappoint and was even more magical than I had imagined. A pro tip: buy tickets for the first time slot of the day. There is nothing quite like walking through the palace with no one else around. We stepped into the hall of mirrors and it felt empty! There was barely one in there as we got to explore and enjoy the experience all to ourselves. You can always swing back around to go through the galleries once again! It's an easy train ride from the city and absolutely worth visiting. We enjoyed Angelina for brunch and strolled the gardens during the mid day sun.

Bring comfortable walking shoes! As well as an umbrella If it's not the rain, it's the Sun! You will need the entire day to look around. Even then, there still won't be enough time. Ride bikes or pay for the go cart tour. The line is ridiculously long so I'd advise a tour group to skip the line. Parking sucks. Incredibly beautiful grounds.

A train ride away from Paris. Home of many Louis. Mind-blowing wealth collected by this royalty regime. The ability to view these time worn antique galleries up close is amazing; very upsetting to see so many visitors have the nerve to touch the artwork and antiques with their grimy paws. Whatever wing you start from, it will be a lazy river pace sliding your feet every couple feet with the flow of overflowing tourists. Air-conditioning was not invented yet during these past centuries so body odor is unavoidable in the sardined packed stroll through the chateau. Save your energy for the garden; weather was perfect on this day and hours can be spent simply outside through this horticulture heaven. A full sun-filled day to tour the Chateau de Versailles highly recommended.

This is part of our stop when we were in Paris when we have our European vacation this past September. and I am so glad that we made this a stop because Versailles is one of the most amazing places I had been. We were staying at Trocadera and used train to go here, took us an hour to go here. We purchased our ticket online to ensure that we have tickets and it will not get sold out when we go there. First of all, there are lots of people visiting Versailles and I do not blame them at all lol. They have a line for the time frame that you chose and actually it wasn't too bad. The road is very rocky so make sure you have comfortable shoes and make sure to always check their schedule and purchase you tickets online to make your visit a little bit easier. Sometimes Versailles is closed due to some event just like when we went there we were trying to purchase tickets and they were closed for the whole day because King Charles was visiting Paris and they have dinner at Chateau de Versailles. Thankfully we looked before just going there. i highly recommend for you to have your whole day spent here, the inside was amazing! It is out of this world how beautiful this place is and the garden was absolutely gorgeous! I wish I have the energy to tour this whole place. This is a highly suggested place to visit!

Don't you ever wonder what people back then did when they lived in such a cool palace? I wonder if they ever boarded or we're they always doing something all the time. This place is a must-see if you ever go to Paris and you will be in amazement with the compound. There are gardens and boat rides outside so do that and also check out the inside and all the rooms that they have. The place is beautiful and even before you go, you can do somewhat a virtual tour around to plan out what what you want to do and see. Buy your tickets online and plan accordingly. I wanted to spend a few days in this area so I actually booked a hotel as well so I could relax and chill. I knew I was going to do a lot of walking. But it was beautiful to see. It just feels nice and happy here. I don't know why but to me this is what I like to do.

The palace is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, we took the train 12 miles west of Paris. About 15,000,000 people visit annually, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. The palace was largely completed by the death of Louis XIV in 1715. There are 2,143 windows, 1,252 chimneys, and 67 staircases. Initially, Louis XIII built a simple hunting lodge on the site of the Palace of Versailles in 1623 and replaced it with a small château in 1631-34. Louis XIV expanded the château into a palace in several phases from 1661 to 1715. It was a favorite residence for both kings, and in 1682, Louis XIV moved the seat of his court and government to Versailles, making it the capital of France. In1789 the royal family and capital of France returned to Paris. For the rest of the French Revolution, the Palace of Versailles was largely abandoned and emptied of its contents, and the population of the surrounding city plummeted. Napoleon Bonaparte, following his takeover of France, used Versailles as a summer residence from 1810 to 1814, but did not restore it. When the French Monarchy was restored, it remained in Paris. The palace and park were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its importance as the center of power, art, & science during the 17th & 18th centuries. The French Ministry of Culture has placed the palace, its gardens, and some of its subsidiary structures on its list of culturally significant monuments. Versailles huge park which features one of the most accomplished French gardens ever created. The garden was designed at the same time as the Palace with the aim of creating a harmonious ensemble to glorify the Sun King. Included is the Royal Forest where the King hunted. There are lovingly tended gardens, almost 300 sculptures and an endless array of shrubs & trees. The Palace is surrounded by gardens on 3 sides, made from parterres, dotted with fountains & alleyways that lead into groves where the effects of foliage and water create an enchanting spectacle. Louis XIV added the Great Trianon palace to the park, a summer retreat for he and his family and a refuge from the Royal Court. Louis XV used the Trianon as a home for his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Later on, Louis XVI offered it to Marie Antoinette, who added English Gardens and a famous hamlet comprised of rustic cottages.

