I am renting an apartment in Paris for the month of October & my sister was visiting for a week so we decided to go Versailles for the afternoon this past Wednesday (Oct 15). We got there about 1 PM and, amazingly, there was no line for tickets. It was a bit of a cloudy day but no rain. We paid €18 for the all-access ticket & an additional €7 for the guided tour. I highly, highly recommend this tour - it was fun and informative & you saw rooms you would not see on your own including the first flushing toilet & the king's chapel/opera house. The other big thing was there was no security line at security; we zipped right through (is there a separate security station for guided tours?) However, in the main part of the chateau, the tour groups absolutely clogged up the public rooms to the point that you had to wait just to get from room to room. I can't imagine what it must be like in tourist season with the heat and all. It was a relief to get to the Hall of Mirrors just to get some breathing room. Our ticket got us into the Grande & Petit Trianon & we used the small tram from the chateau to get us there and back. Luckily, they ran the tram an hour past what the schedule says for October (6:25 PM from the Petit Trianon-we just made the last one!). With all the clouds around, the sunset was spectacular and the roofs were all lit up in orange. Still can't believe the no lines issue-this must be the time of the season to go to Versailles!
Posted by
Kansas, United States
1081 posts
Versailles is one of my all time favorite places to visit, the gardens and fountains in mid summer are beautiful. I enjoyed Marie Antonette's peasant village. I have been there three times and I never get tired of the experience.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
So glad you enjoyed it and that it wasn't overly crowded. Also for me, Versailles holds a special place in my heart and I'm so glad you got to see more of the grounds and the Trianons that many don't bother with.
Posted by
Happy Valley, PA
672 posts
We visited Versailles on a rainy day in late May this year and experienced the same thing - no line whatsoever at security but tour groups from an unnamed country clogging up the Palace. The crowds were relatively sparse at all of the other sites (Trianons, Marie Antoinette Village, etc.). We had also purchased a Paris Museum Pass, so we did not wait in line to buy an entrance ticket. So, as previously suggested, consider going on a rainy day if you are in Paris during high season.
Posted by
Denver, CO
796 posts
I was at Versailles last week on 10/10, and after taking the 7:39 train from Paris and arriving at 8:21, I was the second person in line (I also had the Museum Pass so bypassed the ticket line). When I walked into the Hall of Mirrors, I was literally the only tourist in there. I was able to walk the length of it alone - it was magical!! A whole different experience than standing shoulder to shoulder with tons of other people. I was ecstatic!
Overall, the crowds just didn't seem as bad as I was anticipating. Maybe you're right that a midweek visit in October is when to go! I'm glad you had a great trip there as well.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32351 posts
Tom,
This is definitely a better time to visit Versailles. I was there on a Tuesday July on my last visit, and the Chateau was a nightmare! However, the gardens weren't too crowded.
Posted by
Monterey CA USA
38 posts
Basic entry to Versailles is included in the Paris Museum Pass. Question: can I get entry via the Museum Pass, and then just pay the additional 7 Euro for the guided tour?
Thanks, Bob.