Versailles · Yvelines · Île-de-France, France
Versailles Tours, Tickets & Things to Do
The best things to do in Versailles, ranked by real traveller reviews: walk the 73-metre Hall of Mirrors where the 1919 treaty was signed, time your visit for the Musical Fountains in the Le Nôtre gardens, cycle the Grand Canal to Marie-Antoinette's Queen's Hamlet, shop the Marché Notre-Dame like a local, and compare every guided tour, reserved-entry ticket and half-day trip from Paris side by side — most with free cancellation.
133 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Versailles
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Versailles
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Versailles by interest
Whatever brings you to Versailles — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Palace tours
Hall of Mirrors and State Apartments.
ExploreTickets & entry
Timed slots, no ticket queue.
ExploreGardens & fountains
Le Nôtre and the waterworks.
ExploreTrianon & Hamlet
Marie-Antoinette's private estate.
ExploreBike tours
Market, canal and picnic.
ExploreFrom Paris
Transport and entry included.
ExploreWhat to see
Top attractions in Versailles
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Hall of Mirrors
357 mirrors, 73 metres.
30+ toursView tours
The Gardens
800 hectares by Le Nôtre.
25+ toursView tours
Grand Canal
1.67 km of royal water.
20+ toursView tours
Queen's Hamlet
Marie-Antoinette's village.
20+ toursView tours
Grand & Petit Trianon
The escape from court.
20 toursView tours
King's State Apartments
Seven planetary rooms.
30 toursView tours
Royal Chapel & Opera
Where the court prayed.
20 toursView tours
Marché Notre-Dame
The royal market town.
15 toursView tours
1 day
Versailles in 1 day
- 1Palace at opening
- 2Gardens & Grand Canal
- 3Queen's Hamlet
- 4Marché Notre-Dame
2 days
Versailles in 2 days
- 1Day 1: palace & gardens
- 2Day 2: Trianon by bike
- 3Marché Notre-Dame
- 4King's Kitchen Garden
With kids
Versailles with kids
- 1Little train to Trianon
- 2Queen's Hamlet farm
- 3Rowing on the canal
- 4Golf cart through the park
From Paris
Versailles day trip from Paris
- 1RER C or guided coach
- 2Reserved 9am entry
- 3Gardens & Grand Canal
- 4Back by early evening
20 min awayParis
Eiffel Tower and the Seine.
from €26View trips
1 h 15 awayGiverny
Monet's water lilies.
from €62View trips
1 h awayFontainebleau
Napoleon’s favourite palace.
from €59View trips
1 h 10 awayVaux-le-Vicomte
The château that caused Versailles.
from €95View trips
1 h awayBarbizon & the forest
Where painters went outdoors.
from €59View trips
1 h awayDisneyland Paris
The other full-day estate.
from €62View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Versailles visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Fountains restart, gardens fill out, days are long.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Evening shows and fireworks — but the heaviest crowds.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Fountains still run, crowds thin, the park turns gold.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
No fountains, bare groves — and the palace nearly to yourself.
Best day of the week
Wednesday to Friday; closed Monday, busiest Tuesday.
Best overall
May, June and September — fountains running, crowds bearable.
Half a day
Palace and the central garden axis, nothing more.
One full day
Palace, gardens and the Trianon estate — the right amount.
Two days
Add the town, the market and a slow ride round the canal.
For history
A guided palace tour plus the Trianon domain.
For gardens
Come on a fountain-show weekend, April to October.
For families
One outdoor day: bikes, Hamlet and the little train.
RER C
To Château–Rive Gauche: 35–45 min, closest station.
From Montparnasse
To Versailles Chantiers in 15 min, then an 18-min walk.
From Saint-Lazare
To Versailles Rive Droite in about 35 minutes.
The little train
Palace to Trianon and the canal, around €9.
Bikes & golf carts
Rent at the Grand Canal — the estate is 2 km across.
On foot
Palace to the Hamlet is 25–30 minutes each way.
Timed entry
Compulsory for everyone, pass holders included.
Arrive at 9am
Or after 3pm; 10am–2pm is the crush.
Security first
Nobody skips the gate check — only the ticket line.
Gardens
Free most days; €10–€12 when the fountains play.
Trianon opens at noon
Plan the estate for the afternoon.
Eat in town
The Marché Notre-Dame beats the palace cafés.
Palace entry
Morning slots sell out days ahead in summer.
Fountain-show days
Weekend garden tickets go first, April to October.
Small-group tours
Ten-guest maximum tours fill weeks ahead.
Bike tours
Limited bikes; summer weekends book out.
Golf carts
The estate has a fixed fleet — reserve early.
Giverny combos
April to November only, and they sell out.
Entry ticket
About €31 for the palace with a timed slot.
Guided palace tour
€64–€90 with reserved entry.
Half-day from Paris
€89–€99 including transport.
Bike tour
€39–€109; rentals from about €10.
Golf cart & Segway
€59 for a Segway ride, €199 guided by cart.
Private tour
From €250, up to €700 for a full day with driver.
When to visit
Versailles through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Apr–Jun
- Best for
- Fountains & blossom.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Book weekends early.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Jul–Aug
- Best for
- Night shows & fireworks.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Arrive at opening.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Sep–Oct
- Best for
- Golden park, fewer people.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- The sweet spot.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
Nov–Mar
- Best for
- Quiet State Apartments.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- No fountains running.
People also ask
Versailles travel FAQ
What are the best tours of Versailles?
The highest-rated experiences are the guided palace tour with reserved entry (€64–€90), the full estate tour with the Grand Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet (€145), the half-day trip from Paris with transport (€89–€99), the bike tour taking in the Marché Notre-Dame and the Grand Canal (€109), and the private golf-cart tour of the park and palace (€199).
How much do Versailles tours cost?
Entry tickets cost about €31, audio-guided garden walks from €10, guided palace tours €64–€90, half-day trips from Paris €89–€99, bike tours €39–€109, Segway and golf-cart tours €59–€199, full estate days with lunch €145–€199, and private tours €250 and up. Compare exact prices on Excurgo.
How many days do you need in Versailles?
One full day covers the palace, the gardens and the Trianon estate at a comfortable pace. Half a day is enough for the palace and the central axis only; two days lets you add the town, the market and a slow circuit of the park by bike.
When is the best time to visit Versailles?
May, June and September — the Musical Fountains are running, the gardens are at their best and the crowds are lighter than in July and August. Within the week, come Wednesday to Friday: the palace closes on Mondays and Tuesday is the busiest day because of it.
How do you get to Versailles from Paris?
The RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche takes 35–45 minutes and leaves a 10-minute walk to the gates — about €8 return. The train from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers is faster at 15 minutes with an 18-minute walk, and Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite takes 35 minutes.
Is the Palace of Versailles closed on Mondays?
Yes — the palace and the Trianon estate close every Monday, along with 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. The gardens and the park stay open daily all year, weather permitting.
What are the best day trips from Versailles?
Paris is 20 minutes away by train; Monet's garden at Giverny an hour and a quarter; Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte — the château whose architects Louis XIV poached to build Versailles — about an hour southeast; and Disneyland Paris an hour across the city.
133 Versailles experiencesfrom €8 · free cancellation
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