Wasn't going to go. Nope, not going to do it. Tourist central, even in ways the Eiffel Tower isn't. We took a small group tour that had a excellent coach to get us there, and the guide did an excellent job covering the place. As you are going through the initial rooms, you feel like you could be in any of a number of huge castles. Hampton Court, same thing. When you get to the famous hall of mirrors the real decadence that led to the French Revolution becomes evident. The other thing that becomes evident is how much you don't want to be here in tourist season. It was still more crowded than I liked, and this is the very front end of the season.

All the rooms looks the same after the third one. I've been to PARIS twice and finally got to see Versailles because they're always on strike here. The trains shuts down when they're on strike. I got smart and booked a tour instead. It runs when the city is on strike or not. The bus takes you to Versailles with a tour guide. It's about 30-45 mins from PARIS depends on traffic. It's something to do once but never again. The garden is much better than the palace but even then it was meh

Wowwww, just stunned by its beauty and majesticness. The Palace of Versailles- is one of the most beautiful and impressive palaces I have ever seen and its rich history makes it even more interesting. The massive garden, the beautiful architecture, and the highlighted spots are just breathtaking!! We visited the place on Sunday and it was very crowded. I guess it's the same every day, with more than 10 million people yearly coming to this place, I can't expect anything less. So glad that we opted for the guided tour, we booked it months in advance. It definitely helped us understand the importance and relevance of some of the highlighted attractions, and mainly with the tour you can skip the ticket waitline. It also helped us stay on track otherwise it's very easy to loose track of time and get lost in it's beauty! So if planning, I recommend going on a guided tour and don't forget to make the bookings in advance as it gets easily sold out. And please note, it's closed on Monday. Due to the time crunch, we couldn't explore the gardens much, just skimmed it quickly! A beautiful and spectacular place!! A must must must must place if you are in Paris! I wonder, back then how did they manage to maintain this place and how many house staff the royals must have had!

Truly a bit disappointed. It's certainly an impressive place and the chateau is quite beautiful. And the historical value of the Hall of Mirrors is certainly important to acknowledge. But the gardens are somewhat lackluster and in need of some TLC. And overall, the place was a madhouse of people, especially inside where it was difficult to get around because there were so many people. If you have time when you're in Paris and can make the trip by train or otherwise, then go for it. But there are many other castles in France that are far more beautiful (Chateau Villandry comes to mind). They're just not as accessible.

Well... On the one hand... the positives include the Hall of Mirrors & gardens was seriously impressive... And the sheer size and scale of an actual palace impresses us with how successful the French were in colonizing and conquering, pillaging and exercising their powers over empire in the past. So I'm going to jump into why such splendor and scale is reduced to 2 stars.... First, The way they run crowds and groups through the palace is ridiculous. Far and away too many people are scheduled. The groups coming through were positively annoying and intrusive. So many people literally stepping on your heels, bumping elbow to elbow because there's just no other way? It's actually pretty bad. Second, the condition of the palace that's on exhibition was kind of bad as well. Many of the statues looked to be simple copies or of inferior artistic work! The masterpiece paintings 30 ft across or larger and 15 ft higher... Compared to le Louvre with identical paintings, for example the coordination of Napoleon... It looks like there's something wrong with the copy at Versailles? Third, the audio guides are just long discontinued and older than dirt cell phones! You have to hold the phone to your ear and punch in the number of the exhibit. This is the most Mickey mouse Improvisation for a major museum to employ which we have ever witnessed. Le Louvre humorously has converted Nintendo 3DS units with uncomfortable headphones into audio guides. The Musee de Orsay had comfortable headsets with professional electronic units that were the type expected. Versailles was the worst and the most ridiculous. 4th, they definitely come across as poorly planned and underfunded. Better planning. Would probably make courtesy transportation around the huge! Grounds included and substantially expanded. But they want to charge 4€ each time you ride their little train. Or I think it was 38€ to rent a golf cart for 30 minutes? This comes across as very amateurish and poorly planned. 5th the estate of trianon closes at 7:30 but it's not clear that they close access at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday? That was annoying because it's a long walk and we walked up at 6:05. The guy would not make an exception for us, and I asked if we could just go in and walk 50 feet in for pictures, he said no. Then another family walked up and asked to go in 50 ft, and he let them in! Wtf? So ... I'm dropping it from two down to 1 star... is actually deserved ...

