Paris to Versailles: how to do?
Jun 20th, 2000, 06:55 PM
#3
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Here is a post from Elaine on 6/12 - I 'borrowed' it to answer you... <BR>Versailles is also easy to do on your own, especially if you purchase the <BR>Carte Musee museum pass which allows you both in most Paris museums and at Versailles to avoid the long ticket-buyers lines. Pass holders will have a special entrance at Versailles, entrance A2, it's on the right when facing the palace. The acoustiguide and the maps are very helpful, and you don't need to have the guided tour unless that is important to you. You can also buy a guidebook there. To get there, take the RER line C to Versailles Rive Gauche (R.G.). The RER lines are suburban trains to and from Paris. Make sure your C train goes to Versailles Rive Gauche as the end destination. You'll have about a half-mile walk to the Chateau. You don't want any other Versailles stops as you will be farther from the Palace. Don't use up all your time and energy on the chateau tour and neglect the magnificent gardens and the two Trianons. Use a bathroom before you wander out to the gardens, as the toilets out there are few and far between. <BR>enjoy your trip <BR>
Jun 20th, 2000, 06:55 PM
#4
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Be sure you get on the correct RER C; one goes to Versailles (the town) and the other goes to the chateau. The video monitors will tell you what train is approaching. The Versailles train goes to the opposite side of the town, and it's a loooong haul to the chateau. The Versailles-Chateau train drops you nearer the palace, and as Cynthia says, it's still a bit of a walk. Take a right from the train station (McDonald's is across the street, then a long colonnade of stores). At the end of the colonnade, take a left and the palace is straight ahead. It's not an unpleasant walk (very pretty town). In the colonnade are a couple of restaurants - the Coiffure de Bretonne serves wonderful crepes. <BR> <BR>Strongly advise you arrive at the chateau in time for its opening, to avoid the busloads of tourists who arrive around 10:00. You can see the chateau, walk around the grounds and see the hameau in about four hours (you can spend more time if you want). <BR> <BR>If you have bought the carte de musee, you can enter through a special entrance with less waiting time.
Jun 20th, 2000, 07:28 PM
#5
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We took the trip last summer by taking RER C5 from the Invalides station. <BR>(The RER is a suburban train line that is well integrated with the Metro lines. But different tickets are required.) <BR>Your RER end station is Versailles Rive Gauche, which is within easy walking distance of the main entrance to the Chateau. You want a train whose name starts with the letter V. <BR> <BR>Once at Versailles Rive Gauche, exit the station and turn to your right. Then look to your left at the next major intersection and Versailles will be most obvious up the way. We had no trouble at all doing the tour on our own, even with our minimal (virtually non existent)French. We got there before the chateau officially opened, but it was not long before throngs arrived. You might try the strategy of touring the palace itself about two hours or so before closing. I have heard that the lines are shorter then. You arrive about noon and could tour the gardens first, which are still beautiful even though many trees were uprooted last winter during those dreadful storms. The Petite Trianon is worth the walk and the lake is beautiful. <BR> <BR> While viewing the splendor of Versailles, I don't think it takes much imagination to understand why the peasentry got fed up with the regal splendor of Versailles while the they lived in hunger and disease. <BR> <BR>
Jun 21st, 2000, 05:05 AM
#6
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I see all of these posts about Versailles and I just always think if there were one day I spent in Paris that I wished I had done something else with it was the day I spent at Versailles. First of all like the previous comments said it's no wonder the peasantry got fed up. But beyond that, Versailles was the only place in France where I thought the French were very rude and wished we weren't there. I'm talking about the people who worked at Versailles. One incident was, we were waiting in quite a large group of people to go into a section of the palace and there was a group of what I guess the workers at Versailles thought were VIP's coming through and we were literally pushed aside from behind by the people who were leading them. I mean literally placing their hands on our bodies and forcefully shoving. Not even a warning before hand, such as please excuse us, or we need to come past you---just suddenly shoved aside.
Jun 21st, 2000, 06:21 AM
#7
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Make sure you get the right train! We visited Paris/Versailles two years ago, proceeded to the train station, hopped on and were on our way! At one point, an announcement was made in French (we speak no French except for "please, thank you, etc") and everyone on our train car got off. People were staring at us, but we figured we just didn't fit in! Shortly thereafter, the train takes off, stops in a tunnel, and the power goes off. No lights, nobody but us on the train, sitting in the dark! Now we know why everyone was staring at us! I'm sure they were wondering about those "dumb Americans"! To make a long story short, we waited patiently for 5-10 minutes, had a snack and the train took us back to the same train station. We changed trains once again, and finally arrived at Versailles!
Jun 21st, 2000, 08:34 AM
#8
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Yes, the correct RER is important. The one that goes to Louvre is named "VIC", at least the one we took from Invalides. <BR> <BR>It is imperative that you arrive at the opening time. Along with Eiffel Tower, Versaille is very very popular. When you see the enormous waiting line in the courtyard you understand why. Of course if you already have Carte Musee in your hand, you can go straight to entrance A2, that that is if you can find it! The entrance is roughtly center right, NOT the extreme right that one without Carte Musee go. Entrance A2 is right next to the GROUP entrance. The signage is pretty bad. <BR> <BR>Now the day to visit. Their official site is: <BR> <BR>http://www.chateauversailles.fr/en/ <BR> <BR>Bad day to visit is Tuesday when Louvre is closed, so those who would have gone to Louvre go to Versaille. <BR> <BR>In July, consult the calendar at their site. If you go at the RIGHT time on Saturdays and Sundays you can see the fountains running. On SOME Saturdays, there is also a Night Festival starting at 10:30pm. <BR> <BR>Even with Carte Musee, you will end up paying additional charges of all kinds. Carte Musee only covers the Chateau and Trianons. The garden on fountain days are extra charge, among others. <BR> <BR>The place is huge. You should plan on making it a whole day visit, unless you are only interested in the Chateau.
