Hello everyone:
My wife and I are traveling to France later this spring. I want to get passes in advance to see the Palace and the Gardens. We'll be there on a Thursday. It looks to me like there will be a charge to see the Gardens because there is a Musical Gardens that day. Does anyone know if you can see the Gardens without a charge on a Musical Gardens day?
Also, any advice on visiting Trianon? Is it worth the time and money to add this to our itinerary?
Thanks!
From their website:
"Access to the gardens is free except on days of Grandes Eaux Fountain Displays or Musical Gardens."
In my opinion, it's worth the price of musical garden admission fees. Frankly, I felt it was such a pleasant experience to meander through the gardens after a very crowded visit inside the palace.
I walked to Trianon and really enjoyed it - it was a nice day to be outside and I like taking pictures. If you have time, do it.
One of my treasured memories of my 2016 trip to Paris was the time spent exploring the 2 Trianon palaces and Marie Antoinette's Hamlet--supposedly this area was where she felt most happy, and after the din and clamor of the main palace, I, too, felt quite peaceful and happy to explore at my leisure. The Trianons felt cozy & more personal. I went on a cold, rainy day, so after inching through the palace I had an excellent lunch at La Flotille (which does not seem to be open at this time) and then walked over to the Trianon area--perhaps the weather and 10 minute walk kept people away, but I was rewarded when the skies cleared and spent about 3 hours wandering the area before deciding to walk through the park to exit --this was perfect as it led me right to the main street and easily back to the train station without getting mired in more crowds. A delightful old French gentleman saw me looking at my map and walked a bit with me to get me to the right path to exit. All in all, very much worth the extra cost.
We once traveled to Versailles on a Fountain Day to just see the gardens; they are frankly a bore when the fountains are not running. Generally on fountain days they run for a couple of hours in the morning and then again in the afternoon. You can wander around the broader estate, visit the Trianon or whatever and then return. With a garden ticket you can enter twice at different gates.
Here was our gardens only visit:
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/fountains-of-versailles-a-little-chaos/
You cannot enter the gardens without a ticket on a fountain day or musical day. The rest of the estate is a public park and can be entered whenever without tickets.
I would not pay to see the fountains when the water is not running; book for a fountain day not a 'musical gardens day'
We were at Versailles last April and there was a charge to go into the gardens, and it was not a musical day. We used the Paris Museum Pass.
Thanks everyone who has replied so far. Your replies are very helpful.
I forgot to ask in my original post. Has anyone visited the Royal Opera at Versailles and how did you access it?
If there is a charge for the garden the Museum Pass does not cover it. There is no charge on days that are not fountain or musical days.
We have been to the Versailles Opera. It is a beautiful small venue. If there is a performance scheduled, go! We went to an evening concert and hung around the palace for the after reception.
Dont miss the Hamlet. You can get a little golf cart train to get close and then walk.
