It’s hard to imagine the Palace of Versailles having such humble roots as first being a hunting lodge. It was not long after this that the palace became the seat of power for this region of France. Starting in the 18th century, the Palace of Versailles was turned into a museum. It is the museum that many visitors to Paris enjoy every year.
However, many Versailles tours provide you with skip-the-line tickets so you’re able to spend your time in the palace and not waiting in line. A day trip to Versailles from Paris through a tour company can also provide you with a more thorough outing.
After all, while many visitors tour public areas in the palace as well as the gardens, the right tour can allow you access to the Royal Quarters or even experience the palace and gardens privately.
Be sure to see our list of the top 10 things to do in Paris for some more ideas!
Best Versailles Tours from Paris
| Palace of Versailles and Gardens | Best of Versailles Day Trip with Lunch | Best of Versailles Tour with Eiffel Tower Lunch and Seine River Dinner Cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Departure Point: | Gare du Nord, Opera, or Arc Triomphe | Central Paris | Ecole Militaire, Central Paris |
| Estimated Duration: | 6 hours (approx.) | 8 hours (approx.) | 9:15am |
| Departure Time: | 10:00am | 8:20am | 10 hours (approx.) |
| Included | Château de Versailles tickets, air-conditioned travel, three convenient departure points, multi-language tour commentary and guide | Kkip-the-line tickets to the Palace and gardens, 3-course lunch near the Grand Canal, visits to the Grand Trianon and Queen’s Hamlet, air-conditioned transportation | Luxury transportation, audio tour of the Palace of VERSAILLES, sightseeing drive, lunch at the Eiffel Tower, Seine River dinner cruise |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Versailles Tours from Paris
- Palace of Versailles and Gardens
- Best of Versailles Day Trip with Lunch
- Best of Versailles Tour with Eiffel Tower Lunch and Seine River Dinner Cruise
- Versailles Palace Private Guided Tour
- VIP Tour: Palace of Versailles with Private Viewing of the Royal Quarters
Versailles Day Tour Reviews
#1 Palace of Versailles and Gardens
- Departure Point: Gare du Nord, Opera, or Arc Triomphe
- Departure Time: 10:00am
- Duration: 6 hours (approx.)
- Included: Château de Versailles tickets, air-conditioned travel, three convenient departure points, multi-language tour commentary and guide
During this Versailles guided tour, you’ll be wearing a headset that provides commentary on both the palace and the gardens. There are 11 different languages available through these headsets, which makes it very convenient for those who do not speak English as a first language. Your tour guide will also speak multiple languages.
You’ll be picked up in central Paris at whichever of the three pickup points is most convenient for you. Traveling by air-conditioned bus, you’ll arrive at the Château de Versailles. With this Versailles ticket, skip the line and the long wait to go directly into the palace for your tour.
You’ll have access to both the Hall of Mirrors and the State Apartments. After your tour of the palace, you will be able to independently explore the gardens.
There will be a maximum of 10 people on this day trip to Versailles. This allows for a more personal experience and more direct attention from your tour guide. If you plan this Palace of Versailles tour for a Saturday or Sunday you may be able to witness the fountains show in the gardens of Versailles.
During the summer, a tour on a Tuesday or Friday gives you an opportunity to experience the musical show that takes place in the gardens.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
#2 Best of Versailles Day Trip with Lunch
- Departure Point: Central Paris
- Departure Time: 8:20am
- Duration: 8 hours (approx.)
- Included: skip-the-line tickets to the Palace and gardens, 3-course lunch near the Grand Canal, visits to the Grand Trianon and Queen’s Hamlet, air-conditioned transportation
You’ll be given plenty of time to explore the gardens. Take time to wander around or even photograph the beautiful and expansive palace grounds.
After the tour of the palace, you’ll be taken to a popular local restaurant near the Grand Canal for a three-course lunch. Enjoy the wonderful food as well as time to chat with your fellow tourists before heading out once more.
At this time, you’ll head to the Grand Trianon. The Grand Trianon was built by King Louis XIV as a retreat for him and his mistresses. Here, you’ll also take a short visit to the Queen’s Hamlet before returning as a group to central Paris.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
#3 Best of Versailles Tour with Eiffel Tower Lunch and Seine River Dinner Cruise
- Departure Point: Ecole Militaire, Central Paris
- Departure Time: 9:15am
- Duration: 10 hours (approx.)
- Included: luxury transportation, audio tour of the Palace of VERSAILLES, sightseeing drive, lunch at the Eiffel Tower, Seine River dinner cruise
You’ll then enjoy a delicious lunch at the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant on the first level of the Eiffel Tower. Again, this is a great time to take photographs of the Paris skyline. After your three-course lunch, enjoying many French specialties, you’ll board the bus and head to the Palace of Versailles.
While visiting Versailles, you’ll be taken on a tour, guided by prerecorded commentary through private headphones. You’ll see the Hall of Mirrors but also the Queen’s Bedroom. You will be left to independently explore the palace grounds, such as the expansive gardens.