This is a must-see on your visit to Paris. The chateau is an all day event to see everything so plan accordingly. You can purchase tickets online ahead of your visit for your timed entrance to the palace. I recommend an early afternoon entrance to the palace but arrive when they open (9am) because the tickets also include the carriage house (front of the property) that doesn't require a timed entrance. Expect to wait in line for your entrance into the palace. They have staff everywhere who are happy to direct you. The gardens will take the rest of the day, especially if they are running the fountain water at full pressure, this is not the case everyday so check the website to see if they are doing fountain shows (they include music), it's great for videos. Off the property near the back is the Estate of Trianon that was gifted to Marie Antoinette, we didn't get to see all the buildings because they close early. Plan ahead for that if you are interested in seeing that property. Wish we'd had more time. One day was not enough.

My fiancé and I spent all day here today. The place is absolutely beautiful and real "must see". The grounds and gardens are absolutely stunning. I feel like I was teleported back on time 400 years. Why such a low rating? The place was absolutely packed with people. There were continual choke points at a dead stand still with masses of humanity. So many tours and people taking selfies and photographs that it's nearly impassable. Simply too many people are allowed in at any given and as such, the fun is simply voided. If anyone had covid in those hallways, it was perfect environment to spread the virus.

Very disorganized! This place is a total s$#tshow. Been standing in line for 3 hours. My ticket time was almost 1 hour ago. Finally got in. Don't bother asking questions. Nobody knows anything. Don't eat or drink before coming. Toilet lines are about 45 minutes.

Interesting palace to visit. Need entire day to complete. The chateau palace, garden, king collection, park musical fountain are the features of the estate. It has a lot to offer. Definitely huge place to visit. The palace- I like the most is the grand hall of mirror. This hallway is a spectacular place to take pictures. During the pandemic, the bouncers want you to wear mask. The other great place to take picture is the entrance with golden gate. The grand scale of palace is definitely the good place for awesome picture. The palace includes chapel, apartment, opera house, king rooms, museum and more. Garden- the most impressive is the water fountain. During our visit some of the fountains are under repair. They have three dancing musical garden. I like the mirror pool fountain has good musical water dancing show. The garden is really big. A lot space to explore, each different corner has some things to share. The give a guide route that you can follow. Estate- this include the Trianon estate, the park and grand canal. This place are very far away, I would said buy the bicycle tickets to bike around. You can enjoy more.

Château de Versailles was a must-see for me and my group of friends as we were going to France! It's a quick train ride from Paris and the walk from the train stop to Versailles is probably around a mile or so. I did not wear the best shoes for the walk to or around Versailles, so be warned - pick some good ones! And maybe pack an umbrella. You can see why there was rioting in the streets as you walk up to Versailles.. the amount of gold gilding is as opulent as it is excessive! Walking around the whole Summer Palace is amazing. The is so much to see from all the rooms to the Hall of Mirrors to the gardens in the back. I believe if you book online far enough in advance, you could buy tickets to the palace as well as to have lunch somewhere in the gardens. We were not able to score that this time but I can only imagine how amazing that would be. Check the website for details! If you are able to, definitely eat at Angelina. The food there was absolutely delicious! There is an Angelina by the Louvre where they sell drinking chocolate. I'm unsure if this location has that (get one cup to share with a couple of people if they do), but the food... We were unable to eat at the Angelina by the Louvre as reservations go QUICK. It was a nice reprieve (and serendipitous find) to be able to sit and eat after our long couple of hours of walking around. I would love to go back to Château de Versailles again. Next time around, I would make sure I have better shoes. The palace truly is massive but it is pretty doable to see it within a morning/afternoon. During Covid, they are pretty strict about not removing your masks for photos while inside.

