Versailles is a very popular day trip from Paris as it can easily by reached by the public train. When we visited we expected it to be crowded, however, we were still surprised by how many people were there! If you are going to Paris and thinking “is Versailles worth it?” here is our honest review and tips to make it more enjoyable!
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What Kind of Ticket Do I want?
The type of ticket you buy depends on what you want access to within Versailles and the surrounding grounds. Check out this graphic on their website to compare each ticket.
The most famous attraction is the Palace of Versailles known for the Hall of Mirrors and the Kings apartment. The size and opulence of the Palace makes it hard to imagine it as simply the king’s secondary estate. Other popular buildings at Versailles include the Estate of Trianon (where Marie Antoinette would stay) and the Coach Gallery.
On specific days there are shows in the Gardens that require tickets. The website gives very good information about what each ticket gets you and does not get you access to.
The number one piece of advice we have if you are interesting in touring the Palace is to buy a timed ticket!
The regular passport ticket which gives you access to everything on the estate is the SAME price as the timed passport ticket that guarantees you access to the Palace within 30 minutes of your chosen time. Both passport tickets are 20 or 27 Euros depending on the Garden shows for that day.
- The timed entry means you wait in a different timed ticket line. This line is a significantly shorter line than the line for not timed tickets by a few thousand people (our estimate).
- Even if you buy the timed ticket you will still need to wait in line before entering. Honestly, there is nothing you can do to completely escape the lines here.
Travel Truth: We bought our tickets online about 8 days before going to Versailles. If you are only in Paris for a couple days and know you definitely want to do the Palace tour, we suggest you buy your tickets online early to guarantee the date and time you want.
Our Recommendation:
Skip the Palace and go straight for the Gardens!
We would actually not recommend the Palace tour but instead just tour the Gardens and the Park. We recommend this for a couple different reasons that we’ll go through so you know all the information before deciding which ticket to get.
Reason #1: The Lines Outside
The photograph below was taken in the security line at the Grille d’Honneur (the main entrance). This is the first line you wait in when you get to Versailles and cannot be avoided (for good reason). Once you are beyond the security checkpoint you will see a line of people wrapped up and down the courtyard. That is the line for general/un-timed tickets. We were honestly shocked when we first saw it and estimate a few thousand people were waiting there.
Reason #2: Cost
Tickets to the Palace range from 18-27 Euros depending on what other sites you get access to within Versailles and the type of ticket you are buying.
Entry to the Gardens and the Park is free.
Reason #3: Too Many People Inside
Unfortunately the massive lines that are outside will eventually make their way inside and inside the palace was like one giant mosh pit. You all walk as one collective group because there are so many people in the narrow walkways. A small section of the back of each room in the Palace is roped off as a walkway for visitors, however, it is far too small for the amount of people being let in.
We found it very difficult to enjoy the experience while getting pushed and bumped by a bunch of different people at once. Now we did go during the busier summer months so maybe it is not always that crowded but it definitely impacted our overall experience.
You can see in the pictures just how many of our closest friends were there with us!
Getting to Versailles
We found it very easy to get to Versailles by train from Paris. There are 3 main train stations close to Versailles. Both Versailles Chantiers and Versailles Rive Droite are about a 15-20 minute walk to the main entrance and can easily be navigated using google maps or another map app. Versailles Cheateau station is a little bit closer to the Palace. There are also map tools on the Versailles website if you need additional information.
- Versailles Chateau- Rive Gaucho
- This is the closest station to the entrance but is also usually the busiest especially during peak travel times to and from Versailles.
- Versailles Chantiers
- You can take a train from Gare Montparnasse station in the 15th arrondissement to Versailles Chantiers.
- Versailles Rive Droite
- You can take a train from Gare Saint-Lazare in the 8th arrondissement to the Versailles Rive Droite station.
**Make sure to check current train schedules ahead of time for more up to date information**
We always bring this portable battery with us on day trips to make sure our phones don’t die. That way we don’t have to worry about pulling up directions and train schedules!
The Lines
The long lines at the entrance of Versailles are to get inside of the Palace, not to go to the gardens. The very, very, very long line to your right is the line for people without timed tickets which is why our first recommendation for the Palace is to buy a timed ticket. Both lines are funneling people in through entrance A of the Dufour Pavillion.
If you do choose to do the Palace we HIGHLY recommend getting a timed ticket to limit the amount of time you have to wait. We really cannot recommend this enough.
Okay thats all we’re going to say about the lines. We’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking!
Read More: 6 Tips for Visiting Versailles
The Palace
Inside you are funneled into a narrow walkway through the various rooms of the Palace. There are so many people that you can be forced to move at an awkward, standard pace attempting to not bump into too many people at once.
After we made it through a few rooms, and took the stereotypical photographs of the ceiling/upper walls (to avoid the selfie sticks and iPads) we were ready to get outside.
Highlights of the Palace include the ornate ceilings in the Kings apartment and of course the Hall of Mirrors. They were beautiful.
The Gardens & The Park
The Gardens, we think, are the real pride of Versailles. It is difficult to describe how massive the Gardens are and pictures do not do them justice. You can easily spend an entire day walking around.
The Gardens were completely opposite the Palace when it came to the crowds because of all the space. We never once felt crowded outside and had plenty of time to wander around and enjoy the tranquility.
To clarify, both the Gardens and the Park are free. That’s right they cost nothing to enter.
Now always check the website just to double check on certain dates or if special events are happening.
- When we say the Gardens we mean the area directly behind the Palace. Directly beyond the Gardens is the Park which includes the Grand Canal and stretches out to the Estate of Trianon.
Our suggestion to really take advantage of the grounds of Versailles would be to pack some food and throw towels down in the park for a picnic! We saw a lot of people doing this and were so envious!
Food
There are a couple of fancy restaurants where you can sit down and eat a proper meal. There is also one restaurant in the Gardens with outdoor seating.
We also passed one to-go type food stand in the Gardens selling pre-made sandwiches, fries and other snacks. There was another to-go type stand in the Park selling snacks, drinks and ice cream that was very crowded.
We had read online that you could not bring food into the Palace. Because we visited the Palace first we didn’t pack lunch or any snacks to have throughout the day. When we got hungry (which you will after walking for a few hours) we bought the pre-made sandwiches from the stand in the Gardens. Honestly, they were underwhelming and there weren’t a ton of options.
Travel Truth: If you are just going to the Gardens and the Park we suggest packing a picnic! Otherwise throw a couple snacks in your day pack just so you have something. Now we never leave without at least one granola bar!
Is There a Dress Code for the Palace?
We had read online that there was a moderate dress code to enter the Palace. Both of us wore shorts and sneakers and had no problem getting in. There were many other people wearing casual clothes so we did not feel like the only ones.
Both of us also wore sneakers and we would definitely recommend that if we went back for two reasons.
- First, the paths throughout the Gardens and the Park are made of loose dirt and gravel primarily and things can get dusty.
- Second, you are going to walk around a lot (we both walked around 30,000 steps that day) because of how big the Gardens and the Park are plus the walk to and from the train station.
So, is Versailles worth it?
After all of that we would say YES Versailles is worth it. It is a super easy day trip from Paris and the Gardens and the Park are definitely worth checking out! Plus the history of the entire area is extremely interesting.
However, we actually would not recommend doing the Palace unless you are extremely motivated to see it. Maybe we went on a unique day, but the crowds genuinely made it difficult for us to enjoy our time inside. The Gardens and the Park outside made up for it though.
Let us know in the comments if you have been to Versailles and what your thoughts are!
