How to Visit Versailles from Paris (Complete Guide + Tips!)

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Are you looking up on how to visit Versailles from Paris?
You’re in luck, because I will tell you all about it! Yes, it is possible to visit Versailles in only one day. Be prepared to do a LOT of walking, though, but this all depends on what you plan to see and do there!

By the end of this post, you should be able to plan your day trip 🚄

What is it exactly and how far is Versailles from Paris?

Versailles is a commune (similar to a city) outside of Paris that is famous for the Palace of Versailles (Château de Versailles). It is 12 miles (19 kilometers) west of Paris, and was used as a residence for French kings! It is a very luxurious palace with beautiful gardens, and is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Château de Versailles is one of tourists’ favorite destinations when visiting Paris, France.

Who built Versailles?

Versailles (pronounced /vɛʁ.saj/ en Français) used to be a small hunting lodge for the French King Louis XIII. The expansion of the lodge to become the grand palace it is today was done by his son, Louis XIV. Him and his sibling were sent there to escape the smallpox epidemic at the time, and he really liked the place. He then spent a ton of money in 50 years to expand the residence and moved his administration there.
His descendant, Louis XV, built more chambers in the palace even though he did not reside there. After him, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette moved into the estate and made it the home of their court before the French Revolution stormed in, in 1789.
The French public held a very critical opinion over this opulent residence, and consequently Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette met a very bitter end.

How do I get to Versailles from Paris?

You have several options:

1. BEST WAY: Take the train!
   Simply look up the nearest RER C train station from your stay, this is the best way to get there. You might have to ride the Métro to get to certain stations, then transfer to the RER C line. Buy the ticket at the ticket booth, which can be used for both the Métro within Paris and on the RER train to Versailles. You cannot use the Navigo Easy for this trip, since Versailles is outside of Paris. Make sure to get a round trip ticket, since the lines can get crazy there to buy the return trip ticket! The RER C train runs every 5-10 minutes, and when I visited the train was clean and well managed. The train trip can take around 1 hour one way. Make sure to get off at the Versailles Château Rive-Gauche station! This is less of a walk than from the Versailles Chantiers station.
2. MORE FLEXIBILITY: Drive there
   You can go by car for a more flexible schedule with larger parties. This will take around 1 hour. The downside: driving in Paris can be crazy! Watch out for rush hours, too.
3. Take the bus (I don’t recommend this as it can take longer with more transfers)

Can I visit Versailles for free?

Yes, ONLY if you are an EU resident under 26 years old or under 18 years old for non-EU resident. Find out if you qualify by checking the criteria in Château Versailles’ official guide.

If you do not qualify, you have to buy a ticket. I suggest you to purchase it on their official website. There are many types of ticket that they sell, but if you are interested in seeing the whole estate (including the Trianons and hamlet), get the Passeport for 28.50 EUR. If you don’t want to walk all day, you can rent a golf cart in the Gardens or purchase a little train ticket with your Passeport for 34.50 EUR.

Which ticket should I get? Do I have to reserve?

Personally, I picked the Passeport ticket to visit Versailles. BOOK IN ADVANCE! I can’t stress that enough. It will get VERY CROWDED and you don’t want to be stuck in line for more than necessary.

Get there early, it opens at 9 am. Before you go, get some wonderful croissants at the Aux pains de la ferme bakery near the Versailles Rive Gauche station! Their baked goods were wonderful and the croissant made it to #3 in PriDi’s Paris Croissant Ranking!

Are Versailles tickets timed?

Yes, you can pick the time for your visit in their official website. You can then line up only one time (instead of twice, believe me you wouldn’t want to do that) to get inside the estate!

Are the gardens free?

Yes, but ONLY from November to March! From April 1st to October 31st this year, you have to purchase a ticket.

How long does it take to visit?

Honestly, it can take the whole day! Especially if you want to explore the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet on the other side of the estate. The walking also takes a great amount of time, as the Gardens are HUGE!
If you are a history buff, you can spend more time in the main Château and the Trianons. If you are more interested in beautiful photos, spend more time in the Gardens and check out the Temple d’Amour!

Can I visit without a tour?

YES, definitely! Make sure to download the official app from Château de Versailles here though, to get the basics about its history. It does, I have to admit, all blur together after a while. There are just so many luxurious chambers to go through and it can be quite exhausting to tour it all in one day. After awhile, my brain was just overloaded with information and I just enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

Should I get the audioguide?

You can reserve the audioguide on while getting your ticket, but the Versailles official app also has historical audio guides for FREE! It is available on both App Store and Google Play Store. Download the app and load the contents into your phone when you have WiFi, it takes a lot of data!

What to do in Versailles?

Here are the places you can visit with a Passeport ticket.

1. The Château: The super luxurious and opulent grand palace. Where the iconic Hall of Mirrors is 🏰
2. Grand Trianon: The king’s residence when he’s sick of life in the court 🏘️
3. Petit Trianon: The queen Marie Antoinette’s residence when she’s tired of life in the court as well 🏡
4. Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet: A mini farm created for Marie Antoinette and her friends to chill in, used to have a working dairy farm! 👩‍🌾
5. Gallery of Coaches: Display of horse carriages 🐎
6. Gardens: Rent a golf cart or ride a bike! There’s an excellent gelato cart as well (approved by my Italian friend 😉) 🍨
7. Park: Rent a boat for a cute date idea 🛶
8. Temple d’Amour: I saw a beautiful swan surrounded by tulips here 🦢🌷💕

What to wear in Versailles?

Wear comfortable shoes for sure! (don’t get blisters 😱) For clothing, just adjust it according to the weather at the time. Make sure you’re not too hot or cold, and bringing too many things can get tiring. You WILL walk a lot.

Any cool photo spots?

To be completely honest with you, the gardens was just breathtaking. I can’t imagine the amount of effort, time, and money is needed to keep every corner in such pristine condition. You cannot go wrong here, it’s just so beautiful everywhere!
Another cool photo ops would be at the lake, they have boats with paddles that you can rent! It is VERY hard to row, maybe because I am an amateur 😂 my friends and I had such a hard time navigating the boat.

What to eat in Versailles?

Make sure to bring some water, snacks, and lunch as the food selection is quite limited. They do, however, have an Angelina and Ladurée in the Château grounds.

P.S. = Don’t forget to download these 5 free apps before visiting Paris! I only found out about the most useful one shortly before I left & I really regret it 😭

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