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northfork280 Feb 20th, 2023 09:52 AM

Private Tour Guide for Versailles Visit
 
Does anyone have a recommendation for a private tour guide of Versailles? We’ll be doing a day trip while in Paris for a week and would like to arrange for one. Thank you in advance!
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KTtravel Feb 20th, 2023 10:57 AM

We did a guided tour of the King's Private apartments (which you don't get to see with a general admission ticket.) It was a small group tour and can be booked on the main website. We then toured the rest of the palace on our own. We also got there first thing in the morning which was terrific as it wasn't crowded.

Christina Feb 21st, 2023 10:56 AM

They do have small group private tours on their website. I don't see any individual guide hire there, which surprises me.

A guide will have to be properly licensed to do that, Versailles even licenses guides differently for certain areas (meaning some guides can go some places and not others).

If no one has a suggestion, this website has freelance guides but a full description of their credentials and language fluencey. Ratings also I suppose.

https://www.toursbylocals.com/Versailles-Tours

The ones I have seen on there are extremely expensive like 500-1000 euro for two people for maybe a half day tour. I don't get it and I think one I saw for 750 did include transportation to/from Paris. I think I saw another on-site that didn't though and was still over what I would expect for a private tour by a licensed professional (I'd expect maybe 60-100 euro per hour max for two people combined so maybe max of 300 euro). And then they may include the tickets, also, but still. After all, if they meet you there, there aren't really any expenses but time that I can see.

here is one guy who is licensed for Versailles and has good reviews
https://www.toursbylocals.com/TheStu...ceofVersailles

He charges 455 euro, for example. and that does include tickets but not transportation to/from Paris. Maybe I'm, out of touch and that's what private guides cost nowadays. Personally, I'd just book one of the small group tours on the website but maybe this is what you want.

There is at least one on Viator that is more like 450 but includes tx to/from Paris, that seems more reasonable. It says it is operated by "Tours from Paris" which is a company I cannot find a website presence on outside Viator. Reviews are excellent although I suppose those could be hand-picked. But I suppose the ones on the toursbylocal site could be also.

https://www.viator.com/tours/Paris/V.../d479-10913P10


northfork280 Feb 22nd, 2023 12:28 PM

Thanks Christina! We wound up booking a tour with The Tour Guy company as all of the private guides that I found were charging much more than I anticipated spending!


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