Very interesting museum, however it get's very busy. You can buy tickets online but make sure select correct time because they are checking it!!! The entrance gap is 30 min and if you are late, you will not get in. We took audio guide and it took 2 hours in a more fast forward mode. Unfortunately, we took separate tickets and garden and fish farm wasn't included in a price. So make sure take general tickets that include everything! A lot of fountains were closed. Boats, gold carts, bikes everything for additional money. Ice cream and cafes are extremely expensive, we had food with us and we made a nice picnic on the bench! Be prepared to walk a lot! It takes whole day there, so better to come at 9-10 am! Unfortunately we came at noon and by that time it was very crowded. Buy tickets online! And be aware it's very sunny in summer and there is very little places to hide from sun.

While the building and contents are amazing I definitely preferred spending time in the Gardens. It is very easy to lose track of time wandering around looking at the sculptures, fountains and greenery. It is also the perfect way to enjoy a picnic. Buy the passport and aim for the earliest entry time so you can explore the Palace and have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the Gardens. Once you leave the Garden from one point, you have to use the other entrance to go back in.

Not a bad place to visit, mainly for the historical value. Be prepared for lots of walking and not much space to sit (except for the cafes). We got the personal audio playback tour with headphones - basically a must, otherwise you'll be looking at a bunch of old things without knowing the back story. Or, if you want to save money, you can find a private tour group and listen in (if you can find your own language). It can be a bit crowded inside if busy, but makes it easier to hear the other tour groups. Please note that the audio playback device beeps *super* loudly if you leave beyond some perimeter. So I wouldn't advise leaving the indoor palace grounds unless you're fully done. Because once it beeps then you have to get rid of it and can't get it back. The outdoor grounds are quite expansive but start to look similar after a while. We paid for the "train" tour (not really a train, it drives on pavement) so we wouldn't have to walk so much. The train is a hop-on, hop-off for a few stops but we didn't do that, because once you get off, it can be hard to get back on quickly and we needed to get back to Paris later.

We finally managed to visit Versailles. Most famously home to Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. And this palace is probably one of the worlds most visited places. And rightly so. We did book a ticket online several weeks in advance. From the train station it's a short walk. From Central Paris it's about a 45 minute train ride. In front of the palace you will find several lines. The ones on the very left are the queues to get the ticket. Before getting in line to get inside. If you booked and printed your ticket in advance you can skip that line and head right to the lines on the right. Small plates giving away the time window you booked. Be sure to get to the line inside your time window. After a checkpoint you'll find yourself finally inside the palace grounds. Backpacks and bags were no problem to bring in. There are several dining options and several souvenir shops. Also several toilets. The history is a long one. Here's just some parts of it: The future Louis XIV first came to Versailles in October 1641. He became so fond of the place that, in 1661 shortly after the death of his First Minister, he undertook major works on it. Thereafter, until the end of his life in 1715, the Palace and estate saw a constant stream of building projects, notably including the forecourt in 1662, the "Le Vau Envelope" in 1668-1670, the Pavilions of the Secretaries of State in 1670-1671, the South Wing in 1679-1681, the Grand Commun in 1681-1684, the North Wing in 1685-1689, and the Royal Chapel in 1699-1710. From 1682 it became the main residence of the French Court and government.When Louis XIV died his palace and estate were far from finished. Under Louis XVI he was failing to see clearly the social and economic situation. Louis XVI, who merely wanted to be loved, and Marie-Antoinette, who loved luxury, were undoubtedly at a loss to explain the events of 5 and 6 October 1789 which forced them to leave Versailles for a final journey to Paris. These surely were the most important and wildest years in Versailles. It stood ground to the Revolution and two world wars and still is here today in all its glory. And lucky for us visitors, open to the public. The paintings, the statues, the furniture, all the gold and accessories. The big park and gardens. It's just a massive place. And you only could image how much in todays money went into building it. Let alone the building maintenance and all the staff. Due to its size it's too much to list it all. And it's too much to see in one day. Definitely a place to come back to. But make sure to check out these highlights: - The Hall of Mirrors - King's State Apartement - Marie Antoinettes Private Chambers - King's and Queen's Apartement - Royal Chapel - Dauphins and Dauphines Rooms - Gallery of Battles - Crusades Room - Coronation Room There are guided tours, audio tours and of course free to roam visits like we did. There are lots of info plates all along the route through the palace with lots of interesting and informative texts. And then also of course a lot of staff standing by in case. An absolutely fantastic visit. Don't skip the gardens and park. Even though these are also to big to explore in one visit. Even with lots of visitors there was always enough room for everybody. And many seemed to rush through the palace. Take your time, enjoy this palace and its history. Plan a whole day. No need to rush. Pics and videos are allowed, as long as without flash. Highly recommended.

