Wekiva

I've been reading tips about visiting Versailles and preparing for the large lines and great distances required to walk the gardens. I keep finding recommendations to rent the electric golf type carts to speed up your visit around the grounds. Most of those who were recommending the carts were simply wanting to speed up the tour of the gardens...and weren't handicapped.

After digging around at the Versailles web site I finally found the brief info they provided about the carts that stated....

"Electric vehicle hire allows you to follow five itineraries (discovering the Gardens, Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet, tour of the Grand Canal, tour of the entire Estate); €32 an hour, vehicles leaving from the North Terrace, accessible to people with limited mobility, mandatory presentation of a driving license"

So, the question is would they rent the carts to people without limited mobility? And is this done often, or will we get angry stares from people who would think it rude. I guess I'm trying to understand if many people rent the carts or just those who need them for physical reasons.

I'd also like to see the map that outlines the routes you can take with the cart. I understand you can't use them everywhere and must park them to walk to certain places. I just can't find the map online.

IMDonehere

Just wear you golf clothes and tell them you are in the Louis XIV Pro-Am Invitational.

FrenchMystiqueTours

I'm pretty sure anyone can rent the electric carts and it will be obvious where you can take them once you are there as the trails are easily identifiable. Basically you have to stick to the cart paths so it's pretty obvious. The paths run between the palace and trianons/hamlet and along the canals. If you look at the interactive map on the château website you'll see the trails outlined, although you can't go into the formal gardens behind the château and the trianons/hamlet. The paths are outlined in white and though all may not be accessible to electric carts enough are to make it easy to get around the grounds:

http://bienvenue.chateauversailles.fr/en/accueil

JAMH

Accessible to people with disabilities does not mean that the carts are only available for people with disabilities. It means that people with disabilities can get into and out of the carts. I know people who have used them to avoid walking with their young children and people who have used them just so they can see more in less time. The carts are pretty popular and cannot be reserved.

kerouac

The golf carts are for anybody who wants to pay for them.

justineparis

If wishing to use the golf carts( thats what them look like to me) your onky issue will be getting one, they are first come first served.
There is no requirement that you must have a mobility issue.

justineparis

Ps there is a tram that does routes down to furthest reaches of estate( like Marie Antionets Hamlet) and you can always get on that ( there is small fee) so if you vant get a cart you do have that option, an all day ticket on tram would allow you to get off and on at several points.

Wekiva

Perfect...thanks for the info.