Versailles is one of those day trips that everyone tells you to do when you’re in Paris, and honestly, it lives up to the hype. We’ve actually visited twice: once in the dead of winter with almost no lines, and once in peak spring season when the crowds were a completely different story. Between those two trips, we’ve picked up enough tricks to help you have a smooth day no matter when you go. Here’s exactly how we’d spend one day at Versailles.

Getting to Versailles from Paris

Versailles is about 30 minutes outside the city, and getting there is easy. Take the RER C toward Versailles Château/Rive Gauche (you can connect to the RER C from most Paris metro stations). Trains run frequently, so just keep an eye on the departure board, or ask one of the platform staff if you’re not sure which train to take. Get off at Versailles Château/Rive Gauche, the stop closest to the Palace.

Travel Tip: your regular Paris metro ticket won’t get you back into the city. Buy a round-trip RER ticket before you leave, or budget a few extra minutes to grab one at Versailles.

If you’re not comfortable navigating public transportation, you can always book a tour* that includes transportation!

Visiting Versailles from Paris One-Day Itinerary

9:00 AM: Visit the Gardens First

Here’s our best tip from visiting in peak season: if you arrive and see a long line snaking toward the Palace entrance, don’t get in it. Everyone has to pass through a security checkpoint first, but once you’re through that gate, you can head straight into the gardens instead of the Palace. The Palace line is always much shorter later in the afternoon, so save it for after lunch!

The gardens are genuinely our favorite part of Versailles, and they’re enormous! A staff member once told us it takes more than 45 minutes just to walk from the Palace to the far end of the grounds so wear comfortable shoes! If you’re traveling with kids or anyone who can’t manage a lot of walking, you can rent a golf cart (around €28 an hour) or hop on the little tourist train that loops the grounds for about €7.50 euros round-trip, hopping off wherever you like.

If you can, visit in spring or summer. The fountains only run on select days, and seeing them going full force in front of the Palace, surrounded by everything in bloom, is a completely different experience than a quiet winter garden.

11:00 AM: Explore the Trianon Estate

Once you’ve made your way through the main gardens, keep walking toward the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon. Depending on the type of ticket you purchase, you can go inside both.

The Grand Trianon was built in 1687 so Louis XIV could get away from the formality of court life. It’s built from pink marble and has its own gardens. Over the centuries it hosted countless royal guests before eventually becoming the museum it is today.

The Petit Trianon came later, commissioned in 1768 by Louis XV. When Louis XVI took the throne, he gave the Petit Trianon to his new wife, Marie Antoinette, as a gift, and she made it entirely her own. If you have time, it’s worth continuing on to the Queen’s Hamlet, a cottage and small farm Marie Antoinette had built nearby in the English cottage style. We didn’t make it that far ourselves, but if your legs are holding up, it’s supposed to be worth the walk.

1:00 PM: Lunch in the Gardens

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, you have two good options: pack a picnic and eat somewhere in the gardens (a great budget move), or grab a table at one of the restaurants on the grounds. We ate at La Flotille, which has a lovely outdoor terrace right on the water, reasonable prices for the location, and plenty of seating.

2:00 PM: Tour the Palace

By early afternoon, the Palace line has usually calmed down quite a bit. On our peak-season visit, we only waited about 30 minutes with our pre-purchased ticket, which felt like nothing compared to the crowds first thing in the morning. Once you’re inside, pick up the audio guide. It’s far more informative than the wall placards, and it can be included in your ticket.

The Palace itself started out as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII back in 1623. Louis XIV is the one who transformed it into the grand palace it is today and moved the entire French royal court there from Paris. Every room is dripping in history, but the showstopper is the Hall of Mirrors. Louis XIV designed it so that floor-to-ceiling mirrors on one side reflect the gardens through the glass doors on the other, making the whole room feel even bigger than it already is. Between the chandeliers, the painted ceilings, and the marble everywhere, it’s easy to picture the parties this room once held!

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were the last royals to actually live at Versailles before the French Revolution forced the monarchy back to Paris. That history is part of what makes the Palace so fascinating; it’s not just beautiful architecture, it’s a physical record of the end of absolute monarchy in France.

Practical Tips for Visiting Versailles

• Buy your tickets in advance: These can sell out during peak season!
• Go to the gardens first: Everyone gets in line for the Palace, so you’ll have a more quieter experience this way.
• Wear comfortable shoes: Between the gardens and the Trianon Estate, you’ll easily rack up several miles.
• Check the fountain schedule: Some days the fountains are off for maintenance, so it’s best to check they’ll be running if it’s important for you to see.
• Buy your return train ticket: Once you arrive in Versailles, be sure to buy your return ticket, since your Paris metro ticket won’t work for the trip back.

Is Versailles Worth a Day Trip from Paris?

Yes, without question! You could easily spend more than a full day exploring everything Versailles has to offer, but even a well-planned single day gives you a real sense of the Palace, the gardens, and the Trianon Estate. If you only have time for one big day trip while you’re in Paris, this is the one we’d point you toward.

All of the recommendations in our guides are places we have personally stayed, dined or explored so you can get an authentic perspective. We will always be transparent if we haven’t personally done something or experienced it firsthand!

Please note: Prices listed in this post are approximate and subject to change. Always check official websites before booking.

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