Three of us want to visit Versailles in early May. I hate standing in line and I want to avoid crowds. So my questions and options:
1. Do I buy Passport tickets online and get the guided tour of the Kings apartments at the guided tour entrance? I can't find how to buy the guided tour for 10 Euros additional online.
Does this option get me to a shorter security line?
2. Does everyone go through the same security line whether they are going to the Palace, the Trianon or the gardens? We are considering perhaps just seeing the Trianon, the Hameau and the gardens to avoid the palace mobs.
3. If you have a timed entry for the Palace and are late by over half an hour do they let you in?
I'm thinking of a situation of a long delay in the security line or a train strike etc.
I was last to Versailles 40 years ago and would like to revisit. No crowds back then.
Posted by
Chicago
8815 posts
If you do the KAT you will meet at a building with a room with seats to await your guide. YOu will go through a completely different entrance than those with simple timed tickets and security occurs there. There will be no line -- just your group. You need to have a ticket for the chateau and also the KAT ticket. Once the tour is over -- I seem to recall it taking about 90 minutes -- you are dropped inside the palace and proceed through the various public rooms open to the public on your own.
There is perimeter security to enter the chateau site which when we did it was quick -- a bag check basically similar to the perimeter security at the ET -- then off to the right to the waiting room for the KAT.
I was once a genius as avoiding lines; alas post COVID most of the old tricks and inside information no longer work. Everyone has reserved tickets for everything and there are long lines everywhere. e.g. I could get a ticket for the Musee d'Orsay at the newsstand out front and walk right in -- never more than a dozen at that door. Those who didn't know about this were in a two hour line to get ticket. Now every entrance category at the Orsay except for those with the expensive Carte Blanche membership are doing to have a long line. Pre booking helps but it is still a long line.
Posted by
OP
65 posts
How do I get the Kings apartment reservations before arrival?
Posted by
Chicago
8815 posts
You book on. line -- you must book on line -- they are very limited and sell out early -- it is one of the options when selecting tickets - or that is how we did it
Here is a link: https://billetterie.chateauversailles.fr/guided-tour-the-king-s-private-apartment-visite-css5-chateauversailles-lgen-pg51-ei170661.html