Hi, wondering how the Skip the lines tours for Versailles work with increased security. I read a review saying Skip the line was not really skipping the line anymore. We are going on a Sunday in July, so want to get the most efficient ticket/skip the line possible. Also, we were going to get a 1pm ticket, hoping crowds inside would be less? Would 4pm be better?
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
"Skipping" the lines has become more of a joke than anything else because now EVERYBODY wants to skip the lines so EVERYBODY buys the "skip-the-line" pass. It doesn't work very well when everyone around you has the same skipping privileges.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7161 posts
Even the 'skip the lines' tours have to go through security (always have), they just have their own shorter security line. I think 3pm might be a bit thinner crowds but on a Sunday in July it's still going to be pretty crowded. I would see the grounds and smaller palaces and hamlet first and then do the 3pm entrance to the main palace.
Posted by
OP
washington, dc
395 posts
I edited above--it's actually 4pm tour time. Does anyone know if we can get our tickets ahead of time (either booking thru Versailles directly or another tour agency) to be able to enter the Gardens, etc. If so, then we would do the 4pm tour, arriving earlier to do as suggested, tour the gardens.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
The gardens all except the french formal section behind the palace are free to enter, no tickets needed, however to access them, you will have to walk around the grounds wall to the side opening. These sections of the grounds contain the Grand and Petit Trianons and Marie Antonettes Hamlet, and of course the Grand Cananl.
If you choose to go on any other days except sat or sun, even the formal gardens are free, and frankly thats when i would go, the " fountain shows" are not worth the crowds to me, plus you will find out you need to soend several hours in the formal gardens to see all the fountians work, they only do them one or two at a time with 1/ 2 intervals between showings.
So if by timed tickets you mean you have the kings apartments tour...the lines for security for those are really a non issue,,they only take about 25 people at a time so you get processed very quickly..and enter through a diffrernt entrance.
Posted by
Chicago
8552 posts
When we were there in October the Fountains were run for an hour in the morning -- all of them - and then for 1.5 hours in the afternoon with the Neptune fountain going one at about 5:30. We only went for the gardens and fountains and it was fabulous.
Posted by
10 posts
If you are going in July, be forewarned. Last summer when we were at Versailles in July, it was 104 degrees. We had purchased a skip the line tour and were SO glad we didn't have to stand in that scorching courtyard with the hot sun beating down. On the upside, we almost had the palace to ourselves because of the heat. We were actually able to see the mirrors in the Hall of Mirrors!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32352 posts
elaine,
Sundays may be really busy (as are Tuesdays), so it will most likely be horrendously crowded, even with a "skip the line" ticket. Even the queue for those with tickets and Museum Passes was about 1.5 hours to get into the Chateau (that was on a Tuesday in July). When you arrive at the Chateau and see all the tour buses in the car park, you'll have some idea what type of "travel experience" you're about to have.