We'll be in Paris in early Sept and want to take a day to go to Versailles. Our question is what time to select for our arrival time. We plan on taking the train but don't know approximately how long the trip takes and which train should we look for. Any tips will be appreciated. Rick said crowds are smaller later in the day but would that give us enough time to leisurely explore everything? I'd rather battle crowds than not have enough time, even though I hate crowds and try to avoid them. We're going in the middle of the week and are open to which day.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Upstate NY, USA
892 posts
Depends on where you leave from - Montparnasse is different than Montmartre, but under an hr, usually, from the center of Paris. You can google map this to get metro/train options from wherever you're staying.
Posted by
The Netherlands
1586 posts
I’ve just spent 3 weeks in Paris during the Olympics and the IDF Mobilités app has been my best friend for planning public transport journeys throughout Paris. The app has and English version and is very user friendly. It will not only help you plan your journey to Versailles, but will also show you walking instructions from the train station to the palace.
Posted by
Paris
7299 posts
You can access the gardens and grounds of Versailles before your Palace entry time, so if you schedule Palace entry e.g. 90 min before closing time, you can explore the rest beforehand.
I would avoid Tuesday (Louvre closed -> other key attractions are more popular).