THis was buried in another unrelated post so I cut it out and pasted it here so maybe we can get some other opinions on it. <BR> <BR>Here is the original question and one answer: <BR> <BR>Author: Jo ([email protected]) <BR>Date: 1/03/2001, 1:15 pm ET <BR> <BR>Message: Does anyone know of a tour company that can arrange a guided tour from London to Versailles via the Channel Tunnel? <BR>We are looking for a one day (is it possible?) tour to Versailles in July. <BR>Thanks. Jo <BR> <BR> <BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <BR> <BR> <BR>Author: Goforit ([email protected]) <BR>Date: 1/03/2001, 1:30 pm ET <BR> <BR>Message: Jo <BR>I am sure that there some companies that will do this for you but do not know any off hand. I would suggest that you do no need a tour company to do this. You can book the Eurostar yourself London to Paris 3 hours. Take an early morning train arriving in Paris mid morning at Gare Du Nord. From there take the RER B line to station Chatelet Les Halles, switch to the RER C7 line right to Versailles. Spend the afternoon then reverse the above back to Gare Du Nord and catch a mid-evening Eurostar back to London. <BR> <BR>Be adventuresome - you can do this without a tour company. Figure out the schedule ahead of time and allow yourself the travel times to make the connections. <BR> <BR>ANY OTHER IDEAS???

I agree with Goforit. I think you could easily handle this on your own. Getting to Paris via the chunnel is a snap and getting from Paris to Versailles is equally simple as described above. The train takes about 30 minutes to Versailles, and the chateau itself is not far from the train station once in Versailles--a very short walk. My only other advice is to either take the earliest Eurostar possible (or to spend the night in Paris the night before if possible)--Versailles deserves at least a good half-day on the tightest of schedules or better yet a full day.

when you are going to Versailles just make sure your RER train will stop at <BR>Versailles Rive Gauche (R.G.). You'll then have about a half-mile walk. <BR>When you leave the Rive Gauche station you will be on Avenue General de Gaulle. Head right on Ave. G deG and then left on the big Avenue de Paris which goes straight to the chateau. <BR>Tourist information offices: across the street from the Rive Gauche Station (tel 01 39 50 36 22), also on the approach to the chateau and one at the chateau at the entrance. <BR> <BR>

I don't know London contacts, but I don't think you would want them anyway, as if they escorted you the entire way you would pay a bazillion dollars for their time and a lot of it would just be on the train. So, I can suggest a fews places to look for Parisian guides, as I presume you had a reason for wanting this rather than doing it on your own. If you hire a private guide and car it may cost you $800-$1000 for the day, you probably don't want that ?? (but you may, I don't know, try http://www.paris-trous-guides.com/fr...vateguides.htm for such high-end stuff). Luckily, there are credentials and associations and all that kind of stuff for qualified, educated French guides, many who will have art history degrees, etc. To find some, you can peruse the Paris tourist office web site where they list lost of local guides you can contact for further info -- go to www.paris-touristoffice.com, then "Organizing Your Stay", then "visits in Paris" then "guided Visits" then "with guide/lecturer". You can probably arrange for them to meet you at the Gare du Nord train station once you get a ticket set, etc, and they can do the Versailles tour with you, prob driving you, and return you to the station. this will be expensive and not that feasible in one day, but possible I suppose if you get a very early train and only want a few hours at Versailles. I would not spend that kind of money for a few hours there, myself( train + guide--wow!!) but if you've got the dough, why not, if this is some lifelong dream. It would make more sense to stay overnight in Paris the night before the trip, and then you could go back to London the next day after seeing Versailles. I suspect you may not know how long the train part of this will take and don't really want to do this; there is also a one hour time difference, so effectively add one hour to the time going to Paris. You can also try the Webscapades web site; they handle lots of stuff, including private itineraries and tours (www.webscapades.com), as well as hotel bookings.

As the above have noted this is a very 'do-able' sidetrip by one self; and a guide isn't really that necessary. Of course, once you do get to Versailles, then you can sign up for the appropriate tours as per your interest. <BR> <BR>However, doing this as a day trip could be very exhausting. Just getting from London to Paris takes 3 hours; then continuing on from Paris to Versailles. <BR>If at all possible, you really might consider an overnighter - I'd leave London late in afternoon for Paris --- have dinner in Paris, a night's rest & then get up in the morning & have a relaxed day (or morning) to visit Versailles. <BR>