I am traveling with two of my girlfriends to Paris October 31-November 5. We know there is PLENTY to do in Paris during that time span but were curious as to whether it would be worth it to visit Versailles at some point as well. Would that take out an entire day of our already too short visit of Paris? Or is it sort of a half day event? Thoughts please!

You can do as little or as much as you want at Versailles but I would recommend a full day as there is much to see. Take a look at the web site and see everything that is offered.

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/index...om_cdvhomepage

Definitely take a full day at Versailles. We had four full days in Paris and gave up one for Versailles, against the advice of many on this forum. We got to see lots of Paris and I would not have given up Versailles for anything. People will argue you can't see all of Paris in 4 days, I would say you can't see it all in 3 weeks but that doesn't mean you should give up everything else for it. We went to Versailles with the bike tour company and it was an awesome trip. Being on rented bikes allows you to see all of the grounds without exhausting yourself walking. They take you out on the train, you bike into the town of Versailles to pick up meat cheese bread and of course a nice bottle of wine then they get you in back door, no line ups, drive around grounds. Have your nice picnic lunch at the end of grand canal then again they look after your bikes while you take express route into castle. It was a highlight of our trip.

My suggestion... be flexible. If you are having a wonderful time in Paris and don't want to leave, assume you will return and do this another time. Also, if it's rainy this might not be the best trip. The grounds are beautiful, but it's not as fun in the rain.

If you do go to Versaille then can I suggest that one option is to leave going into the chateau until later in the day. The queues seem to vanish at about 3pm. Earlier in the day it is crowded to the point of being unpleasant. The grounds are fabulous, you should allow most of the day to explore them. I like CarolA's suggestion of being flexible.

I loved Versailles and highly recommend it. We went by ourselves on the Metro. Very easy. Go early in the day. We rented bikes there and rode around the grounds in the back and saw Marie Antoinett's house, they look like doll houses. Don't remember what they are called.

Yes here is a 5 day suggestion sorry about caps
SUGGESTED Itinerary -
(Musee D’Orsay, Carnavalet, Rodin, Versailles  closed on Monday
Louvre closed on Tuesday)
SATURDAY
MONTMARTRE METRO ABBESSES OR PIGALE
METRO TO  MONTMARTRE/SACRE  COEUR
WALK AROUND PLACE DU TERTRE
MUSEE MONTMARTRE (11-5:30) 12 RUE CORTOT  METRO LAMARCK
DINNER AT THE RESTAURANT NEAR THE SQUARE OR
STOP AT CAFE LE 2 MOULINS 15 RUE LEPIC METRO BLANCHE
METRO TO THE EIFFEL TOWER METRO BIR HAKEIM
SUNDAY
AM MASS AT NOTRE DAME  METRO CITE
VISIT TO ST. CHAPELLE
THEN BACK TO WALK AROUND ILE ST.  LOUIS  VISIT CHURCH ST. LOUIS
COFFEE AND A PASTRY AT #24  OR #40 RUE ST. LOUIS   AND/OR
METRO TO THE MARAIS  METRO ST. PAUL
MUSEE CARNAVALET (OPEN 10-5:40PM)23 RUE DE SEVIGNE  AND/OR
METRO MONTPARNASSE
VISIT TO MARKET (8:30-6:30)MARCHE BIOLOGIQUE BLVD RASPAIL
BETWEEN RUE RENNES AND RUE CHERCHE MIDI
DINNER AT LA COUPOLE   102 BLVD DU MONTPARNASSE
MONDAY
METRO TO  ETOILE
WALK FROM L’ARC DU TRIOMPHE DOWN  CHAMPS ELYSEES
NAPOLEON EXHIBITION AT MUSEE JAQUEMART ANDRE 158 BLVD HAUSSMAN
THROUGH THE TUILLERIES TO THE LOUVRE  VISIT TO THE LOUVRE
WALK AROUND THE LATIN QUARTER
TUESDAY
METRO SOLFERINO TO VISIT THE MUSEE D’ORSAY
RER  TRAIN TO PALAIS DU  VERSAILLES
WEDNESDAY
METRO VARENNE TO VISIT LES INVALIDES/MUSEE DES ARMEES
METRO RABUTEAU OR CHATELET TO POIMPIDOU /FOUNTAINS
METRO TO BOIS DE BOULOGNE PARC DE LA BAGATELLE OR BOIS DE VINCENNES TO
SEETHE PARC FLORAL

SHOPPING/THEATRE/CONCERT/MOVIE...........................................



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I agree with carolA. We didn't get to versaille until our 3rd or 4th trip to Paris. Its worth the trip. Depends on weather. 1/2 to 3/4 day.

Definitely a full day at Versailles would not be too much. I didn't know that you could rent bikes and ride the grounds. That would be ideal because it's so huge.

Another idea for Paris proper would be to visit Pere Lachaise Cemetery. I don't know if they do formal tours of the grounds but when we went we just roamed the grounds. Lots of famous interned there including a rathar bland Jim Morrison gravesite.

If you do decide to go to Versailles, I recommend the English speaking tour. There were perhaps 20 or so people on our tour and we were able to get into rooms the general public doesn't see plus get an excellent history of the palace and its inhabitants. Afterwards we joined the mob going through the rest of the palace and decided that, if this had been our only experience, we would not have enjoyed the palace nearly as much. The biking idea sounds fun, too -- something to try next time!

I should have skipped Versailles on my first trip and kept the extra day for Paris itself.

I would not skip Versaille. It is most impressive.

Sorry: Versailles

I agree with the person who says decide on the spur of the moment. There is certainly enough to do in Paris itself for a week, but getting out to another type of venue has its merits. I can't even begin to cope with frenchwow's ALLCAPS plan, but maybe there are some tips in that ungodly syntax that would be useful for you.

I'd say play it by ear. If you have a day when you're not really booked with other things, when the weather is kind of iffy, head for Versailles and enjoy. If you miss it, though, it won't be the end of the world. You'll have been in Paris, after all.

I did a half day in Versailles on my 2nd trip to Paris. I'm glad I crossed it off my "list" and don't consider it time wasted, but honestly, it wasn't a highlight of my trip. Sometimes you just have to do certain things to see if you will like them. You may love Versailles.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery is one of those things I LOVED in Paris. I visited a 2nd time after a first visit the first trip. Jim Morrison's grave I considered a must-see (again, you will feel silly if you DON'T see it, even though it's so utterly unimpressive), but the whole rest of the place is truly amazing: huge tombs including many famous people such as Oscar Wilde (who has a much more interesting tomb than Jim Morrison!). The place is absolutely enormous, too - very easy to get lost (remember, many of the tombs are 6+ feet high). But, you may love Versailles and not care for Pere Lachaise. We all have different tastes.

"Pere Lachaise Cemetery is one of those things I LOVED in Paris. But, you may love Versailles and not care for Pere Lachaise. We all have different tastes."

Agree completely. We loved the spooky, chaotic, surprising Pere Lachaise. Get a map before you go in. The place is huge and you'll miss a lot if you just wander around.

Jim Morrison's grave is indeed unimpressive but the strange creatures that visit are full of surprises!

Did you know they have a security guard posted Jim's grave to keep people from getting high/drunk/naked/sexually inclined during their sacred visit?

The bell-ringing spooky lady who wanders through the graveyard at closing time is an experience in itself!