DAY TRIP PARIS

Allan Probably a good idea to buy or take out of the library the Rick Steves Paris or France Guide. Both your transportation questions are answered in detail there. In addition, the guides have a wealth of practical and sightseeing information . Bon Voyage! Bobbie

Hike yourself to the nearest metro/rer station. Eyeball the map. Figure out how to get to a station that has RER C passing though it. Buy a ticket all the way to Versailles (a regular metro ticket will work, but you'll bet nailed, fined, etc, when you try to go through the turnstile at Versailles and it balks). At the intermidiate station make sure you get on the train going to Versailles - Rive Gauche (the C line splits down the road and if you get on the wrong one you'll have to get off at Versailles - Chantiers and wind up walking about a mile to the chateau, but the walk is fairly interesting). I don't think you can buy a round trip ticket. One way is about five bucks.

Go to the tourist information office and go on a bus tour.
S

use a magic wand (one without a CAPITAL LETTERS setting) BTW - read the books. Its all in there.

My husband and I took a day tour out to Versailles. The first part of the tour was to Monet's Garden (Giverney). Then the afternoon was spent going to Versailles. It was a great tour.

I agree with Ed. The RER to Versailles - Rive Gauche is fairly easy (like he said, "read the maps") and efficient. I can't remember which day Versailles is closed, but also avoid the day when a lot of the Paris museums are closed, because everyone heads to Versaille that day. Also, RS advised getting there fairly early in the day to avoid crowds.