I know this subject has been covered a lot here but I have one more question about getting out to Versailles on your own. I understand that you can take the train but once you reach your destination is Versailles within walking distance? Do you have to cab it there?

I will be touring with my 68 y/o mother and while she is fit, I am just wondering how to plan.

We have an open Friday and Saturday to choose from but I am leaning more towards Friday as I would like to save Saturday for the flea markets.

Any advice/suggestions regarding getting there and what to see would be appreciated as always.

As I recall, it was about a ten or fifteen minute walk from the train to Versailles.

There are at least two train stations at Versailles. The one that's closest is Versailles - Rive Gauche, which is served by the RER line C from Paris.

The actual distance of the walk depends on how you measure it. It's perhaps 5-7 minutes to the end of Ave de Paris. But it's about as far from there up the large open courtyard to the actual palace and box office. And you will probably be stopping to take pictures.

But you definitely do not cab it. There's no point.

Now, if you're taking the SNCF train from Gare Montparnasse, then those trains come in to another station that's about a 20-min walk to the end of Ave de Paris. From there, a bus or taxi may make sense.

It is a short walk past some little businesses and then you turn a corner and you walk through a little park. It is all flat. If it isn't too hot you'll do fine. Everyone who gets off the train is doing the walk, so you're in a little group.

Versailles is a ton of walking, so this is just the start.

Make sure you get off at the right train station. There's another one that sounds right (I can't recall...) but it isn't right and sometimes people get off there accidentally.

Hi D,

Go to www.ratp.fr.

Enter your departure address, including "Paris".

Enter "Versailles Rive Gauche"

You will get a map showing you where you get out and where the Palace is.

You will have about 1km (7 blks) walk.

>Make sure you get off at the right train station. There's another one that sounds right ... but it isn't right ...<

You are thinking of Rive Droit, WL, which means "right", bit isn't right because the right station is Rive Gauche, which means "left".

So left is right and right is wrong.

I did it and I remember it as a short walk.

If you are on the RER it is the "Versailles Rive Gauche" stop, NOT the "Versailles C.H." stop. (Basically, it's the end of the line.)

While we're on the subject: when you get to the RER C station in Paris, look for an illuminated board above the platform that continuously indicates where the next two or three trains are going. The line splits when it gets near Versailles, so you want the train that terminates at <b>Versailles RG</b>. Furthermore, a sign on the front of the engine of your train will begin with the letter <b>V</b> (probably VICK or VERO).

From Gare Montparnasse, you get off the train at Versailles Chantier.
On RER C, you get off as already described: Versailles Rive Gauche.

There is also a Rive Droite station that can be reached from Gare St. Lazare, but it is not all that close to the palace.

One thing about walking to the palace from the RER C station is that you must walk across a cobblestone court yard.
If you have a limp or a sore foot, it can be uncomfortable and awkward.

If you are close to Gare Montparnasse, it is a logical departure point. If you are close to Invalides or Gare Austerlitz or another station near RER line C, then the RER is a logical choice.

If you go to Invalides, I found the walk from the Metro platform to the RER platform to be fairly long.

Once again, you have all been a tremendous help.

Ira, thank you for the link. It will be a great help.

We are staying in the 7th arr. on Rue du Champs de Mars. Could someone help with where to get the train from this location?

I would walk over to Avenue Bosquet and ride the N&deg; 80 or N&deg; 92 bus to the RER station at Pont de l'Alma. Here's a map of that area showing the bus stops and train stations:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...;loc=quartiers

Thank you, Robespierre. You are my transportation guru.

For those who have Google Earth, you can easily find Versailles (beautiful grounds!) and the relationship of the RER station (Versailles - Rive Gauche) and the SNCF station (Versailles - Chantier) to the palace.

For those who don't have Google Earth, please go download it.

We took the train right by the Musee de Orsay. Very easy to do and easy walking distance from the train to the palace.

Robespierre...After looking at the map and following what you say, it seems to me that one should be able to walk to the RER station at Pont de l'Alma from Rue du Champs de Mars. It appears to be about the length of the park behind the Eiffel which I have walked once before. Would this be correct? (Are you tired of me yet??? Soooooooorry)

rkkwan...Get out of my head... I was just using Google Earth as you posted! You are right. It does help a lot.

Oh, just to want to make it clear, Rive Gauche, the RER station is the one that's just SE of the palace. It's the dead-end station. Chantier is the one further to the SE, where you can see the continue tracks - west towards Chartres.

It's about half a mile, plus the distance from the hotel to Av. Bosquet. But you'll get plenty of exercise when you get to Versailles!