Versailles - day or night?
 

I came across this evening tour from Paris - Thanks Fodorites! I thought this looked fun. I would do this in the evening and a tour to Fontainebleu during the day. Is there anything I would be missing by going to Versailles in the evening? I could go back too. What do you think?

BTW it is a Parisvision tour

What does the evening tour to Versailles include - a tour of the palace? In the evening you will miss strolling thru the vast gardens and parks - like going to Marie Antoinette's Hameau where she allegedly played peasant shepherdess - to me the park and garden are as enjoyable a part of Versailles as is the palace tour itself. Perhaps the evening visit includes the Sound and Light show at the main fountains just out the back door of the palace and that would be superb.

Posting a link to the tour you are referring to would be helpful so people don't have to go searching for it.

personally i would prefer to follow a day in Fontainebleau with an evening in Paris, so that I wasn't rushed getting back.

could you move your day trip to Fontainebleau to accommodate this?

I think the Gardens are an important part of any visit, perhaps less so in winter.
I know they occasionally have evening concerts at the Chateau. I could see crowds being lot less, but sunlight coming in to Hall of Mirrors...

I'd do it out of curiosity IF it was not my first visit.

I wouldn't be interested in going to Versailles at night, because you'd miss seeing much of anything (gardens, any real sense of structure of the buildings from the outside). I hate those kind of tourist things where people dress up in costumes, also, which this includes. But if you don't care about the gardens are architectural aspects you would miss (or the hameau and other things), it sounds okay as it includes some lit-up fountain show and you can see the rooms from the inside which I think is okay for the interior.

If you want something at night, I've heard people who liked the Parisvision minibus illuminations tour of Paris at night where you get to see a lot of the buildings lit up. I think that sounds like fun myself.

I think it's up to you as to what you normally like and what aspects you find of interest at Versailles.

The main thing I would suggest is going on the weekend when the fountains are on. It' is fantastic. You will hear people say it is more crowded on weekends but the places is so large it never felt crowded at all. The fountains were the highlight for us.

http://www.chateauversaillesspectacles.fr/

Yes Les Grandes Eaux or Huge Waters on some weekends where the splish-splashing fountains splish-splash to piped in classic music.

I am going to reconsider seeing that I won't have time to do both the evening and day trip. You have all made good points on being able to see the architecture and gardens in the daylight. I think a day should do it - taking a train on my own to get there upon opening - that way I can pace myself and have plenty of time to get back before nightfall. Thanks. Just to verify - I CAN do this on my own without the need for a guided tour. I would be travelling from the 6ieme arrondisement.

@Christina - I think you are right. I am going to book the tour. I did a similar one in Rome and it was fun.

@FrenchMystique - I have been reading your suggestions on other posts. I wanted to thank you for the great suggestions.
I will be taking some of your advice for daytrips out of Paris - so many options - never enough time! I have to narrow it down. I think Versailles, Fontainbleau and ??? - That will be my next query.