Visiting Versaillles
 

We're first timers to Paris in a few weeks. What's the best way to visit Versailles? Best day trip suggestion? Best mode of travel? We're staying the Latin Quarter.

If you have a transit pass, use it to ride RER C to Versailles Rive Gauche, walk to the chateau (10 min.) and buy a ticket
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If you have a Paris Museum Pass, skip the ticket and entry lines and go directly in.
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If you have neither pass, go to a train (not M&eacute;tro) station and buy a <i>Forfait Loisir - Versailles</i>. This includes round-trip train transport, all entrance fees, and audioguides - for &euro;19.

I agree with Robespierre. Take the RER to Versailles Rive Gauche and walk to the chateau. I would advise getting the museum pass and skipping what can sometimes be a long line to buy tickets to get into Versailles. This is a very easy and relaxed trip by RER from Paris. Take time to enjoy the gardens as well as the chateau as the gardens are wonderful. Enjoy.

Allow the best part of a day especially if the weather is fine. If walking from the station there are many bakeries and cafes. We bought filled baguettes and drinks and found a small park nearby , sat , ate and then walked to the Palace through town which in itself is lovely .If that does not suit you there is a cafe in the grounds of the palace which you get to / pass if you buy the ticket for the little motor train which takes you to the hamlet , the Petit and Grand Trianon at the end of the great walk .Do pre purchase tickets especially if you want to save time and avoid queues .

We had planned to use our Paris Museum Passes for entry to Versailles, but from what I understand, they're only good for the Chateau, not the Domaine de Marie-Antoinette, which includes the Trianon, Petit Trianon, and Hameau. I think this is recent, that the Paris Museum Pass previously allowed entry into those places. We're planning to purchase the combined RER pass and Versailles one day pass at the Invalides RER station.

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...llesupdate.htm


Sandy

Robes &amp; the other have good advice.

I also recommend showing up at opening time, so you can get ahead of the busloads.

Jules

Though few Versailles visitors take time to explore the delightful old town around the chateau consider allowing time to do so.

A new hop-on hop-off bus tour does a circuit around the town, including:

Quartier Notre Dame - the 'new' town built during the era of Louis XIV - cobbelstone streets, famous food market, antique shops and ancient royal parish church

Quartier Saint Louis - the end of the 1700s the 'new town' was getting too small so a second district arose on grounds formerly occupied by Louis XIII's Stag Park. this is an especially delightfully designed area - grounds being divided into plots designed as a checkerboard, with a splendid cathedral and swell squares.

Antiques? The Antique dealers' district is a gaggle of antique dealers created about 25 years ago and now known as Antiquaires de la Geole - over 50 dealers.

For more on the to me really exceptional town of Versailles that many overlook: www.versailles-tourisme.com (tourist office)

Everything above is within a catapault shot of the chateau itself and close to the Versailles Rive Gauche RER station talked about by others and for most the most convenient way to Versailles.