One day at Versailles....WWYD?
About This Page: This is a discussion on One day at Versailles....WWYD? within the Globetrotting: General Travel Planning, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; Hi! In just 2 1/2 weeks I will be in Paris w/ some friends. We are spending just one day ...
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Hi! In just 2 1/2 weeks I will be in Paris w/ some friends. We are spending just one day at Versailles and wondering how much we will be able to see. There are several different kinds of tickets you can buy - one for everything, one for just the Palace, one for the grounds, one for Trianon, etc. It seems so huge I can't imagine having time to see EVERYTHING in just one day so I am leaning towards the Palace-only ticket. Has anyone been there and can give me some advice? Thanks so much!!!
We were last there in June 2010 - I did a trip report about our trip and you can find the bit about Versailles starting in post 293.
As you'll see, we got a ticket for the palace and gardens and I'd strongly advise you to do that as a bare minimum. I can see from the report that we got there at about 9.15, shortly after opening and if you can do that, it does make all the difference, as it was deserted when we got there. I'm thinking we left about lunchtime or early afternoon and that was after visiting the palace and gardens.
We had the audio tour for the palace and we kept stopped to admire various rooms, but even with the amazing places, like the Hall of Mirrors, there is only so long you can stand in one place taking it in - and you can't take it all in either - it's just too overwhelming, if that makes sense?
We probably spent more time in the gardens. We hired a golf cart to get around, as I was worried about doing too much walking with my chronic fatigue and that was a lot of fun.
As I say, I'd go for the gardens and palace as a minimum. To me, the gardens are just as stunning as the palace and, because of their sheer size, take some time to explore. We've never done the Triannon, so I can't help with whether you can do that in a day or not. I think that might be pushing it a bit?
Thank you so much for your insight, Cheryl! I think the palace and the gardens sound like a great idea. Theoretically, we should be getting there pretty early because I am heading there to meet them directly from the airport, and my flight is supposed to arrive at 8:00 am. Once I get my bag and grab the metro it shouldn't be very late at all. Thanks again for your tips!
Thank you so much for your insight, Cheryl! I think the palace and the gardens sound like a great idea. Theoretically, we should be getting there pretty early because I am heading there to meet them directly from the airport, and my flight is supposed to arrive at 8:00 am. Once I get my bag and grab the metro it shouldn't be very late at all. Thanks again for your tips!
I'm assuming this isn't the day you fly in from the States? Just wanted to check, as I can't imagine doing Versailles on jetlag... but I'm guessing you're coming in from elsewhere in Europe?
Versailles! We visited Versailles on our Honeymoon!
I don't have any advice as our trip was more than 10 years ago and the specifics of our admission ticket I cannot recall (for example I didn't even realize there were different ticket options .... perhaps I DID know that then, but have since forgotten).
But I had to post because we LOVED the experience! Have a great time!!!
I'm assuming this isn't the day you fly in from the States? Just wanted to check, as I can't imagine doing Versailles on jetlag... but I'm guessing you're coming in from elsewhere in Europe?
It actually is when I get there from the US. I have an overnight flight from Atlanta to Paris. Fortunately, I sleep very well (with a little help from a little pill ) on planes, so I should be good to go for the day when I land. I almost always do it this way - plan to get in in the morning and not go to sleep until that night - and for me it works perfectly to set me up on the local time. My friends who I am joining will have their 1 yr old with them also, so I don't think the touring will be too hard core since we'll need to take little breaks here and there for him. (And if I'm really dragging, I'll just have a couple diet sodas. I rarely drink caffeine so a little goes a long way for me.) Thanks for your concern though.
Versailles! We visited Versailles on our Honeymoon!
I don't have any advice as our trip was more than 10 years ago and the specifics of our admission ticket I cannot recall (for example I didn't even realize there were different ticket options .... perhaps I DID know that then, but have since forgotten).
But I had to post because we LOVED the experience! Have a great time!!!
What a romantic honeymoon!! Thanks for your wishes!
If that's your arrival day, by the time you check into the hotel, a good portion of the day will be gone. Versailles is amazing. The palace and the gardens Have to be seen. If time permits, Trianon and Le Petit Trianon are very cool also. You can see it all if you have a full day. If time is pressing, skip the Trianon and the Petit Trianon
I loved the gardens. I went a few years ago with some friends, and some of us decided to skip the palace (the line was very long) and just go to the gardens. We spent ALL DAY there. We played on the lake, in row boats, walked through all the gardens, admired the statuary and ended the day watching the Fountain Show at the Neptune Fountain.
