Hello-

My husband and I are going to Paris and London the first week of November for 8 days- 4 days in each place. We are debating if we should go to Versailles during our 4 days in Paris. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I would decide once you get there and highly recommend not going on a weekend as it is more crowded. I was underwhelmed by it when we went but others really enjoy it. See if once you are there you want to take time from central Paris...

Enjoy!

Have you been to Paris before?

If not, I probably wouldn't devote a day to Versailles. It will at least take a half day, if not a full day.

If you go, be sure to be on the first train to Versailles, to beat the crowds. I would think November wouldn't be as crowded as the summer tourist season. However, it could be a bit cold and rainy, and you may not enjoy the grounds/gardens as much,

It really depends on what else you want to see (which there may not be as many "musts" for you if you have been to Paris before.

I highly recommend going on the weekend and was actually quoted in three Fodor's guidebooks for saying so. I was underwhelmed by the buildings but just loved the gardens and fountains and they only run the fountains on weekends. There are many, many fountains all over the grounds and they are just beautiful. We did not find it crowded in the buildings and once you are outside the grounds are so massive, it wasn't crowded in the least.

We were there in late June.

I would not go to Versailles with just four short days in Paris unless it it really important to you for some reason. There is way too much to see and do in the city to leave unless you have at least six or seven days IMO.
Ann Marie

Yes - Versailles IMO is IN Paris and one of its don't miss sites - just a short RER (metro) ride right to the gates. The things you miss for this half-day in Versailles in Paris will pale in comparison to what you will ogle there - in one of the world's most historical palaces and one of the most astounding parks and gardens in Europe.

Versailles - a Must Sight if in Paris for only a few days IMO.

I generally only recommend a Versailles day trip for a Paris stay of 7 nights or more.

So...my vote is no.

No, don't go to Versailles unless for you it's in the top 3 things you must do.

Definitely don't go in November to see the gardens as the music and fountains are turned off even at weekends.

I'd only recommend going if you had a week or more in Paris, it was summertime and you had a special interest in palaces or gardens.

If this is your first trip to Paris, you shouldn't go there unless you are a historical fanatic on the subject. And yet, if you are tired of the cityscape during your visit and want to get away a bit on a crisp clear day, why not? It's a quick trip to get there and back and it only takes up a half day of your time. You are the one to decide what you want to do.

Depends what you want to do in Paris. There is no wrong answer here. Personally I didn't find Versailles sang to me, although I spent a pleasant enough morning there with my daughter on a four day trip to Paris which was my daughter's first visit.

My first trip to France was also in November and I only had three days in Paris. We went, but it was a Monday and the chateau was closed, but we could walk around the gardens. The leaves were mostly down on the trees and the statues were all covered for the winter. Be sure to check the web site for the days they are open and the times that they are open. I would recommend it if it was high on your list, but get there when they open in the morning and try to head back to Paris by early afternoon. I did go back the next year to see the interior of the chateau. http://en.chateauversailles.fr/homepage

Thank you for asking this Srobs1, I've been wondering the same thing. My husband and I are going to be in Paris for about 5 days in November and it's our first time there.

From what little I remember of my Art History class the gardens are spectacular and worth the trip in themselves. But as Sassy_cat pointed out even the fountains will be turned off. With this information I think we'll probably save it for another trip.

the fountains are a small part of the gardens IMO - you still have the huge basin and Marie Antoinette's Hameau - a cottage where she was said to have reveled playing the role of a peasant. It was recently restored and is now a major site when going to Versailles. There are other structures in the sprawling park as well. The fountains also do not much play in summer I believe except on Grandes Eaux weekends when they are at their most spectacular, with classical music piped in.

Versailles is more than the world's most famous palace - it is also a vibrant regional town with nice shopping and an old district where Benjamin Franklin and other Americans once lived when latter kings made Versailles their Court where heads of state came.

Get a free walking map of this intriguing area that many tourists miss from the Tourist Office, about opposite RER C station - this neat old area extant from 1600-1700s has nicely been restored and is also a short walk from the RER C station.

This is a question that brings divergent recommendations. This time, I counted 2 yeses, 5 nos, and 4 maybes.

I don't know how much you have traveled, but I think the most valuable learning from this type of decision is not the decision in itself. It is a one time event. The learning is how to approach this type of decision that inevitably comes along in your future travels. I can't think of no better example at this time than what Steve Jobs said at a commencement in 2005:

<i>Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. </i>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1..._n_997301.html

All this talk about Versailles made me go to Google maps street view. I was surprised to find not only street views of the entire grounds of Versailles but actually could "stroll" through the palace. Check it out! It will help you decide if it's a must see for you.

greg's advice is the best, but several people have contributed valuable information on what to expect in November, and websites.

Let us know what you decide.

How about...maybe

You can go one your own, via RER, or consider one of the tour companies (Cityrama and Parisvision for example). Even a Fat Bike tour (if still running that late in year)

Depending on weather, I would play it by ear. IMHO I think people can sometimes think that with 2 or 3 days you can see all of what Paris has to offer, then it's time to move on. And for some people, that is true. For me, I've been over 10 times and I have still not seen everything I want to.

It's probably also a question of travel style. Some travel quickly, are happy to see the sites, take a picture and move on. Others are more wanderers.

One of the little pleasures of Paris is, well, doing nothing. I've planned some days around doing 2 things in a day, perhaps a walking tour and a museum. Added to the plan (or sometimes instead of the plan), I head down a street, turn here, turn there, and see what I discover. There are some prime things that I have seen just meandering. To me, part of it is differentiating between "seeing Paris" and "being in Paris".

So...if you have not been before, I would research and see what interests you. If you think you can fill all of your time in Paris, great, if not, add Versailles.

Still...think of taking that turn down a side street..

I love seeing Versailles, but I've been there only in summer, and the best time was when I arrived around noon, had lunch under the trees across from the Palace, wandered the gardens and the town of Versailles, stayed in a lovely hotel near the gate, and went inside the palace early the next morning. That was perfect. Since it is one of the great showpiece palaces in the world, I think it is important, but weather would also be a determining factor. It is such a short and easy trip, decide once you are in Paris.

As mentioned by others, it all depends on you and your interests. Spend the first few days in Paris and if you feel you need a change, hop on to the RER and head for Versailles in the morning. It is very easy to reach and half a day is fairly comfortable to cover the main areas of Versailles. Just remember that the Chateau closes on every Monday. To many, Versailles is part of the visit to Paris; just a matter of priority.

Ronald
http://paris-france-holiday.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much for all the responses. They have definitely given us some much needed insight. This will be our first time in Paris so we trying to see everything we can.

I do like the advice of "being in Paris rather than seeing Paris."

Any other advice/insights would be greatly appreciated!