Hi -- my 12 year old and I have some interest in the French Revolution. We will be in Paris for only a couple of days in July, and want to spend one of them at Versailles (we hit most of the touristy spots a few years ago). I have been all around the Versailles website, and it looks like they offer tours, but not always. It was a bit confusing -- tickets are not yet available for July, but even for closer-in tickets, it looked like few tours were available? I find audio tours a bit unenjoyable because it means my son and I can't talk to one another or ask questions. So, I'm wondering if there is a for sure way to book an on-site tour, or if it is better to go with a third party. If so, any recommendations? I do not need transportation included for some huge upcharge, I'm comfortable getting there and back by train. Thanks!
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4584 posts
Not Versailles, but since you mentioned an interest in the French Revolution I thought I'd share this link of a murder mystery tour in Paris that I stumbled on. We haven't done it, but have it bookmarked as a maybe next time we're in Paris. https://parismuse.com/tours/the-french-revolution-a-murder-mystery-tour/
Sorry that I can't answer about Versailles as we've never been.
Posted by
OP
196 posts
Thanks, that looks cool, but we won't have time this trip. The next day (our only other full day), we are doing a food tour in the morning and a private tour with a historian around French Revolution locales in Paris.
Posted by
5 posts
Hi atkitch,
What food tour are you doing? I'm looking for recommendations. Thanks
Posted by
OP
196 posts
Paris by mouth
Posted by
8244 posts
You won't need a tour, since to do Versailles, you will get a guided tour.
Posted by
San Francisco
188 posts
Re getting a guided tour answer above, we didn’t. We lined up with our timed entry group and just walked through. Most of the signage includes English. And then we rented one of the gold carts to putter around a prescribed loop in the very extensive grounds. No need for a guide at Versailles unless you want one.
Posted by
3123 posts
I haven't checked the Versailles website recently, but when we were there in 2015 they offered at least one one guided tour per day to see rooms in the palace that aren't open to regular visitors. IIRC these tours covered either the royal apartments or the chapel royal. They're called "Visite Guidee" on the website, and we booked the night before. This was with a live guide, not an audio tour. Our guide was French but spoke perfect English, and was very receptive to all kinds of questions that she was asked, giving knowledgeable answers. The group was fairly small, about 15 people. We felt the tour was very well worth it!
The trick was that we didn't realize how time-consuming and difficult it would be to get OUT of the main flow of regular visitors to exit past the x-ray machines, cross the courtyard, and go in the entrance where these guided tours start. One of the security people saw us struggling "upstream" against the crowd and let us use a side passageway, otherwise we would have been late.
After the guided tour, we were released into the rooms that are open to regular visitors, and of course we were also able to go out into the gardens. I would have liked to rent a golf cart to go around to the more distant parts of the grounds, but unfortunately we didn't have time.