As a local, I would not recommend a trip to Versailles on such a short stay in Paris.

However, Versailles is in itself a varied and interesting place especially if one cares to do a little reading beforehand.

The place traditionally get mixed reviews from English-speaking visitors.

In particular, the comments concerning the emptiness of the rooms originate also from the fact that 90 % of visitors limit themselves to the State apartments, used for ceremonies, which, by definition where not actually lived in.

Consequently, there was, and there is little in the way of furnishings in that part of the chateau, essentially stools along the walls because it was meant to be that way.

Besides, modern living makes difficult to understand the traditional succession of rooms in baroque chateaux: guardroom, antechamber, bedchamber,cabinet.

There are overlooked areas in the chateau, which have been largely refurnished and returned to their 1780's look :

- The apartements of the Dauphin, the Dauphine, and Mesdames, on the ground floor (US first floor) of the building,
- the king's bedchamber and adjacent rooms,
- the private apartments of the king and the queen (guided tours only)
- the chapel and the opera
- the 17 th century paintings rooms
- outside the chateau, the Grand Trianon, refurnished in Napoleonic style,
- the carriage museum in the stables
- Even off-season, the gardens (which are currently the largest historic garden restoration project in France) are worth seeing.

Versailles is the object of a major overhaul process, which is intended to improve visitor welcome conditions.

Please note that in 2007 prior reservation will be necessary to visit the place.

You can also check out their website www.chateauversailles.fr.

your daughter has her set on it! you must take her!
sometimes we just land somewhere when things are being renovated and improved, but she will still love it - you will have the earlier part of the day to do something else, and go to Versailles around 2pm, you'll get out there, tour it, and be back in the city by 5 or 5:30 - that's not so bad (check times, but some of the buildings might not open until later in morning, so check before you head out there. If no one else wants to go, at the least it gives you some alone time with your daughter doing something she loves.

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me your opinions and helpful tips on visiting Versailles! I feel torn about spending time there when so many feel its not as great as other areas to visit in Paris on a short trip, but I do think that if in my daughter's eyes this is what Paris is we will have to put it on the list! Maybe I will look into visiting it in the afternoon as suggested, from 2 to 5 and then we could eat before and after in Paris. The tips on toilets are definately helpful! Thanks again!

don't just go in the morning without checking times on their web site or in guide book - i think the Petite Trianon and hamlet may not even open until noon - i'd hate to see you get out there in the early morning and have some parts not be open. and p.s., we loved versailled - you aren't going to see everything else you'll want to see in paris in 4 nights anyway, you will want to go back, so you might as well make one of those things something your daughter is excited about !! and you may enjoy it as much as we did.

I'd skip it if I was only there for 4 noghts. If you must go, be sure to try to go a day when the fountains run. I think that is the best part really.

If you find something that your kids are interested in, by all means do it. I have been to Versailles twice (July, August), but only once with our three children (at that time 12, 10 and 3). My kids loved it. I let them run around the gardens after viewing the chateau to burn off some energy. There is also a lake in the back that you can boat on. They have little boats that you can row around the lake. My kids enjoyed that. There is also a McDonald's if you need a cheaper meal in the town just down the road (you walk through it from the train station to Versailles). We bought the Musee Pass for all of our Paris trips (4). That gets you in most of the landmarks (including Versailles, the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, etc.) very quickly. There is a separate entrance for people with this card and you will be amazed at how many people you pass in line. The line at Versailles when we went in July was about 2 hours long. We walked right up to the front of the line and went straight in through a separate door for Pass holders. Might want to look the Pass up on the internet if you are interested. We got the audio guide at Versailles (about 5 Euros)and it was very easy to use and was a lot better than walking through unaware of what you are seeing. Have fun on your trip. Ps. I will put in a plug for the Rodin Museum (kids liked that also). Beautiful sculptures which have to be seen to be fully appreciated.

I thought of this later, you don't say what age/sex your other kids are, but if there is a boy involved, my son loved the sewer tour under the city - fascinated with how everything ran under there - and Les Invalides - our feeling is everyone gets to choose at least one thing they really want to do on vacation, and the kids have a voice too.