Versailles and Chartres in the same day?

Nick

I visited both in one day out of Paris with a bus tour. We had a half day at each, and it worked out very well. That's been about 25 years ago, so don't know what is available now.

Marie Antoinette's home - the Petit Trianon? As I recall it is quite a walk from the palace and even from the fountains. Also, I vaguely remember hearing that it is closed for repair work. I haven't been when the fountains are spouting, but I've been told it is usually crowded, meaning a slower pace.

Malcolm Miller's guided lecture is excellent and it would be a shame to go all the way to Chartres and then miss it. That puts you on the 12.47 train. . . roughly 3 hours at Versailles. If the Petit Trianon is closed anyway, 3 hours may be enough!

The Petit Trianon was open last summer. We walked all the way. It is a long walk. They were renting golf carts by the garden entrance to tool about. That looked like fun.

I mistakenly thought I could see Versailles in a half day, but I was wrong. I had to get back to Paris and was disappointed in missing so much. On a different day, I went to Chartres and spent most of the day there. I'm glad I did that. The town is lovely and I liked the stained glass museum too. I also had a picnic lunch on the lawn in front of the cathedral.

On my upcoming trip, I've alloted an entire day to Versailles. I would not recommend trying to do both places in the same day unless you enjoy whirlwind touring.

Questions like this are always difficult,, as there is no one most correct answer.

What CAN be done in a day, versus, what SHOULD be done are two different things, and are based on personal tastes and interests.

You can do Versailles as a half day,, you will likely not see all the grounds and out buildings ( Marie Antionettes Hameau, Petit and Grand Trianons, ) as well as catch fountain show and tour entire Chateau in a half day.. but, what we some of us ( myself included) need to understand is that for some people just a whiz through the main Chateau and a short walk about the upper grounds is enough.

So, yes, Versailles and Chartes are obviously doable in a day.. its up to each person to decide how indepth they want their visits to be to each place.

Thanks for all your feedback.

I'm still debating what to do. The good news is that I've had a lot of discipline with my itinerary so far, meaning that I'm not going to try to see absolutely everything. Instead, the trip will be pretty relaxed with only a couple more hectic moments. So with that in mind, I could see one well planned whirlwind to Versailles and Chartres working out. But on the other hand, I don't want to leave Versailles having only seen half of what I wanted. I'll have to do some more research on the two before I decide.

Any more insights would be appreciated.

So Kent, if I spent the morning in the Chateau 9-11:30, ate lunch, and toured Marie Antoinette's home from 12:30-14:30, then caught the next train to Chartres around 15 or 15:30, I could be there by around 16 or 16:30 and spend the evening touring the cathedral and head back to Paris for a late dinner.

Does reading this plan stress you out??

Nick, you ask for a personal opinion. To you, I'd say go for it, and let us know if it works for you or seemed too rushed. This would not be the best choice for some: those hauling younger kids or luggage or those who prefer to limit the amount of miles walked in one day, or perhaps those who "cannot emphasize enough the beauty of simply lingering in a town." (hmmm, who penned such a beautiful sentiment?)But for two adults who don't mind walking a lot of miles, it's an intriguing choice.Couple of details: Tim's post (your OP above) says "Trains depart at 47 minutes after the hour", so the earliest train would be the 1547, scheduled to arrive at Chartres station about 1645. Walking to the cathedral takes 10 minutes so you're walking into the cathedral at 1700. Closing time at the cathedral is 1930. I will make a guess that most travelers see the Cathedral itself in 2 hours or less. Quote from Rick re length of his cathedral tour described in his book: "One hour, but Chartres is an all-day excursion from Paris." Thus, Rick has said somewhat different things in his two books: Versailles is 5 to 10 hours, and Chartres is one hour plus 2 hours of travel, just to see the cathedral, but then he also says seeing the rest of Chartres should be up to a one day day trip from Paris. If you take the lowest end of Rick's range of recommended times, then "doing" Versailles and Chartres in one day, is, indeed, feasible or possible.

Kent: I was pretty sure your ubiquitous eyes would catch my above quote regarding whirlwind travel.

And the more I consider my itinerary (3 nights in Nice, 2 nights in Arles, 2 nights in Beaune, 6 nights in Paris) and the relatively short train ride between each (the longest will be Arles to Beaune via Avignon at 4 hours), the more confident I feel that Versailles and Chartres would not only be feasible in one day but worth the extra commotion. It's the trip of 15 nights in 15 cities that I want to avoid entirely.

So, I am thinking we will try the two cities in one day and spend the next day at a cafe to make up for it!

Dear HWTA Chair-Person of the Board:

Your expedite response and strong guidance have shaped my imminent French vacation into something of a Archetype for future adventures.

With your authorization I feel a new sense of confidence as I approach this foreign horizon.

I hope to reap the benefits of your excessive postings for a number of years.

Sincerely,

Occasional Whirlwind Travel