After several hours at the palace, you will be couriered to the banks of the Seine River to board a floating restaurant. For an hour and a half, you will enjoy delicious and traditional French food as the sun sets behind the city of Paris.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
#4 Versailles Palace Private Guided Tour
- Departure Point: Hotel or Convenient Location in Central Paris
- Departure Time: Not Listed
- Duration: 5 hours (approx.)
- Included: a private tour of the palace and gardens of VERSAILLES with skip-the-line access
Because this is a small group private tour, you’ll be able to spend a bit more time exploring at each of your scheduled stops. While touring the palace you will be guided through the State Apartments, the apartments of Mesdames, the Hall of Mirrors, and the palace gardens.
Your chauffeur and driver will pick you up at your hotel or a location in central Paris that’s convenient. You will be dropped off at the same place unless there’s another convenient location that’s better for you. Be aware that there can be up to 18 people on this tour, so pickups and drop-offs may take a bit of time.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
#5 VIP Tour: Palace of Versailles with Private Viewing of the Royal Quarters
- Departure Point: Place de la Concorde, Central Paris
- Departure Time: 7:50am
- Duration: 8 hours (approx.)
- Included: priority entrance to the Hall of Mirrors, 2 State Apartments, the Royal Quarters, and the Palace Gardens as well as a stop for coffee and a croissant before the tour begins
You’ll see the private library of Louis XVI’s, one of his favorite places within the palace, as well as the formal dining room where important dinners for French nobility were held. Louis XV’s roll top desk is also seen while touring the Royal Quarters.
In addition to the private tour of the Royal Quarters at the Palace of Versailles, you’ll first stop by many of the places open to the public not long after they open for visitors before the crowds arrive. This includes the Hall of Mirrors and two rooms inside the State Apartments. Those are usually the King’s Chamber and the Council Study.
If the Royal Opera House and Chapel are closed unexpectedly, you will be given a bit more time to explore the gardens. The gardens are home to a classical music show on Tuesdays and Fridays as well as a water fountain show on Saturday and Sunday. Keep these days in mind when visiting Versailles.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Your Guide to Visiting Paris
While visiting the City of Lights may not be just as you expect after watching An American in Paris, a vacation in Paris is like nothing else. With so many tourist spots to explore, you may find it difficult to plan everything you’d like to see and experience into just one vacation. I guess that just means you’ll have to come back to see this beautiful city again.
Our travel guide below can help you plan a vacation to Paris whether you are staying for 2 days or 10 and whether it’s your first visit or fifth.
- Airports & Entry
- Planning Tips
- Restaurants & Eating Out
- Nightlife & Entertainment
- Getting Around
- Accommodations
- Weather
- Attractions
Airports & Entry
When headed to France, you won’t need to apply for a visa so long as your expected stay is less than 90 days. You also need to have at least three months before your passport expires past the date you expect to leave the country. An emergency passport will not be accepted unless you also have an approved visa, no matter the length of your stay. There should be at least one page available for a stamp when you arrive.
There are three major airports in the area of Paris, France. The one you fly into will most likely be determined by the airline you are using. That airline will fly into the airport it is contracted with. With that in mind, when flying to France you will most likely land at one of the following airports:
- Paris Beauvais Airport
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Paris Orly Airport
Planning Tips
Paris is unlike most other vacation destinations. The French, especially Parisians, live life a little differently. This means that while you’re there, you may have to get used to eating at different times and you may need to plan your attire.
On your first day, taking a guided tour of the city will help you zero in on areas you would like to spend more time in will help a lot.
These are our top 5 tips for visiting Paris. Have you been there and have tips of your own? Let us know!
Tip #1: Stay in a Central Location
Everywhere you’re going to want to go as a tourist in Paris will be centrally located or have provided travel that leaves this area. Most of the hotels, many museums, and a lot of restaurants are all centrally located. You’ll also find that the pickup and drop-off locations for many tours are located here. It makes things much easier if you find accommodations close to central Paris.
Tip #2: Always Have Euros on Hand
There are many stores and even restaurants that don’t accept debit or credit cards. Some taxis won’t accept plastic either. If an establishment does accept a card, they often won’t allow you to leave a tip on your receipt. This means it’s important to always have a few euros on hand. Many ATMs in the city will allow you to use a foreign card to withdrawal euros.
Tip #3: Have Snacks on You
Parisians often eat their dinner very late. While you may be used to a dinner time of between 4 and 6 pm, it’s not uncommon for those in Paris to eat as late as 9 or 10. You’ll want to keep this in mind when making reservations, but you should always have a small snack with you just in case you get hungry and it’s still a few hours to dinner.
Tip #4: Avoid Traveling to Paris in August
Most Parisians are used to taking off the entire month of August. This means that while you will most likely be able to find accommodations, many restaurants and attractions will not be open. If you’re traveling to Paris in August, this can be a very quiet time to visit the city. However, if you’re looking forward to seeing the sights, it’s best not to travel to Paris in August.
