Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
Versailles Tickets & prices
The Palace of Versailles
Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, transformed a former hunting lodge into the magnificent palace we know and love today. With its sprawling gardens that really are second to none. Fancy following in the ostentatious footsteps of a French king for the day? Look no further! You can also explore the famous Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to bring the First World War to an end.
Opening times Castle:
Tuesday – Sunday: 9.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m
The most interesting tickets:
Online-Ticket Castle + audio guide: EUR 21
Passport to all areas: EUR 24
Special tip: Helicopter flight from Paris to Versailles and back (no visit to the palace): EUR 432 (no admission included, price for 2)
My Rating:
The positives:
Wander through the Hall of Mirrors like the Sun King and stroll around the gardens like Marie Antoinette. There are plenty of magnificent palaces in Europe, but none are quite so grand as Versailles.
The negatives:
The barriers at the entrance can only mean one thing... It gets super busy here during the peak tourist season! The narrow palace chambers can get really crowded.
Tip:
I highly recommend that you buy your ticket online before you go! Unfortunately, you’ll still have to queue up for the security checks.
Make sure you allow plenty of time for your visit. You’ll need at least half a day and maybe longer.
Last Modified: 18.01.2024 | Céline & Jacqueline
Versailles
Tickets
Info: Free entry for EU citizens up to 25 years (ID necessary)
| Versailles Tickets | Prices | Information | Buy Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Entrance Castle + Audio Guide |
EUR 21 |
No skip the line Access only to the palace (No re-entry possible) Audio guide App included |
Buy Ticket |
|
Transport, Admission, Guided Tour, Skip the line |
EUR 144 |
Half day tour (4 hours): - Transfer from/to Paris by bus - Skip-the-line - guided tour EN in the castle - Access to the gardens |
Buy Ticket |
|
Palace + Estates (Passport) |
EUR 24 |
No skip the line Access to the palace, Trianon castles, park, museum, access to the gardens Audio guide app |
Buy Ticket |
|
Entrance to Trianon and Park |
EUR 12 |
Access to the Trianon estate, exhibitions in the Trianon, carriage museum, garden and park (except on days of the Musical Fountains or Musical Gardens) No access to the castle |
Buy Ticket |
|
Ticket + Guided Tour |
EUR 59 |
Skip-the-line + Guided tour (EN, FR, ES) of the Palace + Access to the Gardens |
Book Tour |
The details
at a glance
Opening hours
Trianon:
Tuesday – Sunday, 12.00 – 5.30 p.m.
Coach Museum:
Tuesday – Sunday, 12.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Monday: day off in all buildings
Last admission: 5.00 p.m.
Garden + Park:
daily, 8.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
Except in very bad weather
Prices
Passport to all areas: EUR 24
(Castle + audio guide, Trianon, garden, park, carriage museum)
Address
Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles
How to get there?
RER C stops very close to the castle: Gare de Versailles/Château Rive Gauche, from there a 3-minute walk
TER N stops at Gare de Versailles Chantiers, from there it is a 20-minute walk
Or make it easy for yourself and take the combination ticket consisting of transport, admission, skip the line + audio guide
show less
Paris Museums Pass
The Paris Museums Pass is available for 2, 4 or 6 days.
-> More about the Paris Museums Pass
Palace of Versailles
Photo Gallery
What is there
to see?
Versailles is a palace in a league of its own. You won’t find this level of grandeur or an estate of this size anywhere else in Europe. Versailles reflects the opulence of the French kings and the extravagance of life at court. And yet it has also provided the setting for many important political moments in history.
You can get a real feel for what life was like at court when you visit Versailles. It’s an incredible experience, so be sure to make the most of it. Immerse yourself in the luxurious atmosphere of the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments, saunter through the Hall of Mirrors with your head held high and indulge in a leisurely stroll around the sprawling gardens. And take your time!
There’s plenty to explore inside, with the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors being the definite highlights. Each room leads to another more opulent and lavish one. Starting in the Hercules Room, the huge mural by Paolo Veronese is not to be missed.
The long Hall of Mirrors is the most famous room in the palace. Flooded with light, it almost stretches all the way along the front of the palace. Don’t forget to look out of the windows onto the gardens while you’re there! So many important political events have taken place in this hall.
Once you’re done admiring everything inside, you can head out into the gardens. You’ll even find two smaller châteaus, le Grand Trianon and le Petit Trianon, on the palace grounds. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so you can hop on the electric train to get all the way over to the Trianon châteaus and back again. This is a handy option, especially if your feet are already hurting! You can also rent a small electric vehicle if you’d rather explore the gardens on your own. It’s not a bad idea considering the gardens cover an incredible 800 hectares or so!
With restaurants in the palace and on the grounds, you’re all set for a fun-filled day out in Versailles. And a picnic in the park is always a good shout if that’s more your thing.
Practical
information
-
Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles The palace is an extremely busy tourist attraction. Weekends and Tuesdays during the peak tourist season are particularly manic.
- Photos can be taken, but the flash must be off. Tripods and selfie sticks are banned.
- Large bags, suitcases, rucksacks, umbrellas, metal prams and sharp objects may not be taken into the palace and will need to be left in the cloakroom.
