If you typically do OK with a brief nap and staying awake until 2am that should not be a problem. Gates open at 8, though they do not allow you to enter the gardens until 9. The spectacle ends about 11 and the last RER departs at 1150pm. We were back home around 1230. Tip for best viewing - try to be on the upper level of the stairs for the fireworks.

When you purchase the tickets online you get an email with the tickets in a pdf file. You can easily print them at home and take with you. You might also want to forward the message to an email you can retrieve in Paris just in case they go astray.

Thank you very much for the information, Seamus. I forgot that sunset is late in Paris. Is it possible to picnic during the spectacle? Also, how long of a [brisk] walk is it from the gardens back to the RER?

You have been wonderful!

bookmarking

You are most welcome, stw, just repaying for all I have gained on this forum.

Don't think you can picnic at the spectacle, as they have the gardens closed to set up the displays. They do have food stands up on the chateau level where you can pick up a sandwich or other light fare while waiting for the gardens to open, and kiosks open in the gardens during the spectacle but lines were really long (as they were for rest rooms - some women actually crashed the men's room because the lines for the ladies' was so long, and they do not allow use of the rest rooms in the chateau prior to opening the garden at 9 pm). I'd recommend having a nice post-nap meal before heading out to Versailles. The walk to the station (Versailles Rive Gauche) is about 10 minutes or so.

Well, I took the plunge and ordered the tickets! However, I did not get a PDF file to print my tickets. I don't know why, but I have all of the order paperwork so I will follow the instructions and pick them up.

IIRC there was a point in the purchase process where you specify how you want to receive, and pdf file was one. Wouldn't worry about it at all, just tuck a copy of the confirmatory email in your travel portfolio ;-)

I'd better start learning French, lol. Yup, it's already tucked away in my Portfolio, heeheehee. :D