Free walking tours in Versailles and what to see

Must-sees

Versailles is on the outskirts of Paris, in the Yvelines department, and almost everything revolves around the palace that Louis XIV made the seat of the court. Inside, the route takes in the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments, the Royal Chapel and the Hall of Mirrors, with its windows opening onto the gardens. The Royal Opera and the private apartments can be seen on certain specific tours.

The gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre, descend in terraces towards the Grand Canal among flowerbeds, ponds and fountains with sculptures. At the far end of the park is Marie Antoinette’s estate, with the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet, a group of rustic cottages beside a lake. The town also deserves a stroll: the Notre-Dame quarter, with its market, and the Saint-Louis quarter, with the cathedral and the King’s Kitchen Garden.

Free tours and guided visits

Versailles has no regular free walking tour of the town. What you will find is the guided tour of the palace, which helps you understand court life and avoid getting lost among the rooms, and a standard ticket to go on your own. Another option is the bike tour, which covers the gardens and the park out to the Trianon, a long way to do on foot.

How long to spend

Allow a whole day. The palace takes two or three hours, more if there are queues at the entrance, and the gardens with the Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet as long again. The practical approach is to arrive first thing, see the palace in the morning and spend the afternoon in the park. Paris is about thirty to forty minutes away by train, so many people do it as a day trip. If you also want to see the town centre without rushing, add a night.

Where to stay

Staying in Versailles lets you reach the palace before the groups coming from Paris. The Notre-Dame and Saint-Louis quarters, a few minutes’ walk from the Place d’Armes, have hotels in old buildings and apartments, with restaurants and shops nearby. Next to the stations there are more practical hotels if you are travelling back and forth by train. If you prefer the buzz of the capital, staying in Paris and doing a day trip works just as well.