During our visit to Versailles we'd like to take in the Chateau and the Gardens. However in reading Rick Steves' guide there is a strong emphasis on beating the crowd. It seems like there is a premium on getting there are 9AM when the doors open.
Is it possible to visit the Gardens first? If most people go first to the Chateaux would this approach make it a little less strenous? Or is there really no "low time of day" to visit the Chateau? Or does one have to walk through the Chateau to make it to the Gardens?
Posted by
Olympia, Washington
237 posts
We aren't morning people, so we got there when we got there. We did indeed visit the gardens first, which are positively huge. No, it is not necessary to go through the chateau to access the gardens. At about 3:30 or so, we wandered toward the entry to the chateau and pretty much walked right in. This was May 2017. We used our Paris Museum Pass.
Donna
Posted by
TN, USA
2114 posts
A don't-miss is The Hamlet area of Versailles. While everything...chateau and gardens are all grand, our favorite part was The Hamlet...much more intimate and beautiful......very peaceful. No wonder it was her personal escape :)
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10202 posts
I also enjoyed the Hamlet most of all.
Posted by
174 posts
If you are going to do it that way, I’d echo what others have said. Go to the Gardens and explore the Hamlet/Trianons (Don’t miss these! Especially the Hamlet and Petite Trianon) in the back with plan to loop back to the palace itself in the late afternoon. There is a decent restaurant in the gardens that could serve for your lunch stop, though it’s a bit on the expensive side. I think there are other eatery options but that’s the one I remember because it had the best squash soup I’d ever had..
A little train runs around the gardens and could take you out to the trianons and hamlet and then you could wander back through the gardens. It’s probably a solid mile walk but done at a leisurely place would be very manageable.
I would avoid the chateaux itself from at least 9-1, if this is your plan. Another option would be doing the private apartment tour, which is really really great and gets you into the palace without the super long wait.
Posted by
alameda, ca, usa
2602 posts
Another enthusiastic fan of the Hamlet, along with the 2 Trianon palaces that was my most treasured part of visiting Versailles. The actual palace was interesting enough, but so crowded it was hard to enjoy--this was with arriving at 10 am on a Wednesday and touring it first; it was also a rainy day so that left the Hamlet all to me around 2 pm, simply heavenly.
Posted by
OP
NC
27 posts
Oh my! Thanks for all the feedback and guidance. I am now seriously rethinking my thought of skipping the Trianons.
Thanks again. I will plan accordingly.
Posted by
SF Bay Area, CA
2030 posts
I recommend you don't skip the Trianons!
Posted by
Chicago
8034 posts
the Trianons are not open in the morning. The Gardens of course are.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
13904 posts
I've been working my way through the video walks from Corey Frye, a tour guide in Paris who styles himself as A French Frye in Paris. He did a free video walk recently thru the Queen's Hameau at Versailles if you are interested!
Here is the youtube link.