My husband and I plan to visit Versailles in late October. We purchased Passport tickets on-line at the Palace website for 9 and planned to be in line by 8:30. We were confused and did not purchase Kings Apartments Tour tickets that added the Passport ticket and now we see those only at 10:30. I checked and we are allowed to wait and go directly to the 10:30 tour, skip the line entrance if we purchase tickets for the tour. My question is this: is it worth going to the tour and then seeing the rest of the Palace after the one-half hour tour when the palace will be more crowded? Is the Kings Apartments Tour worthwhile ? We will be in Versailles late afternoon the day before as we are taking trains from Belgium that day, is there anything we should plan for that day late afternoon, or just relax and get up early the next day?
Thanks in advance for any help on this,
Posted by
Toronto, Canada
108 posts
Since you have already purchased your tickets, then the Kings Apartments is definitely worth the time and extra cost. Just make sure to be on time for the tour. Otherwise it will leave without you.
We felt that visiting Versailles was a total waste of time. It is so crowded that it is difficult to really enjoy the palace. So many people and school groups. Lots of noise. We were sorry we went. Even though you have a timed entry, there are just too many people being let in at the same time.
If you want to enjoy a beautiful palace then I would recommend the Louvre. Just as magnificent. In Paris, so you don't have to take a commuter train to Versailles. And the Louvre is just as resplendent as Versailles. Enjoy your time in France.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks for your reply,
This is our second trip to Paris. We have been to many of the major sites. We are actually in France for a wedding in Toulouse. We will spend six nights in Paris, and have a couple other side trips in mind. We actually tried going to the palace last trip and it was a Bank holiday and raining and it was so crazy that we trained back. That was in 2015 and I do not remember on-line ticketing.
We are going to Versailles as we have Passport tickets, hotel and are very interested in the history. I guess my question is if we have the 9 am on-line tickets already, is it worth buying the 10:30 am skip-the-line Kings Apartment tickets and going there instead. We are aware that we need to show up for that at least 15 minutes early for the tour tickets.We have not purchased The Kings Apartment tickets yet, they are reasonable. We just aren't sure which is the best of the two options, since 9:00 am tickets are recommended to avoid crowds.
All suggestions much appreciated!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
340 posts
While I cannot answer your particular question, I would suggest that you download the Chateau Versailles official app onto your smartphone if that is available to you.
That app was very useful as we went through the palace. Good info, room by room. And more.
I had both the official app on my phone and the RS tour on my phone. I quickly scrapped the RS tour of Versailles as too challenging and frustrating, though I have found the RS guides to the British Museum and Naples’ Archaeological Museum to be a pleasure to use.
FWIW, a friend of ours tried to talk us out of Versailles but it was one of those bucket list items and we declined his advice. As we said on our TR afterwards:
Versailles was actually rather hum-drum, despite being so large and monumental. Neither my wife nor I were impressed by the art or by the gardens. Everything is large and grand, but Chaumont's and Villandry's gardens were far more elegant.
I’m not saying don’t go. But I am saying you may enjoy other parts of your trip more.
LATE NOTE. Just looked at the App, still on my phone. Looks to me like the passport gives you entrance/access to “all the sites that are open on the day of your tour.” I think your question might be referring to a “guided tour” of the King’s Apartments that you add to your passport or self-guided tour. Not sure you really need that.
The App includes audio guides, station by station with pictures, to the (1) State Rooms - both King’s Apartments and Queen’s Apartments- (2) Gardens, (3) Grand Trianon and (4) Petit Trianon. More parts of the Palace as well. Over 6 hours of audio guides on the App.
Download the App and explore that in advance. It should answer many questions and provide orientation.
I probably enjoyed the King’s Apartments and Petite Trianon the most at the Palace and its grounds. We skipped the Grand Trianon as we were somewhat fatigued and ‘palaced out.’
As for the afternoon/evening before, look around for a nice restaurant, relax and enjoy the people you meet. If you’re shoppers, shop.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Perhaps I should rephrase my question since the replies so far did not find Versailles worth the visit. My original question was shall we do the less crowded 9:00 am Passport entry,(which we have tickets to already) or purchase the 10:30 Kings Apartment Tour and skip the line? Do others feel that we should skip Versailles? An option would be to forfeit the price of the Passport tickets and change our plans for that day.