Planning trip to France in mid October with a 4 day stay in Versailles with day trips 2 days to Paris.
We have hotel a few blocks away from Palace. Planning to take train in to Paris and return to Versailles for dinner. Tips and recommendations after our Palace and garden tours for the four days will be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
My guess is that most people stay in Paris and do a daytrip to Versailles. There may not be that much to do there. Are you locked into your hotel reservation?
Hopefully you will not regret this decision... while it's not that far from the city, it still is a train ride away every evening and morning except when you visit Versailles. It all costs in time, money and effort to keep running back and forth. There were a few restaurants that I remember in the area, but I would be not be choosing them over any place in Paris... especially when one of the most magnificent cities in the world is so close.
We stayed 4 nights , once we saw the palace one day , and a few days walking around town , there wasn't a lot to do . I think 3 days in Versailles is plenty to see the town and enjoy a few restaurants
Having lived in Versailles, you will find you can spend a full day or parts of two days thoroughly visiting the palace and gardens. Except when the fountains are running, the gardens are always free, so take advantage of that.
But there really isn't much else in Versailles for the average tourist. It's a residential suburb of Paris (albeit a really high-end one). It has a nice center with shops and some restaurants. Good for getting some snacks or a meal, but not compared to spending time in Paris.
If you've never been to Chatres, I recommend taking a daytrip there. It's easy to get a train there from Gare Chantiers (about a 5 minute walk from the Gare Chateau (aka as Rive Gauche). Otherwise, it's a 40 minute commute into the heart of Paris. I'd eat dinners in Paris and take the train back out afterwards.
Thank you all for your thoughts. They are all enlighting .
To kind of explain our strange way of staying in Versailles and day tripping to Paris. We are on a 10 day trip with another couple. Our friend has done WWI and II trips and tours in France and is very comfortable driving in the small towns and country side. He has no wish to drive and seek out parking in Paris.
Looking for more input.
Thanks again.
Bill
Bill, I guess the question is what do you want to see in Paris. Once you figure that out, locate the sites on a Paris map that way you can group the sites by area, Arr. , neighborhoods so as to minimize your Metro use in the city. Most of the tours outside of Paris (Chateaux's, Giverny, etc) originate from Paris and leave early in the morning, so you would have to figure out if it would be worth getting up very early to catch the RER-C into Paris for a scheduled bus tour. Here is a link to the Town of Versailles, http://www.francetravelplanner.com/go/paris/versailles/versailles_town.html, that offers information for that area.
Enjoy your trip.
I am not quite sure we understand what input you want... everyone has said (including someone who lived there) that there is not a lot to do in Versailles once you see the palace and gardens.
As far as driving in Paris... I can't think of many here who would want to do that. What I and most others have done is to see everything you want to in Paris and then pick up the car as you exit the city for you countryside visit.
If you are asking what to do when you do take the train into Paris I suggest you repost the question with a different heading and you are likely to get tons of replies as to how to spend your time in Paris.
You don't need the car for the 4 days you will be in Versailles.
You can use Versailles as a base for driving around outside Paris if is that where you are looking for.
Some nice countryside to my opinion you can explore lies west of Chevreuse. From Versailles you can follow the D91 direction Rambouillet and drive along Chateau de Dampierre (can be visited), Château de la Coure Senlisse and make a little detour to Abbey des Vaux de Cernay (nicely located in a stunning setting). Didn´t see Château de Breteuil, but is according the reviews worth a visit or at least see it.
The château in Rambouillet can be visited too, the surrounding parc is open to public, but closes I guess during the night. You can consider visiting Chartres too, possibly combined with Château de Maintenon.
Further a nice area to explore by car within (fairly) easy reach of Versailles is the Vexin region, North of the Seine / Mantes-la-Jolie.
A well detailed map is Michelins Environs de Paris (no.106 / Sc. 1:100.000 / green cover / €8)
The bus, I think it is the 171 runs from the front door of the palace to Pont de Sèvres. It was cheap, one Metro ticket each way. I thought it was pretty quick, like 25 minutes and senic and relaxing. Just another option. Bon chance.
http://parisbytrain.com/how-to-get-to-chateau-de-versailles-via-bus/