- There is free WiFi in the main courtyard and at the entrance to the gardens. Why not download the free app while you’re there?
- It’s a good idea to wrap up warm (it can feel a bit fresh even during the summer months). There used to be a windmill in front of the palace because the wind was so strong…
Palace of Versailles
A bit of history
It all began back in 1607, when the young dauphin, the future King Louis XIII, went to Versailles for his first hunting trip. But it wasn’t until the end of 1623 (when he had been king for 13 years) that he decided to have a small hunting lodge built where he could spend the night. It was ready for him to use for the first time in June 1624. He was quite taken with the surrounding woods that were perfect for hunting.
And yet Sun King Louis XIV is the king that will forever be associated with Versailles. He fell in love with Versailles from a very young age and decided to seriously extend upon what his father had built. With a vision for the grounds in his head, he became the architect and brought to life the masterpiece he would forever be known for.
From 1661 until he died in 1715, the palace and grounds underwent major extension and refurbishment work.
During his reign, the original hunting lodge was gradually transformed into a lavish residence known for its grand celebrations. From 1682, the court and government were based in Versailles, with Louis XIV moving both the aristocracy and central administration there. He used the palace as a symbol of his power and authority, knowing that fame and glory could be the result of buildings as well as war.
At this time, the palace was usually home to several thousand people – the king and his family, the court and the staff. The cultural and political centre of France was right here. Louis XIV said “I am the state!” (“L’état c’est moi!”) and he meant it.
When Louis XIV died in 1715, the palace and grounds were far from being finished. The court abandoned Versailles for Vincennes and ended up moving to Paris in the following December. Versailles was left empty and neglected for a long time.
Next in line, Louis XV showed respect for Versailles, but he didn’t stay there very often.
When he died in 1774, Louis XVI was crowned king. Just like his grandfather, he was born in Versailles. And he actually ended up spending most of his time there too – unlike his grandfather. The celebration of his marriage to Marie Antoinette, the archduchess of Austria, at the Royal Opera House in 1770 was one of the biggest events to take place in Versailles towards the end of the 18th century. The French Revolution forced Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to flee Versailles forever and head to Paris in October 1789.
Quite remarkably, the palace escaped any major damage during the French Revolution despite the fact that some people would have loved to have seen the ultimate symbol of the monarchy destroyed.
Most of the artwork was transferred to the Muséum Central des Arts in Paris, which opened in 1793, and the Louvre. A lot of the furniture was sold to art dealers and members of the public.
In 1833, the palace started to be used as a museum, the Museum of French History, which is located in the side wings. With the stately rooms and central building having been maintained in their original state, Versailles became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Spanning more than 500 metres, it is one of the largest palaces in Europe. You won’t find a palace with such stunning architecture anywhere else in the continent!
Architectur & Politics
The Hall of Mirrors
Architectural history
As I said before, Versailles started off as a hunting lodge in 1623. Louis XIV started to transform it into a residence in 1661. To start with, it consisted of two wings, with the King’s State Apartments to the north and the Queen’s State Apartments to the south. A terrace originally stood between these two wings, but it was demolished and replaced with the Hall of Mirrors spanning the whole length between 1678 and 1684. The magnificent War Room and Peace Room were built at either end. The furnishings, decor and symbolism are consistent across these three rooms that together form one unit.
The Hall of Mirrors is 73 metres long, 10.5 metres wide and 12.3 metres tall, meaning it reaches all the way to the attic storey. The windows on the outside give the impression that there is a second floor, but they are just there for decoration.
The Hall of Mirrors is so vast that the architects made it clear from the outset that there would be no way of heating it. And so fireplaces were never even included as part of the original design.
Light floods through the 17 windows that all look out onto the gardens. There are also 17 huge mirrors made up of 350 smaller mirrors. This is the style of Louis XIV at its very finest. As well as looking spectacular, the mirrors would have also served the purpose of showing off the king’s wealth and the strength of the French economy as a whole given that mirrors were a luxury item at the time.
Political history
The hall was originally just used as a walkway to get from one wing to another. It was a meeting place, where people would chat and pass on news. Even the king would spend time there. He would make himself available for people to raise their concerns at least once a day.
The Hall of Mirrors was also the setting for two major political events of historical importance.
First came the Proclamation of the German Empire in 1871, which was seen as an affront to France. How come? A preliminary treaty was being signed during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/1871. The Germans used this opportunity and Prussian King William I was proclaimed Emperor on 18 January. And they chose the Hall of Mirrors as the setting. This marked the start of the hostility between France and Germany that culminated in the two world wars.
The second major political event was the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
It was at the request of Georges Clemenceau, Prime Minister of France, that this peace treaty was signed here on 28 June 1919
to mark the end of the First World War. There were no real winners and too many lives had been lost on all sides. Despite not being considered the main initiator, Germany ended up with the most to lose and was forced to accept sole responsibility. What made this even worse was that it happened in the same spot in which the Prussian Empire had been proclaimed less than 60 years previously.
Germany was humiliated beyond belief.
Official website of Versailles: chateauversailles.fr
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2019 – 2024
With the support of Jacqueline Glarner
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