newesttraveler

The Versailles web site lists several options for visiting the Chateau, including audio tours, guided tours, or just wandering around on your own. The guided tours include 1 hour, 90 min., and 2 hour options.

I'm looking for recommendations from any of you who may have taken one of these tours. Which option do you think is best?

Thanks!

Patrick

We have actually done all three on three separate visits. The first time we did a self tour. We had a guide book and did our own reading. It was OK. The next time we did a guided tour. This was a total waste of our money and time. Due to the acoustics and the accent of our guide -- we literally could not hear or understand 75 % of what was said. The noise level of other groups, and the echoing of people talking drowned out what little we might have been able to hear.
The third time we did audio guides. We could put them tight to our ears and drown out all other noise. I liked that method the best.

elaine

Hi
Last Sunday, I paid a brief return visit to Versailles. The 90-minute guided tour in English offered a choice of Louis XVI's private apartments plus the Opera, or Marie Antoinette's private apts plus the Opera. I knew the Opera would be a highlight; I don't recall if the standard audio tour includes the Opera.
Anyway, we opted for the Marie tour.
Our guide's English was fine, and Versailles wasn't as crowded as it can be, not empty, but not nuts. However, Marie's apts were pretty disappointing:
generally empty rooms, a few of the rooms had one or two fine pieces of furniture, but that's about it. If it hadn't been for the Opera the tour would have been a waste of time imo completely.

After the guided tour we were short on time and did a quick walk through, sans audio, of the public rooms--official bedroom, official dining room, etc. It didn't mean much without the audio.
Hall of Mirrors is largely under renovation--it is open but it's hard to gauge its magnificence. I also missed seeing at least one room or two that I'd seen years before.

If I were to go again soon, I'd choose the audio guide, unless the 2-hour guided tour included more rooms. But on the day we went, it wasn't a general tour, it was limited to the private apartments.
Maybe I'll take a look at the website and see how the offerings are described.

LOYL

We did a bus tour from Paris several years ago, and it was good. Actually, it got us in ahead of the crowds, which were huge because it was Easter weekend. If you are anticipating crowds, I'd go with a tour guide as they can get you in quicker.

elaine

I just looked at the website
wwww.chateauversailles.fr

The choices ARE confusing.
Okay, with General Admission (included in the Paris Museum Pass, if you buy one of those), you get to see the Grand (State) Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, other locations, and the Trianons, which are deep in the Gardens.
There is an audio guide just for the
State apts--optional.

The Gardens, in season, have a separate charge, so I think you'd have to pay to walk through them except in winter.

The audio guide also includes the Hall of Mirrors, and some suites of private apartments (Louis XIV, Dauphin, etc)

Guided tours seem to cover various themes, including the one I had on Marie Antoinette's apts. By the way, I really didn't hear more on that tour about Marie-A than I already knew.
But the guided tour seems to be the only one that includes the Opera and Chapel. By the way, the Chapel can only be seen from a distance, we were not allowed to enter it.

You know if I had all day, I might take all the options. It's hard to say what your interests and stamina might be.
If I were going again right now and had limited time, I think I'd opt for the audiotour, and then try to work in a walk through the public apartments.

By the way, prepare to leave a passport or some other form of ID when renting audio guides in many venues.

newesttraveler

Thanks everyone for your quick replies.

LOYL, you raise a good point about crowds. I will be in Paris the week before Easter, and am planning on visiting Versailles on Friday, March 25th, so a tour company may be a good idea. Do you recall the name of the company you used?

elaine

Cityrama, Parisvision, and American Express all run tours to Versailles.
the first two have websites with info and schedules

Margie

The audio guides are very very helpful, without them you will wander aimlessly and think "nice painting" "nice room" "nice furniture" etc. With the guides you will have a clue what you are looking at and why. We also joined one of the guided tours of the apartments, the guide spoke loud enough for all to hear, and there were large placards to read and pass around that touched on some of the high lights.

The tours from Paris are probably fine, but make sure you are very clear on how much time you will have at the Chateau. It would be very disappointing to get there and realize that you only have 3 hours to see everything and end up running through the Chateau and grounds like you were participating in some type of marathon. Take your time and enjoy it!

JC4UnI

We only have 4 hours and will do the audio - does it give you a guide where to go first? (We are going April 3rd at around 2pm) Your thoughts please. Like newesttraveler, we'd also like to know.
With that short time what can we give up not seeing?

LOYL

We used Cityrama, which was very convenient because their headquarters was a block from the hotel. We reserved them after we got to Paris; we picked up the brochure from the front desk. They do, I believe, have a website. We had a very knowledgable guide, rather brusque, no-nonsense, but there were soooo many people that weekend her attitude helped to get us where we wanted to be and hear what we wanted to hear. I think you need an assertive tour guide on holidays. Her English was excellent, too.

elaine

I'm still unpacking from my recent trip, just pulled out the brochure I received when I was at Versailles last week.

This is the schedule

Guided tour of the King's Chamber, audioguide entrance C
apt of Louis XIV, Hall of Mirrors, apts of the Dauphin & Dauphine
Nov 1 to March 31, 9am to 4:30, last admission 4pm
April 1-October 31
9-5:30

Guided tours with lecturers, French and English
reservations from 9am to 3:45
call for schedule (0)1 30 83 77 88/76 20
Choose from King's Chamber, Private Apartments, Opera,Chapel, etc
Entrance D

Non-Guided Visit
State Apts: King's Apts, Hall of Mirrors, Queen's Apts
Audio Guide available for hire
also includes Museum of the History of France, Crusades Room, Hall of Battles, 1830 Room, 17th Century Galleries
for same day info, call same phone numbers as above
Enttranc A

Distances:
From Chateau to top of Grand Canal
1 km (estimated 15 minute walk)

From Chateau to Trianons
1.5 km, 25 minutes

Chateau to end of Grand Canal
3.5 km, 60 minutes

Carriages: Tues to Sunday
01 30 97 04 40

Minitrain--runs every day to the Trianons except in 'exceptional conditions'
15 minute duration


Versailles (town) tourist office
2 bis Avenue de Paris
tel 01 39 24 88 88

JoeTro

Do you happen to know if the audioguide allows access to things like King's Chamber, Private Apartments, Opera,Chapel,etc?

I'm trying to plan a trip there myself and would like to try to see as many of the rooms, etc. as is possible. However, I am a little wary of a guided tour just because they may spend too little time in rooms that I would rather take my time in. If I gain admittance via an audioguide plus the admission fee, is it possible that I could go through again on the same day self-guided, or do they only allow one go-round per visit?

Thank you.

elaine

You can definitely go through the public rooms on your own, before or after any guided tour,or later in the day for that matter

The Opera and Chapel are considered special (they are indeed) and are not part of the standard routes
That's basically how I got 'suckered in' to the Marie Anoinette guided tour

StCirq

I've done the audioguide a couple of times, but nothing beats just taking your time with the Green Michelin.