Paris and Versailles
 

My new Husband and I are traveling to Greece for our honeymoon. Since our layover was set to be in Paris we decided to extend it for 4 nights. We will be staying 3 days/2 nights in Paris, then heading to Amboise for a night. We have a friend who owns a winery there and wanted to make it a destination. This leaves us with one day/night before we return home (Saturday we leave Amboise, we fly home to the states on Sunday. So we would be going to the airport early morning). I am conflicted if we should stop in Versailles on the way back to Paris and stay our last night in Versailles. Or if we should stop in Versailles to see it on the way back from Amboise to Paris, but continue on to stay the last night in Paris. We have rented a car for the drive to Amboise. Any advise is really appreciated.

I have been to Paris for 7 days before. My husband has not, but he is not crazy about sightseeing.

Thank you so much!
Erika

You're taking trains to Amboise - if so you cannot stop by Versailles on the way back as I believe most if not all TGV trains do not stop there - Versailles is just a short RER commuter train ride from Paris - if you did stop coming back from Amboise you'd have your luggage to deal with and Versailles-Chantiers - the mainline station I think would not have luggage storage.

Best to do it as a quick easy day trip from Paris - or half-day trip.

What airport are you talking about? Because Versailles is on the opposite side of Paris as CDG, but the same side as Orly. It's side farther from Orly than Paris, of course, but that wouldn't be too crazy. But getting from Versailles to CDG would be quite a trip.

How do you plan to do this, anyway? Taxi? that will be really expensive to CDG from Versailles, you know. But if you plan to drive to CDG with your car, it might make as much sense to stay in Versailles instead of going into Paris. If you don't mind a rther long RER ride to the airport, you can do the entire trip by RER (line C5 from Versailles into Paris, change at St Michel to line B to get to CDG). Or actually, I might take line C8 from Versailles Chantiers rail station which goes over and connects with RERB south of Paris at Massy, I think that would be easier than changing at St Michel, actually, and you'd get a good seat, probably.

And you are going to the airport in the early morning? How early? I would not want to be taking a taxi from Versailles to CDG very early. But World Taximeter estimates it at only about an hour trip and 70 euro, so I guess that isn't horrendous (if true)--their route skirted the west and north of Paris, didn't go on the peripherique. It is 42 km, though, so I'd certainly add a good margin to that to be on the safe side.

I'm not clear what you are doing with the car if you go to Versailles on the way back to Paris. To be honest, I'm not sure what I'd do, depends on these issues. In one sense, might be easier to get the trip over with in one long trip from Versailles to CDG, rather than visiting Versailles, taking the RER into Paris, checking into a hotel and then having to get to CDG from there the next day. And you'd get rid of the car one day early, I presume, so save that money (unless you planned to drive it into Paris). This sounds rther hectic most any way, to tell you the truth. If money is not a big concern, I'd go to Versailles and stay there and go to the airport from there (or take RER actually). If you don't stay in Versailles, I would probably not stop there at all, just too much, I"d just go into Paris.

Hi PalenQ,
Thank you for your reply. We have rented a car to go to Amboise so we will be driving.

Hi Christina, Thank you for your advice!

What airport are you talking about?
We are flying out of CDG at 10:30 AM. This was my concern with staying in Versailles and why I am not leaning towards going back to Paris (closer to the airport for the next morning).

We have the car until 10 PM but can return it in Versailles if we chose to stay there. I have a room booked at the Waldorf Astoria and transportation through their car service for the transfer to CDG.

If we stopped in Versailles with the car, I also have a reservation at the same hotel for lunch, so they said I can leave it parked there. Then walk to Versailles. Then we would drive on back to Paris and return the car.

I agree, the stop in Versailles might be a little too hectic and not worth it this time around.

Also, aside from seeing the palace. Not quite sure what there is to do at night. When I am sure we would have much more that we want to see in Paris still.

You have very little/not enough time in Paris. Use it for Paris and skip Versailles

If we stopped in Versailles with the car, I also have a reservation at the same hotel for lunch, so they said I can leave it parked there. Then walk to Versailles. Then we would drive on back to Paris and return the car.>

I think stopping by Vereailles and staying and returning the car is a great idea - Versailles is a neat town in its own right though few folks ever explore it just beelinging to the palace and back from the RER station.

and as far as those saying you don't have enough time in Paris as it is - that's IMO not right - Versailles is just about IN Paris and to me a major major site - it takes less than an hour to go by RER C right to the palace gates almost - but by driving there you can take more time the next morning say to explore the vast park around the palace - a rather romantic walk if into a bit of exercise - or take the zoo-like people-mover around the park.

Definitely IMO if driving stop in Versailles - it will be one of the absolute highlights of your trip!

FWIW, I didn't particularly like Versailles -- I found it WAY too overwhelmingly opulent. At first, I tried to ground myself by recalling some historical facts (e.g., this grand palace was built in the days of chamber pots), but ultimately, I felt so suffocated by the unrelenting over-the-top-ness of the place that Ieft before completing the (then) obligatory tour of the palace. I liked the grounds better, but I visited while the fountains were still routinely in play. Le Hameau was the part that most grabbed my attention -- mostly, for the contrasts to the palaces and the insight it offered into just how young and out of touch with reality Marie Antoinette had been.

So making time for Versailles when you have so little time in Paris would not be MY choice. YMMV.

Yes the palace tour is often for me claustrophobic - mobbed - no time to linger - keep moving - the gardens and vast park surrounding the palace for me to was a great part of the Versailles experience.

Thank you all for your input. We decided we are going to plan on stopping but really just see how we are feeling on the morning of, as we head back to Paris. We decided to indeed stay the last night in Paris, but stop in Versailles on the way in, if we feel like it is something we want to do. I have been there, so for me it is not a necessity. But my Husband has not. I am going to let him pick if he wants to see Versailles or more of Paris. :D Thank you all again!