Tip #5: Dress Appropriately
While those in Paris can still be found wearing sneakers, most dress in a business casual or a simple but chic style. Most attractions and restaurants will frown on those wearing beat up shoes, blue jeans, and other very casual clothes. Some places will even require a more elegant or fancy appearance, such as certain high-end restaurants.
Bringing a set of casual clothes might not be a bad idea but be sure to bring enough clothes you can wear while out and about. If you don’t have much in the way of the chic style that Paris requires, at least you’re in the perfect place to go shopping to stock up on some.
Restaurants & Eating Out
The Ciel de Paris is one of the most romantic restaurants in the city. It is located in the Montparnasse Tower with beautiful views of the city. You’ll also find a well-stocked champagne bar available to you. The Polidor is one of the oldest restaurants in Paris. It dates back to 1895 and the interior decor hasn’t changed much since. This is one of those restaurants that only take cash, so have a few euros on you.
France is well known for it’s fine wines. If you are a wine connoisseur be sure to take a wine tasting tour around Paris. In Paris, it’s hard to find a truly casual restaurant. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure that you’re dressed for the occasion. If you’re not sure what you could or should wear to a particular establishment, some will list their dress code online or you can always give them a call.
You should consider taking a French cooking class while you are in Paris. Learn from the best and make the dishes you love at home!
Nightlife & Entertainment
Harry’s New York Bar was actually once located in New York City. The entire bar, just as it was, was moved over to Paris in the early 1900s. This bar is credited with inventing some of the most popular cocktails we know today, including the Bloody Mary and the Sidecar.
Wine and champagne are something most Parisians are very proud of. If you’re looking for an upscale wine bar, you’ll want to try out Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels. You’ll be able to try nearly every wine and champagne local to Paris. However, there are wine bars located in nearly every corner of the city.
If you are really a lover of champagne you should take a day trip to the champagne region for tastings and seeing the castles this area is known for.
From backroom speakeasies to modern nightclubs, Paris has a little bit of everything for everybody when it comes to nighttime entertainment.
Getting Around
There’s no shortage of ways to get around in Paris. The most popular, effective, and affordable way is the Metro. You may find it a bit intimidating at first due to the sheer number of lines and routes, but after a few trips to an attraction or restaurant, you’ll be riding the Metro like a pro. You can purchase single ride tickets or a batch of 10. If you’re going to be in Paris longer there are also ride passes.
While traditional taxis can be quite expensive in the city, Uber offers some fairly inexpensive ways to get around town if traveling by car is best. Walking between destinations is very doable in Paris but if you’d like to ride a bike instead, there’s plenty of kiosks that rent them. In fact, this can be a great way to tour the city and do some sightseeing on your own.
Accommodations
You’ll find everything from small and inexpensive hostels too large, luxury resorts in Paris. There are even small boutique hotels with spas and other amenities. Where you decide to stay while visiting Paris will largely depend on the type of experience you’re looking for.
If you wish to spoil yourselves, the Le Roch Hotel & Spa is perfectly located between restaurants, the Louvre Museum, and many tourist pick up spots. If you’re looking to meet other tourists, learn more about the city from those who’ve been here several times, and have a quieter stay, one of the many hostels around town are ideal. We recommend The Generator Hostel Paris.
Weather
On average, July is the warmest month in Paris. While the weather is much better during the summer months, there are usually more crowds. If you don’t want to have to fight the crowds and don’t mind cooler weather, traveling in late winter or early spring might just give you the blend of comfortable weather and fewer crowds. January is the coldest month, on average, with temperatures in the low 40s Fahrenheit.
Attractions
Paris is full of attractions. The Louvre Museum is a popular stop for tourists. The Mona Lisa exhibit here can be quite busy, however. Use your limited time at this world-famous museum by taking in the many other exhibits, many of which are quite interesting and just as important to French history.
If you like to visit museums, you might want to try the Musee d’Histoire de la Medecine. You might just learn more about how modern medicine came to be. The Museum of Modern Art is a popular stop as well.
Visiting the Palace of Versailles, exploring the Paris catacombs, taking a river cruise down the Seine River, and making it to the top of the Eiffel Tower usually top most tourist’s lists of attractions. Remember that traveling to or visiting these places can be much easier if you go as a group on a tour.
You may get priority access, free souvenir photos, and more, just for traveling with a tour group. This is often the most affordable way and makes it easier to plan the days you’re planning to spend in Paris.
Disneyland Paris
Also outside the city, despite its name, is Disneyland Paris, 20 miles to the east. This famous theme park is the most visited attraction in France. If you’re visiting Paris with children, you’ll probably want to devote two days to Disney because there are two separate parks here: Disneyland Park opened in 1992 and Walt Disney Studios Park opened in 2002.
Inside both, you’ll find thrill rides for all ages as well as classic attractions, like actors dressed up as your favorite Disney characters and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. The easiest way to get to Disney Paris is with a shuttle and entrance ticket deal.
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The Palace of Versailles and Gardens is our Editor's Choice for the best Versailles tours from Paris.