July 26 2022, a random Tuesday, outside temperature a mild 74 F (about 22 C) in the afternoon. Todays visit to the Chateau was like a visit to Hell. It was horrible. When I last visited (as a school boy in 1963, I have fond memories) - it was magnificent, I walked around freely with my host family, explored everywhere including the beautiful gardens. Today this was impossible - why? 1. Way too many people! It was hot as Hell and impossible to see anything without looking upwards. 2. It moved waaayyy slower than snails pace and there is no way to get out before you walk one step at a time through this Hell like experience 3. You want to wear your mask because of COVID but doing so makes you lightheaded and dizzy because of the mass of sweaty people everywhere 4. You don't want to touch anyone or anything because of Monkeypox - good luck!! 5. You foolishly (well we did) buy tickets at €55 each including a guided tour which was USELESS from the get go. Indeed we left them to it. The tour lasts 90 minutes they say - but you can stay afterwards and walk around the gardens. They fail to mention that this a separate ticket because of the "special events" April - October. NOTE today there were no special events, the fountains weren't even running! Pictures (from outside) to prove it. We had fun, despite the horrors, absolute rip off now. If you MUST go just buy the €18 ticket (includes self guide device) and do NOT waste your money on a €55 (each) "guided tour". We had a tour a few years ago around the Vatican (same company) and it was great! Informative, entertaining, small group. The Versailles fiasco was a really bad guide with 27 people in the tour (adults and kids) supposedly English but a large French family requested French too. Forget it What a shame.

So while some may say the Louvre is the most popular attraction in France, I beg to differ! The Palace of Versailles is downright stunning! I've spent a whole day here as it's not just a small museum shoulder to shoulder visit, you get to explore the entire grounds as well! While the inside is glamorous, be patient as this palace is a zoo during the tourist season. Trying to find the perfect shot with no one in it inside will be pretty darn difficult. Take your time inside though taking in the rich glitzy ambiance before spending at least a few hours outside touring the grounds. Make sure to grab a map though as the grounds are massive filled with little treasures! Do not miss Marie Antionette's village, pretty fun spot that gives you a glimpse of the history with her and the kings lifestyles. All and all, this place is a must and see if you can buy your tickets ahead of time to save you the hassle of standing in a long line!

After a long tour of the palace and the garden, we were ready to eat. We stood in line for about 20 minutes and then were seated. The dining room is pretty tight and has a small menu. I ordered a chicken sandwich with potatoes. The sandwich was ok, it had a fun shape. I tried to order it without tomato or eggs but they said the chef does not take requests. The potatoes were really good. The service was alright, they were nice but forgot several things and never refilled our waters. The prices were also very expensive. The bathrooms are co-ed and didn't have any water running in the sinks. :/

Certainly worth a visit when traveling to France! The grounds and palace are breathtaking and unlike anything else I had ever seen. My boyfriend and I took the train from Paris to the Chateau and enjoyed the overall trip. The train station is about a 15 minute walk to the palace. Be sure to arrive within your ticket time. The staff may not let you enter if you're late during the busy season. For horse lovers, be sure to check out the King's Stables which are a short walk from the palace.

