Versailles Gardens Only - Line/Wait??

I haven't been on a weekend, but we went on a Thursday that was a holiday and a fountain day and there were only a few people in line. Nothing like the lines to get into the palace for sure.

We are going on a non fountain day this fall but will want to visit the Trianon and Hameau -- does anyone know if those tickets are available at the Trianon/Hameau entrances? We visited the chateau decade ago and have no interest in braving the crowds.

Given your interest in the gardens, you might see if you can get the recent film by Alan Rickman called A Little Chaos with Rickman as Louis XIV and Kate Winslet as the totally fictional designer of one of the fountains -- the ballroom fountain. The film is nonsense but it was fun to see the construction of the fountain and we are looking forward to seeing it -- might even go for a fountain day but at the moment the plan is to go on a day when the grounds are totally open and free.

There are no lines to speak of to visit the gardens, even on fountain days. You simply go to the gardens entry and pay to enter (on non-fountain days there is no entry fee). I believe you can purchase Trianons tickets at those sights.

Yes, you can purchase tix for the trianons at the buildings out in the gardens. I believe if you enter Versailles by the side gate to the north, you don't need to pay admission even on Fountain Days since that only occurs in the gardens directly adjacent to the palace in the back. The rest of the grounds are still free. Correct me if I'm wrong! If you are arriving by car you can drive through that gate and just park in the lot next to the trianons. There are multiple parking lots in the grounds of the palace.

^^ Anita - You are correct. One can enter/exit the gardens for free through the Queen's Gate even on fountain days. Only the formal gardens are part of the paid fountain show. But there is no way to enter/exit the gardens near or via the palace for free as one has to pass through the formal gardens.

Wonderful! Much less worried about the Versailles crowds now - thanks very much for all your input.