Versailles on a Monday

Posted by Megan (Hagerstown, MD, USA) on 04/10/15 01:54 PM

So I goofed and made plans to see Versailles on a Monday in June. Of course, the Palace is closed on Mondays. We are traveling with 4 children, ages 16, 13, 9, and 5. I recall from visiting Versailles 20+ years ago that in the summer it is a madhouse and people are packed like sardines moving through the Palace. So maybe it was a subconscious intentional goof?

Our current plan calls for us to spend 4 nights in Paris, departing early morning on Monday to Versailles, spending the day in Versailles, then picking up our rental car there and driving to Chartres for the night. My question is: should we rearrange our plans so that we can visit the Palace, or will there be enough to entertain us all for several hours before heading to Chartres?

Posted by Frances

San Diego

04/10/15 04:02 PM

1540 posts

I was in Versailles 2 weeks ago - went by train from Central Paris.
We had museum passes and we still had to wait in a line for about 90 minutes to go thru security and the palace was BEYOND crowded. We could hardly see anything and it was very frustrating. There was a tram that took people out to the gardens for 7Euros. I have heard that the gardens are open everyday - even when the Palace is closed? Does anyone know?
I will say that I was unable to see much in the palace and 1/2 of us could get our audio speakers to work - to even know what we were looking at. No one we encountered working in the palace was able to tell us how to get our audio do-hickies to work.
We did have a nice lunch at a restaurant next to the Grand Canal.
So, you could possibly walk the gardens/parks on Monday? (I think In June all the fountains will be working?) - they were not on for our visit....

Just a thought....

Posted by Megan OP

Hagerstown, MD, USA

04/11/15 01:39 PM

39 posts

That's what I was thinking...visit the gardens, rent some bikes, tool around town. We could maybe get an earlier start to Chartres if we desire. I've already been inside the Palace, and it IS very cool...I think my kids would like it. But I expect that we will be shuffling along with a huge crowd and they would not enjoy that very much. Thanks for the input...if Versailles was crowded two weeks ago, I'm sure it will be much more so in June!

Posted by janettravels44

Chicago

04/11/15 04:26 PM

8551 posts

If you want a chateau experience without the crowds either Vaux le Vicomte or Fontainebleau are the way to go. And both have lovely gardens; Vaux le Vicomte was the model for Versailles and has spectacular garden architecture. I'd not drag 4 kids through Versailles in high season.