Versallies English Guided Tour

We did the 9:30 Tour and it is entirely separate from what the general public gets to see. After the tour we grabbed a quick bite to eat in the gardens, then rented a cart to tour the grounds and chalets. We then returned to the palace for the self-guided tour. You will clear security as part of the tour, so once the tour ends you stay on the grounds to do as you please but your already in. Where are you coming from? How are you getting there? We took a train from Paris and knew the schedule ahead of time in order to plan out arrival time. We got there 30 min before the tour started which was time needed to find the meeting spot.

You look for the Special Pass Entrance, then wait there until your guide comes. You can't go through the Security line before then.

Afterwards, you can go back in and see whatever you have missed, including the gardens and the outbuildings.
If you get there early enough, there's an outdoor market, where you could buy food and drink, if it's a nice day.

I believe you can enter the gardens directly from the Cour d’Honneur without going thru security. Entrance is on the far left, go thru the Cour des Princes. You could see a bit of the gardens, then go back out to the Cour d’Honneur and go to the Guided Tour meeting place at the appointment time. Just don't wander too far into the gardens, and miss your time. The palace official website is very informative with a great map.

"Can I go through the special security line earlier than the tour and go on my own until the tour starts?" No. To enter the chateau you have to go through the regular airport-style security. Then, to exit and get to the tour meeting point -- which is across the courtyard from the regular security entrance -- you have to "swim upstream" against the crowd. We unwittingly did this, not realizing how long it would take to get out. We had to convince a guard to let us out via a back corridor that at least short-circuited part (not all) of the "swimming upstream." I don't recommend doing that.

If you arrive in Versailles way ahead, you can stop in the Ibis Hotel for a cup of coffee. It's right across from the train station on the way to the chateau.

Thanks for the suggestions. It sounds like spending time in the gardens is the way to go if we are early. We will take the RER from our Rue Cler hotel to Versallies and plan to be there in plenty of time for our day. Hopefully, lines won't be too crowded on our Tuesday (October 31 visit) after the guided tour for our self-guided tour. Would lunch be a good idea before the self-guided tour? If so, any suggestions?

There's an Angelina café and restaurant in the palace which I recommend. It's the only good food we've found in the palace and gardens. I recommend the sit down, table service Angelina restaurant vs the café.

I'd visit the open-air market in Versailles, if you want a picnic lunch.
Or, go afterwards to a restaurant in Versailles proper.