I have never missed having been in the palace. I think I was burned out on castles - after touring almost all of the major ones in England, Scotland, and France, I was happy to just enjoy some of the most beautiful gardens I've ever seen.
If that's your arrival day, by the time you check into the hotel, a good portion of the day will be gone. Versailles is amazing. The palace and the gardens Have to be seen. If time permits, Trianon and Le Petit Trianon are very cool also. You can see it all if you have a full day. If time is pressing, skip the Trianon and the Petit Trianon
We're not checking into the hotel till that afternoon/evening. I am going directly from the airport to Versailles via the Metro, and my friends (who will be taking a ferry from Guernsey and almost to Versailles the day before) will be picking me up at the Metro Station there. So we should be able to get there pretty early as long as my flight's on time. I think we might skip the Trianon though so we can really focus on the palace and the gardens and not get to the hotel too late that evening.
I loved the gardens. I went a few years ago with some friends, and some of us decided to skip the palace (the line was very long) and just go to the gardens. We spent ALL DAY there. We played on the lake, in row boats, walked through all the gardens, admired the statuary and ended the day watching the Fountain Show at the Neptune Fountain.
I have never missed having been in the palace. I think I was burned out on castles - after touring almost all of the major ones in England, Scotland, and France, I was happy to just enjoy some of the most beautiful gardens I've ever seen.
I think we will definitely do the gardens as well, but I would just never forgive myself if I got to Versailles and didn't see the Hall of Mirrors. It's #1 on my Paris list this trip. I think I'll be ok as this is the only castle we'll be visiting on this trip - aside from the one at Disneyland Paris!
We're not checking into the hotel till that afternoon/evening. I am going directly from the airport to Versailles via the Metro, and my friends (who will be taking a ferry from Guernsey and almost to Versailles the day before) will be picking me up at the Metro Station there. So we should be able to get there pretty early as long as my flight's on time. I think we might skip the Trianon though so we can really focus on the palace and the gardens and not get to the hotel too late that evening.
Wow, you're braver than me! There is absolutely no way I'd be in a fit state to do anything like that on my first day after arriving from the States, I'd be too exhausted.
The only thing I would keep in mind about getting to Versailles is that you may be delayed clearing immigration/customs. I'll be interested to see how efficient it is at Charles de Gaulle, but I'm tending to find that the larger the airport these days, the longer the wait to get into the country, as we experienced at LAX last year and then witnessed for ourselves the wait for non-EU nationals to get into the UK at Heathrow. I did have a look around and couldn't find any information about the average time to clear immigration/customs, as the airport website is very much focused on those in the EU and how there are no borders within the EU, so I can't help you with this. I just hope it doesn't take too long or add much time to your journey that day.
Just out of interest - which day of the week are you visiting Versailles? I'm just trying to work out how much busier it will get as the day goes on...
Just out of interest - which day of the week are you visiting Versailles? I'm just trying to work out how much busier it will get as the day goes on...
We are going on a Sunday. We will only be touring Paris Sun-Tues and then heading to DLP Wed morning. Versailles is closed Monday, and there are things we are doing Tuesday that are closed Sunday, so Sunday was our only choice for Versailles.
We went in 2006 for a day (the year of the World Cup - Paris was a bonus before we went to Germany) and visited the palace mainly. We went as far as the Neptune fountain and then just soaked in the grounds from there - it was HOT that day. Some did explore the gardens more and enjoyed themselves.
It's a beautiful place! I hope you enjoy it.
About This Page: This is a discussion on One day at Versailles....WWYD? within the Globetrotting: General Travel Planning, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; Hi! In just 2 1/2 weeks I will be in Paris w/ some friends. We are spending just one day ...
We are spending just one day at Versailles and wondering how much we will be able to see. There are several different kinds of tickets you can buy - one for everything, one for just the Palace, one for the grounds, one for Trianon, etc. It seems so huge I can't imagine having time to see EVERYTHING in just one day so I am leaning towards the Palace-only ticket. Has anyone been there and can give me some advice? Thanks so much!!!
- it's just too overwhelming, if that makes sense? 
) on planes, so I should be good to go for the day when I land. I almost always do it this way - plan to get in in the morning and not go to sleep until that night - and for me it works perfectly to set me up on the local time. My friends who I am joining will have their 1 yr old with them also, so I don't think the touring will be too hard core since we'll need to take little breaks here and there for him. (And if I'm really dragging, I'll just have a couple diet sodas. I rarely drink caffeine so a little goes a long way for me.) Thanks for your concern though. 
There is absolutely no way I'd be in a fit state to do anything like that on my first day after arriving from the States, I'd be too exhausted. 
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