hi there.anyone find queues a problem at versailles?i will be visiting on a wednesday and am undecided between skipping breakfast and going before 9 or taking it easy and getting there at 10

is it 1 queue at the gate or do you queue at each building in the grounds?

thanks,
Sam

Depends on the time of year. We were there in November and there were no queues at all. In any case, there is one for entry into the main palace and that is all.

no queue problem for me. I just got crushed by the mob. Getting there before the box office opened does little good because the tour bus folks bypass the box office and go right on in by the six dozens.

I have heard that going in the early afternoon is better because the first wave of tour bus arrivals is over.

I don't know because I have never tried it.

If you buy the carte musee, you can bypass the line altogether. Worth it, even if you just use it for Versailles.

We were there the first week in November, twice and never had a queue at all. We weren't even there as early as you are planning to be.
We did have the museum card, you should get one if you plan on doing a lot of museum going.

We encountered horrible lines in August 2000. It is now possible to purchase advance tickets on-line, over the phone or in Paris at FNAC (several locations.) We did so in March 2004 and walked right in. The FNAC telephone is 0-892-684-694. Take a look at the Chateau Versailles website...in French.
Bon Chance!

Buy your ticket to Versaille when you buy your metro pass. We just asked the ladie at the ticket booth in the metro and she was very helpful. By doing it this way you can bypass all the queues. It was very helpful. I think we even saved some money. We just bought it the day we went. The queues were horrible when we were there (May 2003) and we got to walk right by!

I was there in July 2001 and the lines were very long but it may have been because it was a holiday week with Bastille day and the Tour de France.

thanks for all your feedback. if i get a carte musee (i read its 22euros) will that cover access to all buildings in versailles grounds or will i have to pay extra to see M antoinettes appartments etc?

what about if i want to see chambre de roi? can you use carte musee with that ?

thanks,
S

Sam

www.chateauversailles.fr should answer some of your questions.

As I recall, the carte musee covered the Grand and Petit Trianons and also Le Hameau, Marie's cottage. However it seems there's a catch - these things are in the gardens, which have a separate admission fee. Your carte musee won't get you into the gardens - extra fee is mandatory, or at least as far as the guard is concerned.

The visit of the king's chamber I highly recommend - we chose the live guide option as opposed to the audiotour, so I can't comment on the latter. Both cost about the same (additional fee over and above general admission or carte musee.)

Personally I would suggest organizing a picnic breakfast to eat on the train out, grabbing a coffee once you reach the town of Versailles (there's a McDonald's - yeah, I know, but it's quick and clean, next or almost next to the RER station) and getting there before opening, even with a carte musee.

As soon as the place opens, book your time for your king's chambers tour (the first is at 10:00, and involves an extra fee) and then immediately have a quick look at the State apartments. The look must necessarily be quick, since depending on the time of year of your visit, you will want to reach the Hall of Mirrors before 9:30 if you want to be able to actually see the mirrors. Not long afterward it gets so crowded in there that this will be impossible.

could i buy my return ticket the night before? that way i wont have to skip breakfast

do i buy it from the gare or can i get a multizone ticket from any metro station?

We were there on a Saturday, early September 2003, no queues

My understanding is that it requires an RER ticket and that those can only be bought at an RER station. Additionally, it is my understanding that the RER station has to be one that is on that line (Line C).
Be sure to go to stop "Versailles Rive Gauche" not "Versailles-Chantiers".

Someone please confirm if my 'rules' about buying RER tickets are correct. (I am speaking about an RER ticket that goes outside the Zone 1-2 area).

We toured Versailles 3 weeks ago, crowds were moderate but note that the Hall of Mirrors is under renovation and with the exception of 2 windows is completely sheathed in plywood. Apparently completion is scheduled for 2007.

Travelnut, when I went to Versailles two years ago I bought the ticket at the nearest metro stop and transferred to the RER using the same ticket.

No. Are queue bites painful or poisonous?

So if I buy the carte museum pass, or if I buy my ticket when I buy my RER ticket, when I get to Versailles I still have to stand in line anyway to buy a ticket to the gardens? If so, how can I get a ticket ahead of time that includes Versailles buildings and the gardens?

Jenny