So we came five years ago and had no clue where to start, saw basically nothing. Came back with a private guide this time and had a truly amazing visit. Being a Marie Antoinette fan doing the separate tour of Petit Trianon was so worth it. We also did the behind the scenes tour getting to see places not open to the public including the theatre and the private quarters at the main palace. You're probably only going to come here once if you're a tourist so I recommend doing it all. Beautiful grounds, but massive place and lots of crowds, so plan for it. If you can do a private guide you will avoid a lot of the chaos. If you can't, I would still do it but plan to wait a lot and for large groups of people. It's overwhelming so pick what you want to focus on seeing. Loved it and so glad we came back this time.

It was nice but too big. I preferred the garden. It was much more beautiful. Next time, I prefer to do the garden.

Palace of Versailles was the home to King Louis and it's a very important historical place in France that's why you need to have a tour guide to take you there without staying in the line and show you everything including the queen's hamlet. You need to be there for a whole day to be able to explore everything so get there early and enjoy:-)

A chateau is a small French Castle, located in the countryside. And this one is really popular - the queue was probably as long as the one for Eiffel Tower. If you have the time - this is easily an all day affair. The building was built in the 1600s and originally owned by King Louis XIII. Although it's owned by the government now. Upon arriving and once inside - you'll immediately think how ornate and ostentatious this place really is. This place was truly for royalty and each and every room has its own grand showcase of paintings, sculptures and stories to tell. Once outside and away from the maddening crowd - enjoy the garden and fountain and grand canal!! Talk about grandiose, you could get a little lost in the labyrinth of hedges. While lost, I stumbled upon this little deli and had one of the best baguettes ever!! The synchronized water fountain and music left a lasting impression. I'd like to come back in the evening and experience this once more. Come on doctors and scientists - please find a cure and vaccine for Covid!! Because how will this palace ever accommodate the hordes, with the 6 feet restriction?!

We went to Versailles on a day out from Paris. The scale is enormous. However, not everything inside is equally great. What is fantastic, however, are the Louis XIV apartments and the mirror gallery. Those in itself warrant the visit. Don't bother with the rest.

Beautiful! Only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because a lot of the outdoor statues were covered and the gardens were all getting work done

Magnificent is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of this place. The palace is a site to behold coupled by its furnishings and garden. It's almost unbelievable to fathom a place like this existed. A must see if you're visiting Paris.

11.14.19 Here I come again, Versailles! We got up super early in the morning and headed to the metro when it was still dark outside. Bc it does take awhile to get to Versailles from Paris. We actually had to get off the train one third down the road. We didn't understand why bc the announcement was in French. Some nice lady next to us was able to tell us we need to get off with her very limited English and wait for another operating metro. She told us we can get on the next one with her until we told her we're going to Versailles. Then she pointed to the one we should take. So nice ;) Anyway, back to Versailles. We got there super early so the line wasn't very long yet. The good thing about arriving early is you can snap a picture or two without people running around. I don't like people...jk. Everything is same old same old. The garden was just as pretty. We actually saw some workers maintaining the garden under such cold weather. :( They were actually fixing the fountains I guess? They drained all the water. It was kind of smelly. Walking down the garden, you'll see more fountains. I remember there used to be gigantic fishes in it and my friend and I at the time joked about how it'll make delicious porridge. Haha We were just joking... All we can think about is food when you're hungry. But I didn't see the fishes this time. Maybe they were hiding from me. I hope they didn't die or something.

This is another must see when planning a trip to Paris. The chateau de Versailles is about 30 minutes outside of Paris. Normally the fastest and easiest way to get here would be the RER C line. Unfortunately the line was out of service under construction and one has to take a train from the St Lazare station...it was not a problem. The palace is about a 20 minute walk from the station in Versailles. We had the Paris PassLib pass which included admission to the palace but there were still long line ups to get in. We came prepared with water and sun hats. Be warned there is a lot of walking, so plan accordingly. Louis XIV built the massive palace with hundreds of rooms and halls along with the expansive and beautiful gardens. And this is where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were captured and taken prisoner during the French revolution. We were given complimentary phone type devices that provided the history of the respective room, painting or hall...we would have no understanding of what we were looking at with that information. It was a very positive experience and happy to recommend a trip to the Chateau du Versailles when in Paris.

