Hello! Is it possible to enter the palace before the actual time on your booked ticket? Do they pay much attention to the time slot if you show them your ticket, or do they just scan and let you in?
Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Loire Valley
757 posts
There is no definitive answer to this. The idea of the timed entry is to reduce the crush of people inside. If everyone with a ticket has arrived then you'll be waiting until your time slot. If there have been a number of no-shows you may be allowed in early, but there's no guarantee.
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
3841 posts
We were just there last month. They didn’t let us in early. We had a 12:00 time and arrived at 10:30. We went to the cafe and had a pastry and coffee while we waited.
Posted by
Canada
105 posts
Barbara- do first stand in a security line? How long is that? Then you went and had a coffee. How soon before your time entry did you go back to the line and was it a long wait?
Thanks
Posted by
Chicago
8052 posts
I have not tried this at Versailles but have been entering sites early elsewhere for the last few weeks of travel and did it three times yesterday in Berlin. I think they are unlikely to let you in at 10:30 for a 12:30 entry slot, but odds are pretty good if you arrive at 12 for a 12:30 slot -- at least that has been working for us in Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin.
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
3841 posts
No security line first. They had signs on posts with the times. So one line was for 11:00, the one next to it for 11:30. When it was past 11:00, that sign became 12:00 etc. If you were late they let you in. Also, just an FYI, the gardens are not included in the PMP. But when you exit the the palace and walk to the gardens you can purchase a ticket there. It was 10€
Another FYI. Since we were so early we wanted to have coffee. When you are looking at the Palace, off to its left hand side is a passageway to the gardens. There are two buildings you pass first where you can sit and have coffee. The one to your right has a sit down breakfast option.they also serve lunch. The one to your left a kinda self serve. Anyway, the building to your right, if you go up in the elevator to the 3rd floor, has bathrooms which were empty both times we used them. They are probably for the restaurant which is on the second floor. But no one said a word to us or even tried to stop us. I do love a ladies room with no line!