My husband and I will be in Paris in March and we had our eyes set on a half-day tour of Versailles, but then we found out that the company we were going to go through will not allow us to go on their tours because we%26#39;re not staying at their hotels. My husband really has his heart set on seeing Versailles, and we%26#39;re trying to find a way to do it. We were planning to pay around $150 for the both of us, but now I can only find really expensive tours.
Are there reasonably priced Versailles tours that I don%26#39;t know about, or is this something we could take the Metro to and explore on our own? Would we be missing out if we tried to explore by ourselves?
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The first time I went to Versailles I was on a tour that was way too short. I can%26#39;t remember the cost.
The second time I wised up and took the RER ligne C5 Versailles (Do you have a map of the RER/Metro yet?) and got off at the last stop. The ride took about an hour, maybe less IIRC.
Follow the crowds for about a 10 min stroll to the palace. It couldn%26#39;t be more simple, really.
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That makes sense. Once we get there on our own, though, what happens? Are there tours that run regularly? Are there brochures/maps that one can pick up or buy to guide oneself through the grounds? Is there an entrance fee?
Also, we also heard that Versailles is closed on Mondays. Is that true?
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As of 2002 (last time I was at Versailles) it was closed on Mondays. Here%26#39;s the offical website http://www.chateauversailles.fr/. The trip from Paris to Versailles by RER is about 1 hr and the walk from the train station to the gates is only a few blocks. There are both guided and self-quided tours.
Enjoy!
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Once we get there on our own, though, what happens? Are there tours that run regularly? Are there brochures/maps that one can pick up or buy to guide oneself through the grounds? Is there an entrance fee?
Also, we also heard that Versailles is closed on Mondays. Is that true?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
The chateau is indeed COLSED on MONDAYS. The RER %26#39;C-5%26#39; ligne trains (%26#39;..V xxx..%26#39; trains), from any of its Left Bank stations to VERSAILLES-Rive Gauche takes approx 40 mins (round-trip fare 5,30 €) with train frequency one every 15 minutes. There is a pleasant ten minute stroll from the Rive Gauche station up to the gates of the chateau (entrance to all but the %26#39;State Apartments%26#39; is included within the CARTE MUSÉES et MONUMENTS pass). There are regularly scheduled tours (in several different languages) regularly through the day. You simply purchase a tour ticket and show up at the meeting point. There are also self-directed %26#39;..audio tours..%26#39; available.
So...you can quite easily visit and tour Versailles entirely on your own for a LOT less than $150...then %26#39;..re-invest..%26#39; those savings in a much better wine with lunch or dinner...or a third dessert.
CHATEAU de VERSAILLES INFO--
http://www.chateauversailles.fr/
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Have you tried a tour company called Paris Visions ? We booked our Versailles tour thru them independent of our hotel. They are located across from the Tuileries. We took the morning tour to Giverny ( Monet%26#39;s home) and the afternoon tour of Versailles, with lunch included.I%26#39;m sure no one could have talked me out of going to V. but I must say I was very disappointed and will not go again when we go to Paris later this year. The tour of the palace includes the King%26#39;s and Queen%26#39;s apartments and the Hall of Mirrors. PERIOD. The apartments are nearly empty. Everything was hauled off and sold during the Revolution. When we were there (last April) the Hall of Mirrors was closed for renovation. Talk about disappointing !! The tour of the gardens is that you are on your own..no brochures or maps.I was sure glad we didn%26#39;t spend an entire day there ! I hope you will consider going to Monet%26#39;s home and gardens. We will definitely go back! The lunch in V was kinda fun. We ate escargot.
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You can do the trip on your own as other have told you.
There are a couple of tours that you can take when you get there. The longest line will be for the general admission line, then there is the Queens Tour and then the Kings Chambers Tour.
I have always taken the shortest line first the Queens tour and then a couple of years later the Kings tour. You can rent an audio tour if you like.
A good guide book explainly how to get there and the tours is the Rick Steves Guide book.
Have great time!
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I concur with he previous poster that you can visit Versailles on your own. It%26#39;s an easy 30-40 minute train ride away from Paris. You can buy the train and entrance tickets altogether at the RER C stations. A tour company will simply rush you only around the state apartments, while there is so much to see at Versailles. At the chateau leaflets in English and multi-language audoguides are available.
Do visit the chateau webside, as suggested (English version available).
Check out the thread on %26quot;Versailles renovations%26quot; for an update of the restoration work underway. Presently half of the hall of mirrors is hidden by scaffoldings but it shouldn%26#39;t deter you from visiting the place.
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If you go on your own, keep in mind the queues on the week-ends. Go there during the week. It is closed on Mondays. On their website you should find the time for the tours in English.
I don%26#39;t agree with the previous post about Versailles being nearly empty, they try to buy back some of the furniture, tell the Queen of England to offer some furniture, many of the pieces that were in Versailles now belong to Great Britain. Also buying back furniture costs millions of euros for one piece!! There is still so much decoration, paintings, to keep you entertained apart from the furniture. Even at the time of the 17th_18th century, there were not many chairs (reserved to the King%26#39;s family) or stools (for princesses and princes)... The hall of mirrors was only partly closed to my knowledge, you could still see the other half. And now the half that was closed has been restored so looks very nice. The other half remaining will now be covered for the next restoration. These restorations are NECESSARY. I think it is worth to go there for a day and go to the Trianons and hameau de la REine. At the information desk, they do have a map of the gardens.
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Visiting Versailles on your own is definitely possible, but without some research before you go, I would imagine your experience might be similar to the poster who was disappointed. Without some knowledge of the history of the place, the tidbits available from a guide (audio guides are available for rent), or a handy guidebook that will explain what you%26#39;re looking at, you risk the chance of walking about aimlessly without getting any real appreciation for the place.
With that said, if you venture out on your own, you do have a few options. The Carte Musee et Monuments will grant you access to the state apartments and the gardens (thru the end of March...there%26#39;s an extra charge for the gardens from April thru October) and you can bypass the long lines for tickets by going directly to door B2. If you decide to take one of the lecture tours to the Opera House or Marie Antoinettes apartments, or if you would like to see the King%26#39;s Chambers, you will need to return to entrance C or D to buy those additional tickets. The pass also includes entrance to the Grand Trianon.
If you do not plan to purchase a Carte M%26amp;M, you can purchase a full day pass for the chateau that includes everything but the lecture tours (Opera/M.A.) for 20 Euros. This pass also includes audioguides for the state apartments and the King%26#39;s Chambers. You can avoid waiting in line at the Chateau by purchasing this pass in advance at any FNAC in Paris.
If you are taking the RER to the Chateau, you can purchase a combination train/chateau pass at Transilien SNCF stations. You will save about 1 Euro by purchasing the combination pass, but the greater advantage is avoiding the lines. More info at http://www.transilien.com/FR/TouVers.htm (in French)
The official website%26#39;s English version (http://www.chateauversaille.fr/en) offers a fair amount of information, but if you are able to read some French, I recommend sticking to the French version.
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We did it on our own, with kids in tow. That was in February and there were really no crowds. With the museum pass you can bypass any lines.
We used the Rick Steve%26#39;s guidebook as a basic tour for ourselves.
Also, I would recommend before you go to check out any videos that your public library has about Louis XIV and beyond, as well as about Versailles, etc. Check under %26quot;Sun King%26quot; as that is how he was known. We watched a bunch of videos about Versailles and the different Louis%26#39; and all that and my kids were awfully well versed in French History by the time we left, and it made the trip to Versailles much more meaningful.
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