Hands down the most opulent palace in the entire world. Most of the construction is original but the majority of the furnishings were recreated period pieces. I highly recommend booking a skip-the-line tour as the day-of lines were our of control. We enjoyed our guides narrations as we walked through each room. The hall of mirrors is more majestic than pictures can portray. You just have to see it yourself! Wonderful history and grandeur.

It was the first Sunday of the month so we got in for free. It was busy in the special exhibit area (Louis 15th) but otherwise it didn't feel too crowded inside. The palace is huge so make sure you are well rested when you arrive. You will probably see a few thousand paintings, and 90% will look like the same portrait, so it's a lot to take in. We get it, rich people collect a lot of art. The grounds are also big, but they have a train if you don't or can't walk. Otherwise it's very pleasant to stroll around the paths. I think I got my fill after an hour.

While I'm sitting here in NYC waiting for my bagel to digest I thought I'd entertain you with another of my vacation memories. On both of my visits to France I went to what we always called "The Palace at Versailles ". I was so enchanted and high after the first visit that I insisted I had to go during the week I spent in Paris with my daughter. We took the side trip and spent the day. I wasn't impressed with the food accommodations in Versailles. In fact I remember the employee where we ate tried to overcharge me and when that didn't work she tried to short change me! After that we headed to the Chateau and I quickly was distracted from my anger. I recall taking a tour and learning the history. I believe that was my first visit. Much like most historic landmarks and museums there's more reading involved these days. The rooms and contents are documented on a sign of some kind. I loved the grounds. I'm always amazed by the landscaping. I love the outdoors as much as the opulence inside. I do recall getting bored inside with all the busts (of who remembers) lining the rooms in one section. I was enjoying fantasy in the bedrooms. I recall contemplated the sleeping arrangements and bathroom, bathing situations at that time. I'm kinky like that. I truly believe if you're going anywhere near the Palace in Versailles that you visit. I'm never going to forget the emotions of the experience. I still have photos of me smiling in the garden. I'm posting a cute photo of my daughter standing in front waving to me. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to share this experience with her. I'm recommending!

Worth your visit. I have been here twice and loved it both times. The first time I was here, I was on my own. I pretty much just walked around and enjoyed the scenery, and then visited the palace. The second time, I was with a guided tour. I did get more history lesson out of it. I'd definitely suggest the plan for a whole day here. The trains make it very convenient to get here and leave via public transportation. If you have time, I'd recommend paying for admissions to visit the palace. It will be crowded, but the lines move quickly. The temporary bathroom could use an upgrade. I get they were doing construction during my time of the visit. But still, I'd recommend using the bathroom facility at its restaurant here, see my review here, https://www.yelp.com/biz/ore-ducasse-au-ch%C3%A2teau-de-versailles-versailles-2?hrid=e5JflmvZAmbIc2msQQRKAg&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

The chateau de Versailles (Palace of Versailles) was one bucket item that I did not want to miss while visiting Paris! We stayed in the inner city of Paris and took the train/bus down to Versailles (when we came back we just took the train and switched between lines). It was about an hour and a half trip to and from the Palace from where we were staying. I would advise to buy the timed entry online and to get there at least 30 minutes before your ticket entry. Lines were already sooooo long and winding and the place opened at 9 am (we got there around 9:15 am and our ticket entry was at 10 am). You get to skip the line if you have a timed entry ticket. If it is your first time there, you should get the tickets that gives you full access to the place, and get an early ticket! We left around 3 pm (15H) and walked through all the different parts and gardens of Versailles. This is definitely an all day activity! I would not recommend bringing smaller children as it gets crowded and some of the tourists are aggressive.

The museum is perfect to visit, ticket reservations is required before coming. Everything on the inside of the place and the outside is gorgeous and impressed with everything. There is a lot to see and interesting things to go around, lot of walking and plenty of restrooms.