I am confused as to the cost of touring Versailles Palace and gardens on Sunday June 3. We are going to have the Paris museum pass which grants us free entrance into Versailles but I keep reading that we will have to pay for access into the garden area because of Fountain show? I don't really care about seeing the fountain show, I just want to hop on the little tram and view the outer gardens and property. Anyone straighten me out? thanks kindly.
Posted by
Chicago
565 posts
Laurie, I am almost positive you have to pay the fee just to get into the gardens on the weekends. The weekends are the only time the fountains are on, and the crowds are unreal, so they just do the capitalist thing and reap the benefits.
It's worth the cost of the fee, by the way.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
When the fountains are on, you must pay to enter the formal gardens. There is no way to avoid that. But it is worth it, every other days none of the fountains are turned on. So you'll get to see them as intended. There is a way to avoid the fee though, assuming you just want to go to the Trianons and/or Hamlet. Those areas of the gardens are free and can be entered by walking down Blvd du Roi (the street leading right as you face the front of the chateau). At the Blvd de la Reine, turn left at there is an entry into the gardens. Follow that roadway and it will take you to the Trianons. But I don't think the tram goes out there and it is a lot of walking. And you'll have to leave that way too (or pay to leave through the formal gardens).
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
what Douglas says is true,, you do not have to pay the extra 8 euros for the formal gardens near the Chateau( only charged on fountain show days) but you still have free assess to the rest of the estate..you just have to walk around the outer wall and enter at head of canal. Its not hard to do,,,once there you can take the tram from canal head to Marie Antionettes Hamlet and the Trianons.